By Kevin Shrum
Pastor, Inglewood Baptist Church, Nashville
Focal Passage: Daniel 1:8-21
We are amid a massive cultural shift. Things that were once familiar are now strange; truths that were once cherished are no longer applauded. In his book, Reinventing Liberal Christianity, Theo Hobson traces the collapse of Western civilization through three steps: (1) What was universally condemned is now celebrated; (2) What was universally celebrated is now condemned; (3) Those who refuse to celebrate are condemned. In other words, we are “behind enemy lines” in the sense that the Christian faith is no longer the favored worldview in the public square. How are we now to live? Just as Daniel did when he found himself in a foreign land — with integrity and conviction.
A Commitment Expressed, Daniel 1:8-10. As Daniel was taken into Babylonian captivity he was put to the test. Nebuchadnezzar demanded that the best of the Hebrews men be selected to be reeducated and to be put on a different diet. He wanted them to conform to the “Babylonian way.” But Daniel determined “not to defile himself” (v. 8). Daniel wasn’t belligerent, but he was determined to keep himself holy. This was his minor act of rebellion that ended up having a major impact. [Read more…]