Rumors, Cultures, and the Scripture

Application

• Every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should glorify God for anyone, Jew or Gentile, who surrenders to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation from sin.
• Basically, everyone “passes on” what he believes he heard, but the closed context of the Game of Telephone makes it clear how exactly it occurred. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ must make certain only to pass on truth.
• Culture tends to be neutral overall, but each one’s culture must be informed and corrected by Scripture.
• Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher (c. 535 BC – 475 BC), is quoted as saying “change is the only constant in life,” and many people believe it. Heraclitus was partially correct at best —he failed to consider the true and living God as the Absolute Constant of the universe.
• Conclusion: Rumor gets everyone in trouble at some point and should be rejected and/or avoided. Culture provides “acceptable boundaries for normal life”—keeping people relatively safe and comfortable. However, the truth of God’s Word—God’s standards revealed to man—must counsel culture at every point of the timeline.

Bible Text

(15) After these days we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem. (16) Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple of long standing with whom we were to lodge.

(17) After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. (18) And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. (19) After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. (20) And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; (21) and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. (22) What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. (23) Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; (24) take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. (25) But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication.” (26) Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

-Acts 21:15-26