When Cool Gets in the Way of Obedience: Part 1

Note: I would try to be as coherent as possible since I have been usually writing over at 750Words. I have been accustomed for a few days to writing my thoughts as I go along. Pardon me.

This is something I have observed mostly in other people, and also in myself. The following are some observations. Would it be judgmental of me to mention other people? It would be improper for me to point what God prescribes, right? Those two things are not cool. Not cool at all.

It is not something new in this present generation. I must not aggravate the indictment to my own generation, for this seems to be a perennial problem of the human heart: the struggle to joyfully serve God, or slavishly serve one's own appetites. Nothing special about the problem. It's just that we have a much more glaring and obvious view of the situation with the massive use of social networking and social media.

Some people would rather be cool than obedient. Not that the two things are polar opposites, but well it is. Obedience is not cool. It's interesting that the word "cool" was once associated as an attitude nurtured among social and political rebels, whose open rebellion was mixed with detachment. Rebellious detachment, that's cool. Then again, the state of rebellion against God is deeply embedded in the human heart. The account of Genesis 3 and 6 show us that it has become the taint in the once-innocent human nature. It is what defines our world today. No matter what statistics say regarding the religious atmosphere of the world, whether Christian or no, whether fervent or cold, in our inmost beings we are rebels against God. No nation is truly a "Christian" nation.

While some people are more prone to open rebellion and its manifestation than others, this does not negate the fact that it is the most basic human problem. It is the universal, basic human problem. For this reason Christ became obedient to the point of death. Indeed, even death on a cross, to atone for sinners who would repent and believe in Him. The most basic human problem is met with the only satisfying, divine solution, for there is no other way we can ever be saved.

A digression-- I am in deep consideration of deleting all my social networking accounts. I am keen in keeping my Facebook, after cleaning my contacts list. Having an account has nearly become a requirement with all the contacts I made with people I never see regularly. Also, most of the ministry work I'm involved with rely on Facebook groups for communication. Twitter, on the other hand, has to go. I liked it when I started using it. I had the perverse joy of being profound in 140 characters or less. It was cool. I tried to sound smart almost all the time. Little did I know that it was affecting how I think, of what I was teaching myself: I would rather be cool. A cool, Internet Christian.

777 Tweets before leaving? How cool is that?! #missingmyownpoint

To connect my digression to the observation, Twitter had a depressing effect on me. Reading the feeds subtly had myself compare myself to others. Either I think am better than others, or that I am worse than my contemporaries with the accompanying question: "What am I doing with my life?" No one wins against the sinful heart, you know.

I began to think in more fragmented ways. 140 characters is not enough to flesh out a thought. If I ever did, I credited it to my overall coolness and smarts. Yikes.

I beg my pardon to any Twitter contact or user who reads this. Do take it in a general and sweeping manner. I am not talking about you specifically, unless, you feel that you fit some of the descriptions. This is a personal observation and commitment. I am not against Twitter. Yet I deem it better not to have an account. It does not make me cool not having an account, yet the same goes for having one. I like reading, and feel a compulsion to read through the feeds, FB or Twitter, even if I know I am going to read some things I'd rather not know. The compulsion, however, is not beneficial. So, goodbye Twitter. Except for the humorous and sensible sentiments (which I can find in real real life), time is better spent elsewhere. #Quitting

Even without the use of social media, I have found myself in the position of constantly trying to decide whether to do something that looks cool or do what is right. What is right is usually not a cool thing nowadays. Standing for one's convictions however unpopular is, well, unpopular. But obedience is God's prescription, not only because He says so, however sufficient reason that is in itself, but it is for good. It is for our own good. Biblical prescriptions, of moral principles and of skillful living (which is what wisdom means anyway) and many others, are geared for our own good and God's glory and pleasure. It is a golden truth: that all things work together for good to those who love God; those circumstances which are out of our control and most commonly disregarded, even our own obedience to Him in every single day. Our obedience to Him in daily living is almost never the sensational or novel way we want it to be. Daily following Him and taking Him at His Word is most definitely for our good, no matter how you feel about it.

My definition of cool might differ with others. It's a word that I believe has lost its meaning. Anybody can use it to mean anything. It can be a quality, and also be expressed in quantity. (I think my facial hair constitutes to either plus 20% or minus 20% cool depending on who's being asked.) Best use I found is mentioning it thrice in quick succession, "cool, cool, cool", by Community's Abed. It is an aesthetic: how one projects him- or herself. Cool has become the opposite of old-fashioned.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to obey God with all the novel and varied notions of cool. I think that many believers, mostly the younger ones, have this notion of living in a cool way of being a christian. Christianity should not boring; it should be cool. It should not bring us down; it should help us be... cool. Or "radical", or "counter-cultural", or "missional". Even, relevant. Being radical, counter-cultural, missional, even relevant are good things...if we know what they mean. Most of the time their meaning has been swept under the rug in exchange for a cool aesthetic. Form has trumped substance. We'd rather have our labels than live the actual Christian life. Take it from me, I have been there. I am still battling with it to this very day.

Some go for disturbingly fantastical ways of self-promotion, being more occupied with clothing, with social standing, with personal interests. For the "spiritual" kind of cool, there's this venomous problem of picking and siding with our favorite pastor-teachers (see 1 Corinthians 1). All in all, this fixation for coolness is merely proving its usual and secular meaning: rebellious detachment.  The ordinary aesthetics of the Christian life in the Bible is not deemed cool by today's standards. However one desires to live out Acts 2:42-47, one will come to the conclusion that it fizzles compared to how Christianity is projected and marketed these days.

The early church was a very hinged people: they were connected to one another, not by social media, but by actual, intimate and regular fellowship in their local gatherings. Our present dilemma is that most Christians are detached from this beautiful and seemingly ordinary provision of God. It is not only a detachment from God Himself, that alone being an infinite crime; but we detach ourselves of the reality and beauty of belonging and being in fellowship with the body of Christ, the church. There is a strong delusion for everyone to adhere to the sort-of lone-wolf Christian lifestyle. I once was like that, I'd rather perform my Christianity by myself, not needing anyone but God alone. Amazing as that may sound, it is deplorable to think that God only saved me for me. Being this lone-wolf directs us to be self-sufficient: being a Bible scholar, being a secret prayer warrior extraordinaire, all without the application of what these means of grace are for: service within the Body (1 Cor. 12-14). The independent lone-wolf aesthetic is cool, but it is not obedience. It neglects the fact that God provides salvation to acquire a people, a family, not detached individuals who think they do not need anyone, even the church. You know, the church for which Christ died and is currently sanctifying (Eph. 5:25-33).