davidbowerkingwood

Adele Bower ©

Discord and Controversy

I have found it almost impossible to turn on the national news without finding hostility, anger, and insults. The United States seems to be divided into two hostile camps that are each determined to conquer the enemy; sadly, the enemy, in this case, is one of us, Americans citizens who are so divided in their perception of this country that there seem to be no points of reconciliation.

I’ve watched with increasing sadness as the polarization of our country into two warring factions seems to have accelerated in both speed and intensity. I can remember a time in the Second World War when there was a unity of purpose that seemed to permeate every citizen; there was a war to be won and a clearly identified foe that just happened to not be another American citizen.

Over the intervening years, the identity of the enemy seems to have become much more localized; the enemy has become those who have a different philosophy of what the United States is all about. The problem has definitely been exacerbated by the absence of a unifying moral compass; most specifically, the Bible; even I can remember a time when Biblical morality was respected and used as a general standard for behavior.

Over a hundred years ago a revolution was begun to basically change the way the United States works at the social, moral, financial, and governmental levels. The results of this effort are bearing fruit as we see the factions warring against each other. It has been said that revolutions start with words and end with guns; it appears we are getting ever closer to the guns stage as this revolution begins to mature.

Secular Globalism

I believe the entire problem can be boiled down to two words, “Secular Globalism.” Together they embody the total essence of what is being promoted today by those who would reject God’s plan for mankind. Let us consider the dictionary definitions of these words:

Secular- Denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis.

Globalism – The development of social, cultural, technological, or economic networks that transcend national boundaries; globalization.

Today we are witnessing efforts by certain parts of our society to promote both of these philosophies. We see increasing efforts to eliminate both the Bible as a theistic guide and moral standard, and national borders as protection for our identity as a sovereign nation. We hear of the Bible being classified as a “hate book” because of its insistence that belief in Jesus Christ as Savior is the only way to be saved making it much too exclusive and therefore politically incorrect.

The Bible is equally clear on nationalism versus globalism; starting in Genesis 11 we see God working to divide mankind into national groups. The Bible is even clearer on the subject of God and man; God is the supreme creator and man is his creation.

Secular globalism, in all its forms, has a number of fatal flaws. One of those many flaws is the concept of man; to the secular humanist, man is innately neither good nor bad but can be influenced by his environment; therefore, once provided a perfect environment perfect behavior is more likely to follow. While this explanation may be overly simplistic, I believe it summarizes the concepts involved in humanism’s approach to society.

On the other hand, the Bible teaches that man, although created as an innocent being, chose to disobey God and died spiritually leaving a fallen, sinful race that is spiritually dead and inherently sinful. No amount of environmental adjustment can alter that fact; the only remedy is the new birth by receiving Jesus Christ as Savior, (and that, of course, is a statement steeped in political incorrectness)!

Secularism has chosen to ignore this basic fact of reality and is therefore doomed to failure in whatever environmental alternative it may choose to follow! Mankind is a fallen race and only by the new birth in Jesus Christ can that problem be corrected.

As A Christian, How Should We React?

It is all too easy to get caught up in the general angst that is going around as national and world events unfold before our eyes. Secular globalists are becoming much more aggressive as they seek to openly challenge those they see as the enemy. Hardly a day goes by without some sensationalist headline calling our attention to some imagined infraction and in way too many instances imagination is the operative word!

As Christians we simply must choose to see all of this as filtered by Biblical truth; it is vital we let our perceptions of current events by shaped by our faith in God’s revealed word. I remind myself almost daily of God’s plan for governments; how it is God, not man that puts governments in place to accomplish his will for this earth and mankind. Key verses in Daniel 4:17 and Romans 13:1 usually come to my mind first:

¹⁷ For this has been decreed by the messengers;
    it is commanded by the holy ones,
so that everyone may know
    that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world.
He gives them to anyone he chooses—
    even to the lowliest of people.” Daniel 4:17

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. Romans 13:1

Those verses help me keep my thoughts orderly and Biblical; I have to focus on them regularly if I’m to maintain a proper Biblical perspective on life. Two other verses on which I greatly depend are found in Proverbs 3:5-6 where it is written:

⁴ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! ⁵ Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ⁹ Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

May God’s Will be Done!

Next time we will consider “Satanism and the Antichrist.”