Corresponding with the last post, I'm finishing up a semi-deep study in 1 Corinthians today, and can't help but notice how Paul continuously scolds the congregation in Corinth.
I'm sure not many of you are interested in anthropology, but I come from what anthropoogists call a "guilt culture" and what I live in now is a "shame culture," which is really all of Asia. (You can read more here.) The more I study Corinthians, the more I realize that this is was a shame culture. In our churches, our tactics are not so blunt, but we try to cause inner guilt to bring people to salvation, to our altars.
I'm not an anthropology major, and because of that, I can say this: our churches should reflect a shame culture. I don't know how this would play out, but it sounds like a pretty good idea for a thesis, don't you think?!
The fact is, we're not embarassed by what we do because everybody accepts us and loves us. Sure, the church should reflect love in reconciling a brother or sister to a holy life, but they should also be scolded with the Word. Whose job is this? Our small groups? Our mentors'?
And above all that, something that really struck me as Paul brings this letter to the congregation to a climax:
1 Cor. 15:34, "Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame."
The ultimate shame is that some around us have no knowledge of God.
Yes, we should be ashamed.
