Equipping The Saints In 2024

If Paul were writing the New Testament in 2024, he would include critical topics to help equip the church just like he did two thousand years ago.

Let me begin by unequivocally stating that I know the Bible to be perfect, final, and inspired by God; the writers were the instrument, and God was the author. There will be those who choose to argue that point, but that is something they can discuss with God.

I aim to address a trend I have witnessed as I travel the nation to speak to groups and churches. I encourage them to actively participate in civics, politics, and culture, for the church is vital in shaping society.

• Pastors and churches often avoid addressing today's cultural phenomenon, which results in a church body ill-equipped to engage with society. Most often, the claim is that they do not want to “engage in politics.”

• If politics is downstream of culture, then culture is downstream of either Christ or some corrupt source. America must choose.

Based on my experience teaching apologetics for the last thirty-plus years, I can testify to the power of addressing every argument from a biblical perspective. In some cases, I have addressed the concerns and questions of die-hard atheists only to see them saved and baptized months later when God revealed Himself to them through His perfect creation. Like Paul, God used me as a willing instrument. Though my teaching is focused on science, this short article is about other topics I am confident would be included in a New Testament if Paul were writing it today.

Yes, Paul addressed and identified unique cultural and, dare I say, political issues of the time. He provided a proper biblical response for the New Testament church, which was still in its infancy. Those cultural issues are not specifically present in America in 2024, but the biblical principles highlighted are timeless and continue to guide us in addressing contemporary issues. The evil working against those principles has not departed us either. Here are a few examples of culturally specific issues Paul addressed.[i]

Romans 13: 1-7—Submission to governing authorities meant one thing to a Roman then but means something different to Americans now. Paul's point is that the church should not harm its witness because of how it responds to authorities. Rome had one Caesar, and the church had to operate within that system. In America, we are each Caesar and must also operate in a manner that does not harm our witness - but within a different form of government.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 – You would be challenged to find someone in America sacrificing meat to idols. At the time of Paul’s writing, meat sacrificed to idols was cheaper than meat from the market. Paul wanted the church members to know that the meat was not tainted because of its source. This is not a concern in America today.

1 Corinthians 11:2–16— Some church bodies today prefer women wear head coverings and keep their hair long. That’s their choice, but Paul’s use of this example was not to ensure all women wore hair coverings and kept long hair for all time. Instead, Paul used this example because women with shaved heads or extremely short hair at that time were typically temple prostitutes, a unique cultural phenomenon that needed addressing.

Those were three quick examples of Paul addressing culture and politics to highlight biblical principles and arm the saints for the world in which they lived. Pastors must do the same today. It must start with the pastors, but those who still teach or preach must do the same.

It is easy to stay inside the four walls of a church building; it is hard to move into a community and seek to be the dominant influence America needs Christ’s church to be if we do our part to Restore Liberty to a nation that has lost its way. To do this, we must know the Gospel and be equipped to respond to the arguments many will use to counter God’s message. We are even commanded to provide sound arguments supporting biblical truth.

1 Peter 3:15 states, “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”

A “defense” comes in many forms, and sometimes, we must tear down the strongholds attacking our culture at its biblical foundations. It is imperative to know how those strongholds manifest and how they destroy truth and society today. I will provide a few examples.

§  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Attacks the family by causing multiple forms of division within the family and society. DEI also attacks other critical areas of society, such as the economy, military, church, and education.

§  Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Attacks the family through the children by making parents the enemy of children and communistic agenda-driven schools their “safe space.” This creates a type of surrogate parent system for children who often spend more time in a school setting than they do with their parents at home.

§  The LGBTQ Agenda. Attacks the family and God’s created order by redefining what it means to be male or female and God’s number one institution in which humans are meant to thrive – marriage between one man and one woman. It also seeks to replace God with false “science.”

§  Environmental Social Governance (ESG). Attacks families' economic stability by punishing them for failing to adhere to government mandates, often countering the family institution. This includes the ability to purchase goods and services and gain employment.

Please encourage your pastors to engage in the culture wars and address the four topics above at a minimum. The biblical example is there to follow. If they will not, find someone who will. This is not an encouragement to leave a specific church body but to find someone willing to help equip you properly. Jack Hibbs sets a notable example and can be found online easily. Pastor Paul of Mountain Family Fellowship in Helena, Montana, and a retired Pastor friend named Charles Garner in Kalispell, Montana,[ii] are two other examples.

Paul engaged in the culture wars as an instrument of God during the formation of the New Testament church.

We must not run from the culture wars of today.

God must lead us as we meet the enemy on the battlefield.

I pray I can do my small part through my writings and media engagements and follow in obedience.

Will you?

Will the pastors of this great nation?

Lt Col (ret), US Army, Darin Gaub (@DLGaub) is a Geo-political and military strategist, former Blackhawk helicopter pilot and Battalion Commander, executive leadership coach, ordained Bible minister, and serves on the boards of multiple volunteer national and state-level organizations. The views presented are those of the author and do not represent the views of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, or its components. He can be found on Rumble and Substack.

---

[i] I encourage the reader to examine each of these examples for the spiritual principles Paul wants to teach. Space does not permit me to go into greater detail.

[ii] Pastor Garner wrote a book I recommend title “A Canary In A Coal Mine.” HERE