🌿 *CULTURE & CHRISTIANITY* *How important is your Traditional Culture to your Christian walk?* In the Kiganda Culture, if they told you TAMBULA NGA OMUGANDA, they simply mean introduce yourself like a MUGANDA. *And this is what that introduction would look like in a nutshell* * My name is So and So * I am a Son of So and So * I am of the CLAN of So * My totem is So and so (like kyima/monkey) * I am a Grand child (Muzukulu) of So and So who is resting at the place so and so in brief, that would be a simple introduction of a Muganda. Well, this introduction should never be for a Christian. Because its rooted in all things the Flesh (Carnality). This is what it also means to be CARNAL or being of a CARNAL MIND. Identifying by fleshly things which we died to when we came to Jesus. *Why should we be careful about traditional culture?* * Because most times they practice Ancestral worship * Many have Sorcery, witchcract and Culture intermingled * Baby naming practices for many are demonic * Their are some that practice Sacrifices of animals, birds etc * Many of their marrriage customs are anti-christian * Many carry out initiation rites which are demonic like (Imbalu) * Burial ceremonies have demonic rituals carried out before and after burial * Their Healthcare is rooted in use of Herbs, charms and whatever traditional medicines In general, for many cultures around the world are rooted into demonic worship *But what do people say?* Many believe God created tribes and also created Cultures. *But is that true?* Ofcourse not. God, yes created man and gave him tribes or languages but he never gave them the culture. *Because of you say God gave them culture you mean to say God Taught men:* * to worship Ancestors * to worship Demons * to sacrifice food to demons * to practice sorcery and witchcraft ...and so much more No, God could never have asked any tribe to do such a thing, because it was contrary to his nature. Out of all Peoples of the world, i only remember one group of people that the bible tells us God gave identify all the way to how they should worship Him and not demons. *So what is culture?* Culture is defined as the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society. God established the nation of israel to use it as an example of a GODLY CULTURE, apart from that, everything else is falls short. He also gave them all things that partain to culture. Which run from Language, to customs and social behaviour. Since the world had never known how to live and worship God, He had to start with israel to demonstrate just that. God instructed them: * On Foods to eat * On Worship * On Marriage * Justice system * On Dressing/Wear * On Holidays and Celebration * On Leadership * On International relations * On Child upbringing * etc. All these were to be used as a model for all nations to see and learn or copy to apply in their own Cultures. *Now we need to establish who WE CHRISTIANS are in comparison to our Traditional Cultures today.* 2 Corithians 5:16-17 says > ...That if One died _Christ_ for all, then all _of us in Christ_ died _in water baptism_; > and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. > Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. > Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. *Let us disect this scripture* > ...That if One died _Christ_ for all, then all _of us in Christ_ died _in water baptism_; This implies, whatever Tribe or Culture you were birthed into, all that remains in the waters of Water Baptism with the old you. Only a New you comes forth. And now God prepares us New Tongues (New Spiritual Language) to speak and Satan or Man cannot interprete this language because it is from above. That is why Christians have to speak in Tongues to communicate spiritually direct with God, for that is their new language with Him. > Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. You see that, FROM NOW ON, regard NO ONE who is in Christ according to the Flesh. Meaning regard YOURSELF NO LONGER ACCORDING TO THE FLESH Because * Birth Tribes are of the Flesh * Birth Cultures are of the Flesh * Birth Citizenship is of the Flesh Whatever these things you have identified yourself with for long, regard them NO LONGER. They ended in Water Baptism. So someone will ask me, should i not call my self * A Muganda or * A Mugishu * A Musoga * A Samia * An Acholi * An Itesot * A Japadhola * etc No, You are not any one of those tribes of the FLESH, If anything you are of the tribe of JESUS *NOTE:* The Apostles of Jesus: * Never Preached tribalism * Never identified themselves by their tribes except for the languages they spoke If the founders of the Church never at one point identified by their tribes setting a precedence for us, why do we today in our christian life identify our lives by our tribes. Or get our identify from which region we come from and tribe and clan. That is absolutely wrong. It means you donot know who you are. *Are you looking for a tribe to belong?* Let us read this scripture in Romans 2:28-29 > For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. > No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. *WE LEARN:* That ALL BORN AGAINS are Jewish spiritually. Their bodies are nolonger physically circumcised to be called jewish, but instead their hearts are what are circumcised and that is the requirement to be a born again christian. And whoever has his heart circumcised is a SPIRITUAL JEW not a Physical one. Scripture goes on to tell us > Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. These are not my words, * OLD things are PASSED AWAY * BEHOLD all things are NEW Do you see that. So what about you, do you want to retain in your old self. Let there be none except for the Language which transcends boundaries and cultures. You will not loose language for it is a medium of communication to all, especially languages that cut across cultures and nationalities, like English, like Luganda in Uganda. Galatians 3:28-29 states, > There is neither Jew nor Greek [Muganda nor Muteso], there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are ALL ONE in Christ Jesus. > And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. Galatians reveals that we are one in Jesus Christ, we do not have multiple identities in Christ, No. When we are called Children of God, it means we are of one FATHER and the tribe of our father becomes the tribe of his sons. Therefore Jesus(God) is Jewish and we are sons of God, so we are sons of a Jewish Father (In the Spirit). A Jewish father gives birth to a jewish son. Again, No longer regard yourself according to the things of the flesh. *How about our Citizenship* What citizenship do we regard of ourselves in the flesh. Ofcourse as of now, we shall say UGANDAN *But is that our true citizenship?* Well let's read from the book of Philipians 3:2-11, it says > For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, The scripture has said, our citizenship is not of this world, it is totally citizenship of Heaven. We know the scriptures tells that we are not of this world and we are just passing through. Why then do christians still glory in citizenship of this world. People glory in the citizenship * of America, * of Britian * of Canada * of Australia * of Germany as if any of these citizenship matters to us who are passing through this world. Well i have bad news for you, It does not matter. *CONCLUSION* Colossians 3:2 > Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. How you regard yourself will help you know how to conduct your life henceforth. Come out of the wicked lifestyles and seek living a Godly lifestyle. No longer regard yourself by your birth tribe but by how God regards you. I know these are DEEEEEEEP things and they will take a while to sink, i understand. Familiarise yourself with the word and they will sink in. .... If this message has blessed you, please be generous and share it with a friend or loved one. It could change their view forever. To Join our WhatsApp Channel: Visit *http://channel.need-god.com* Be Blessed!