Jacob
2009-07-28 03:37:14 UTC
When strong waves beat against the seashore there is a chance that the
shoreline gets eroded. Drops of water falling incessantly on rock will
make a dent on the rock! Something similar happens in our Christian
values, and we can already see how far down they have come. Christians
are more tolerant about issues such as divorce, abortion and
homosexuality, not only tolerate corrupt practices in money matters
but resort to them themselves, watch movies and read novels that would
have been totally unacceptable earlier, listen to comedians who go
vulgar or blasphemous and either laugh with them or continue, etc. How
did this happen? Not all of a sudden, but over a period of time
because of the continuing pressure from the people around and the
media.
There is a triangle that becomes bigger with time. At one corner is
the Christian's lack of knowledge of God and His values, and in the
next corner is the pressure from the world and in the last corner are
the eroding values. The sad thing is that when the pressure of the
world becomes strong, instead of seeking to know God better people
tend to seek to understand the world better! People recognise the cost
of going against political correctness and public opinion, and try to
adapt themselves to the standards promoted by the world. The fear of
being labelled narrow-minded, fundamentalist or fanatical keeps many
Christians silent or even causes them to avoid thinking on their own.
God needs His witnesses, His salt and light (Mt.5:13-16), the salt to
give the right flavour and to preserve true values and the light to
dispel the increasing darkness. We cannot be His witnesses without
knowing Him and His heart. Much more than we are exposed to the media
of this world, our hearts and mind need to be filled with the
knowledge that comes through His word and His Spirit. That alone can
preserve us, and also make us useful to Him in this world.
The world system is under the rule of its prince, Satan (Ep.2:2;Jn.
12:31). Satan is behind the media, the governments, the institutions,
the think tanks, scientific research, etc., guiding the minds of those
who do not know God to think in the direction away from God and
towards corruption, debauchery, immorality, violence, etc. We remember
how the scientific world was driven to support the theory of evolution
even ignoring the use of common sense, and now similar things are
happening regarding homosexuality. In one sense we cannot stop that.
But what we can stop, and what we need to stop, is our own flow in
that direction, being pushed and pulled by the things around us.
We cannot be renewed in our minds (Ro.12:2) without taking time to
think over these things, and without first taking time to get to know
God and His heart through His word. In times such as these, there is
all the more need for us to seek God's heart. We also need to remain
bold in the knowledge of God and His values even while showing
compassion on the ignorant and perishing.
shoreline gets eroded. Drops of water falling incessantly on rock will
make a dent on the rock! Something similar happens in our Christian
values, and we can already see how far down they have come. Christians
are more tolerant about issues such as divorce, abortion and
homosexuality, not only tolerate corrupt practices in money matters
but resort to them themselves, watch movies and read novels that would
have been totally unacceptable earlier, listen to comedians who go
vulgar or blasphemous and either laugh with them or continue, etc. How
did this happen? Not all of a sudden, but over a period of time
because of the continuing pressure from the people around and the
media.
There is a triangle that becomes bigger with time. At one corner is
the Christian's lack of knowledge of God and His values, and in the
next corner is the pressure from the world and in the last corner are
the eroding values. The sad thing is that when the pressure of the
world becomes strong, instead of seeking to know God better people
tend to seek to understand the world better! People recognise the cost
of going against political correctness and public opinion, and try to
adapt themselves to the standards promoted by the world. The fear of
being labelled narrow-minded, fundamentalist or fanatical keeps many
Christians silent or even causes them to avoid thinking on their own.
God needs His witnesses, His salt and light (Mt.5:13-16), the salt to
give the right flavour and to preserve true values and the light to
dispel the increasing darkness. We cannot be His witnesses without
knowing Him and His heart. Much more than we are exposed to the media
of this world, our hearts and mind need to be filled with the
knowledge that comes through His word and His Spirit. That alone can
preserve us, and also make us useful to Him in this world.
The world system is under the rule of its prince, Satan (Ep.2:2;Jn.
12:31). Satan is behind the media, the governments, the institutions,
the think tanks, scientific research, etc., guiding the minds of those
who do not know God to think in the direction away from God and
towards corruption, debauchery, immorality, violence, etc. We remember
how the scientific world was driven to support the theory of evolution
even ignoring the use of common sense, and now similar things are
happening regarding homosexuality. In one sense we cannot stop that.
But what we can stop, and what we need to stop, is our own flow in
that direction, being pushed and pulled by the things around us.
We cannot be renewed in our minds (Ro.12:2) without taking time to
think over these things, and without first taking time to get to know
God and His heart through His word. In times such as these, there is
all the more need for us to seek God's heart. We also need to remain
bold in the knowledge of God and His values even while showing
compassion on the ignorant and perishing.