Living Counter to Culture
Daniel Speaks to Us Today Series
By Greg Johnson
http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org
The book of Daniel is very relevant to us in our day. Daniel is probably in his late teens or early twenties when he is taken from Jerusalem to Babylon. In the first six chapters, Daniel interprets the dreams of others. In the last six chapters, when Daniel is probably in his eighties, God gives him dreams of the future. We are going to go through the book of Daniel and let it speak to us today. It is very relevant to us in our day and we need to have a keen understanding of it and what God is saying to us in our day.
Daniel chapter one gives us a vivid picture of living in the world but being set apart for God’s use. Daniel lived counter to culture and was blessed. In modern theological terminology, we call this living counter to culture sanctification. Sanctification is a work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit circumcises our hearts (Romans 2:29). Sanctification begins at new birth (John 3) and progresses throughout our lives. Sanctification is the road to progressive holiness.
In Daniel chapter one, Babylon represents the world. Daniel and his three Hebrew friends are taken from Jerusalem to Babylon for training and for King Nebuchadnezzar’s service. Modern day Babylon is located in Iraq.
King Nebuchadnezzar desired to make these four Hebrew children into citizens of Babylon. He begins by changing their names and sending them through a three year training course.
In the midst of it all, Daniel lives counter to culture and openly serves the God of Israel instead of the Gods of Babylon. In doing so Daniel shows us how we can live counter to culture and openly follow Jesus on our journey from earth to glory.
RESOLVE NOT TO DEFILE YOURSELF.
God’s Word says (Daniel 1:8 NIV) "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way."
Daniel new that a portion of all foods was offered to the Babylon Gods and a portion of all wine was poured out on the altars of the Babylon Gods. He also knew that eating the meat from the King’s table would be against the Law of Moses. He resolved not to defile himself.
Daniel made a decision not to allow the culture of Babylon to diminish his relationship with God. He decided to live to please God and not the culture that surrounded him. He decided to live counter to culture.
Beloved, living counter to culture begins by making a choice to not let the world influence your walk with Jesus. It is choosing to make God’s Word your authoritative guide for all of your beliefs and actions. God’s Word is your instruction guide and the Holy Spirit is your partner. The Word and the Spirit will come together in your life to enable you to live counter to culture as you resolve not to defile yourself.
DO NOT CONDEMN OTHERS FOR THEIR LIFESTYLE AND BELIEFS.
Again, God’s Word says (Daniel 1:8 NIV) "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way."
Notice what Daniel does not do. He does not condemn this government official because his lifestyle is different or because his beliefs are different. Daniel politely asks permission to not participate.
We live in a world where we have religionist and even whole churches bashing gays, condemning pro choice people, promoting one political party over another and claiming it to be “God’s party”. They look down on those in poverty and proclaim to them that if they would just live right, God would prosper them. They snub their nose to those that are homeless and those that are battling addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling and sex. To be accepted by these religionists and their churches, you have to believe like them, look like them and act like them. God help us! Daniel was not like that.
Jesus was not like that either. The religionist of Jesus’ day brought a lady to Him that was caught in adultery. They were ready to stone her to death because of what she did. Jesus knelt down and wrote something in the sand and said that those without any sin should cast the first stone at this lady. One by one, the religionist left. When Jesus looked up, He only saw the lady standing there. Jesus did not condemn this lady.
Beloved, there are a lot of religionists in our day that talk a big game and they are quick to point out the sins of others and condemn them. That is not why we are left in the world. We are left in the world to be living testimonies of the power of God. You see, the most powerful testimony is the one lived, not the one spoken. The moment you made Jesus your Lord and Savior and you took up your cross to follow Him, you became a powerful testimony. You are not to condemn others for their lifestyle and beliefs. Just live your life for Jesus and allow God’s Word and the Holy Spirit to do a powerful work in you. Don’t condemn others. Don’t pick splinters out of another’s eye. Just concentrate on getting every obstacle out of your eye so that you can keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. The life you live will speak for itself as you follow Jesus.
GOD WILL GIVE YOU SUPERNATURAL HELP.
Daniel said (Daniel 1:12-16 NIV) “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. {13} Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." {14} So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. {15} At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. {16} So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead."
Now there is no doubt, given current scientific and medical studies, that a vegetarian diet is much healthier than a diet high in meat. In fact if you study Genesis you will find out that we were created to eat vegetation. Man did not become meat eaters until after the fall. Is it any wonder that we are finding out today that a diet high in vegetation and low in fat is healthier for us? It’s the way we were designed by our creator.
The diet that Daniel and his friends were on was a healthier diet, but there is no way they could see the results they saw in ten days without supernatural help. After all, they had just made a long journey from Jerusalem to Babylon. I read in one commentary that it was a 1000 mile journey. They had to have lost much weight on their journey. But yet they appeared healthy after just 10 days on a pure vegetarian diet. God gave them supernatural help.
Beloved, God has not left us without the help we need to live counter to our culture. He has given us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit provides us the supernatural help that we need. He empowers us to live victoriously in our day. He separates us from the world for God’s use.
GOD WILL GIVE YOU FAVOR.
God’s Word says (Daniel 1:17-21 NIV) "To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. {18} At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. {19} The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. {20} In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. {21} And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus."
God gave Daniel and his friends favor with man because they chose to live counter to culture without being condemning. Daniel successfully served in the king’s service from the time he came to Babylon in his late teens or early twenties until he was in his eighties and serving King Cyrus. He did not compromise his beliefs and actions. He did not condemn others. He lived his life for God and his life was a walking testimony of God’s power. God gave him favor with man.
Beloved, God will give you favor with man. Your relationships will blossom as you live counter to culture without condemning those around you. God will give you favor with people and you will make an impact for Him in your day just like Daniel did in his day.
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