Part One

Aesthetics, Feelings, and A Vibe

For many years, I’ve said that the content of doctrinal statements do not change or affect people close to what aesthetics do.  People’s imaginations of God do not relate mainly to specific doctrinal statements.  I’m not saying that’s good, but it’s just not the reality on the ground.  Aesthetics affect what people imagine about God.  The kind of music a church uses does more to form its understanding of God.

The spirit of the age, the zeitgeist conforms more to aesthetics than it does the content of theological statements.  The world system pushes or influences people according to their feelings than it does their thinking.  In fact, their thinking changes according to their feelings or experiences first.

I would contend that if a church decided to make some changes to its statement of faith, it would cause a lesser possible negative reaction than if one changed its music, dress, or programs.  This point can be seen in church growth.  Leaders of churches use the aesthetics, the music, dress, entertainment, social activities, and a general feeling or vibe to affect church growth and maintaining membership.  This trickles down to many of the decisions made in and by churches.

“Present World”

Scripture uses the terminology, “this world,” to describe the spirit of the age or the zeitgeist.  It also uses “present world” to speak of what characterizes the world in its present iteration.  In 2 Timothy 4:10, Paul writes to Timothy at the church at Ephesus:

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Demas forsook Paul because he loved “this present world” (ton nun aiona).  The same Greek expression, but translated differently in the King James Version, is seen in 1 Timothy 6:17:

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

This is the same nun aiona construction, “now world,” that is translated “this present world” in 2 Timothy 4:10.   Lastly, Paul uses it in Titus 2:12.  In this case, Paul compares the way of a believer — denying ungodliness and worldly lust, living soberly, righteously, and godly — with “this present world.”  “This present world” contrasts with godliness, sobriety or self-control, and righteousness.

Friendship of the World

The world and in its contemporary iterations, this present world, clashes with God.  It’s why James writes in James 4:4:

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

How does stay in good relations with the world system?  It is by conforming to the spirit of the age.  John calls these “the things that are in the world” (1 John 2:15).  Those who love the world, John says, the love of the Father is not in them.  Loving the world is loving the things that are in the world.  What are the things in the world?

Instead, Fellowship with God

When I was a child, sometimes I didn’t want to identify with my parents.  I felt ashamed to associate with these “old fogies.”  Children might try to separate themselves from the ways of their parents.  People who confess to being God’s people might separate themselves from God by not associating with His ways.  Instead, they sound, look, and act like the world.  This isn’t just committing sins, but watching what the world watches, listening to what the world listens to, and looking like the world looks.  It does this in a number of different ways.  God does not want this.

A term in scripture used to describe association with, accommodation to, and affiliation with God is “fellowship” or “communion.”  A believer aligns himself in every possible way with God, so that he fellowships with God.  He is close to God, so he considers all the ways he aligns with God, acts like God, walks with God, and in every way is on the same page as God.  A true believer is not taking into strong consideration as to whether he fashions himself with the ways of this world.

The New Roman Woman

The Apostle Paul confronts the spirit of the age.  Besides commanding, “be not conformed to this world” (Rom 12:2), Paul gets into some detail in a place like 1 Timothy 2:9:

In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.

Paul directly deals with some detail that represents far more than what he specifically says.  In history, this woman is known as “the new Roman woman.”  The contention of historians based upon literature and archaeology was a Roman world phenomena during the time of the New Testament, a type of woman in first-century Roman society who was known for her sexual libertinism and rebellion against male authority. The Apostle Paul instructs women to dress modestly and avoid excessive adornment.

Language Too

More than ever, I hear filthy communication posing as the salty, authentic speech that qualifies as Christian.  Everything about the spirit of the age also affects the tongue.  James addresses this especially in James 3 and ends the book to title the type of speech as “this wisdom” that “descendeth not from above.”  This world produces this wisdom which in turn causes this type of speech.

Christians talked different.  Now professing Christians talk the same and they’re a bit proud of it.  Apparently true Christianity doesn’t have to change your mouth that much.  Just the opposite, if someone speaks with a philosophical bent toward the world, he’s viewed as attractive for Christ, because he’s authentic.  This is calling evil good and good evil.

The Course of This World

The Apostle Paul breaks down in other kind of detail the spirit of the age in Ephesians 2:1-3:

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Here Paul uses the language, “the course of this world.”  He doesn’t say what that course is, but he characterizes it so that the audience can and will make the application.  Paul emphasizes that it was how they walked, but not anymore.  One should read an inherent warning concerning the continuation on “the course of this world” for those quickened, who were before dead in trespasses and sins.

The lifestyles of Ephesian believers were “in the lusts of [their] flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh” (verse 3).  This isn’t guidance by the Word of God and submission to the Holy Spirit.  This is allowing the flesh and its desires to lead.  What is the path of least opposition?  What makes it easier to live in this world and find acceptance all around?

An Example of Hairstyle

The spirit of the age affects outward appearance as seen in 1 Timothy 2 and this is conforming to this world.  Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:14-15:

14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Those claiming to be Christian were conforming to this world in their hair styles and in this case, their length of hair.  Paul confronts hair length.  Men shouldn’t have long hair.  Women should have long hair.  A Christian culture will follow this path, because it indicates God ordained design.  God intended designed distinction between male and female to cooperate with His design.

Men rebel against God by growing long hair.  And women rebel against God by cutting their hair like a man.  Both men and women today, who call themselves Christians, might argue here.  Instead they should be swift to hear, slow to argue, and slow to wrath (James 1:19).  Hair length is a mere example of how believers correspond to the spirit of the age.  Many other attitudes and practices will do this too.

Salt, Light, Identification, and Influence

Christianity should and real or true Christianity will stand out against the spirit of the age.  It will not accept any of the ways that reflect, resemble, pattern, exhibit, or associate this present world.  It will reject the blue or purple hair, the tattoos, male dress on women and female dress on men, the skin tight garments, all forms of godless, pagan music, all kinds of modern art, like surrealism, cubism, abstract impressionism, the overt resemblance to this world’s popular entertainment, and more.

In many ways, the point of avoiding the association and imitation of this present world, the spirit of the age, the zeitgeist is about not identifying with God and the Bible.  It requires being different and set apart.  People just want to fit in.  They don’t have that responsibility to speak for the Lord Jesus Christ.  No one knows they are a Christian.  They are hiding their light under the bushel (cf. Matthew 5:13-16).  These professing believers don’t have the saltiness that preserves godliness.  They don’t create a barrier for the social changes encouraged by the god of this world.

Those calling themselves Christians and their churches attempt to stay relevant with this world.  They walk to the world’s drum beat.  God doesn’t want this.  Scripture teaches against it.