Culture isn’t neutral. The stories it tells subtly shape how we read the Bible, often without us realizing it. In this post, we explore how cultural narratives distort biblical interpretation, how to recognize when your reading of Scripture has been hijacked, and how to return to God’s Word as the final authority for life and faith.

What Are Cultural Narratives and Why Do They Matter?

Every culture tells stories about who we are, what matters, what’s real, and what’s right. These cultural narratives aren’t always wrong, but they’re never complete. When we let them sit above the Bible rather than under it, they reshape our understanding of God, of Scripture, and of reality itself.

“If the Bible isn’t correcting your culture, your culture is probably correcting your Bible.”

This isn’t just a political issue or a theological debate—it’s a question of authority. We don’t need a culture-free Bible reading (that’s impossible), but we do need one that holds culture accountable.

How Cultural Narratives Hijack Biblical Interpretation

We don’t read the Bible in a vacuum. We always bring a “lens,” and cultural stories often become the lens we don’t even realize we’re wearing. Here are four ways these narratives shape how we read:

1. They Select What We Emphasize

Cultural preferences lead us to highlight certain verses while ignoring others. For example:

• A prosperity culture might downplay the cross and elevate blessing.
  
• A justice-focused culture might elevate activism but ignore holiness.
  

2. They Fill In the Gaps

Where Scripture is silent or ambiguous, culture fills in the blanks. Our ideas about ethics, identity, or freedom often come more from society than Scripture.

3. They Trigger Emotional Reactions

Passages that conflict with our cultural assumptions often make us uncomfortable, and we subconsciously push them aside.

4. They Distort Application

Even when we understand Scripture correctly, culture can twist how we apply it. For example:

• Love your enemies becomes “be nice to people who agree with me politically.”
  

“The danger isn’t having a cultural lens—it’s being captive to it.”

Recognizing the Signs of Cultural Captivity

Wondering if your faith has been hijacked by cultural narratives? Here are some key warning signs:

• You stick to the same verses over and over, ignoring others that challenge your assumptions.
  
• You get defensive when Scripture confronts your cultural or political views.
  
• Your theology neatly aligns with one political tribe.
  
• You struggle to critique your culture from a biblical perspective.
  
• You read the Bible to confirm what you already believe, not to be transformed by it.
  

What’s the Way Out? Let Scripture Lead

Getting free from cultural captivity doesn’t mean leaving your culture—it means letting Scripture reshape it. Here are five practices that help:

1. Practice Hermeneutical Humility

Hermeneutics means how we interpret the Bible. We must admit that our perspective is limited, and Scripture has the final word, not our assumptions.

2. Engage Other Cultures and Eras

Read alongside believers from other cultures and church history. Let the global church challenge your local blind spots.

3. Read with Three Lenses

Ask:

• What does this mean for me?
  
• What does this mean for my church?
  
• How am I responsible for helping my church live this out?
  

This moves you from “just me and my Bible” to a communal, body-of-Christ mindset.

4. Submit Culture to Scripture

When Scripture challenges cultural values, Scripture wins, not your preferred podcast or political platform.

5. Read the Bible as a Story

Don’t treat Scripture like a quote machine. It’s one unified story centered on Christ. Understanding that story helps you interpret each part faithfully.

“The Bible is not for us to use—it is God’s Word to shape us.”

FAQs: Culture and Biblical Interpretation

Q: Can cultural narratives ever help us interpret Scripture?

Yes—if they’re recognized and filtered through Scripture. For example, collectivist cultures may highlight biblical themes that Western readers miss.

Q: Is it wrong to be influenced by my culture?

Not inherently. The problem is when culture becomes the authority instead of Scripture.

Q: What’s a safe way to engage cultural stories?

Affirm what is true, good, and beautiful—then point beyond it to the Triune God. Use Scripture to reform what’s incomplete.

What’s Next? Give Scripture the Final Word

You were never meant to swim blindly in cultural waters. God has given you His Word to help you see clearly and live truthfully.

If you’re ready to let go of cultural captivity and return to biblical authority, we invite you to enroll in one of our programs. Learn more here.

You don’t have to stay confused.

You don’t have to stay captive.

Let God’s Word become the anchor that tethers you to truth.

Reflection: Who’s Really Telling Your Story?

Take a few moments to reflect with the Holy Spirit:

• What cultural stories have shaped how I understand the Bible?
  
• Have I been reading Scripture for myself or against myself?
  
• Is the Bible truly my final authority—or have I let other voices take its place?
  

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” — John 8:31–32

Freedom doesn’t come from aligning with the right side of a culture war.

It comes from abiding in God’s Word—and letting it shape every part of your life.