“What may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:19-21
The violence of humans against each other is terrifying and—it’s unpredictably everywhere. Whether you live in the Middle East, Ukraine, or in the Bible Belt, U.S.A—you are not safe from the danger of violence. Just read the headlines. This is not a safe world. Is the solution more gun control? Is it teaching a greater sense of personal responsibility and accountability? Is it more money for those living in poverty?
My friend, we are hard pressed to find any culture who has applied any purely secular solution and successfully eradicated violence.
It’s because violence is a cancer of the heart. A bandaid doesn’t fix the soul. But God’s Word offers a solution to the evil causing the human heart to malfunction. We, as born again believers, must be light to a secular, humanistic culture which has bred a generation of young people who are without hope and have found very little purpose. This “progressive” culture dominating the world does not provide soul-satisfying answers to the big questions in life like:
Why am I here?
What happens when I die?
Who gets to decide what is right and wrong?
Where did I come from?
What is my purpose?
This secular humanism makes “self” the center of all things. It makes humanity god. It makes humanity who we worship and adore and—are dying to be adored by. It teaches that we exist primarily to make a good life for ourselves and there is no life beyond physical death. It gives us no purpose beyond self. This cultural view has also invaded Christianity and weakened our influence and our message!
This secular humanistic cultural view is dangerous and is producing more and more darkness!
This view destroys our God-given purpose and is in DIRECT conflict with the knowledge that God has put inside of each of us: that is, that we KNOW we have a great supernatural purpose. The humanist view causes us to be deeply conflicted and highly anxious.
Our education system tells our children that they are only “matter;” and thus, what are they to deduce except that they don’t REALLY matter? Therefore, their life matters no more than a table or a chair. Thus, our children strive even harder to stand out—to REALLY matter—because according to God’s Word, we innately KNOW that we should matter. We crave credibility. We have a ravenous appetite to be validated. Of course we do—because we were created in the image of God, to live for a beautiful and meaningful purpose! (Genesis 1:27)
We have become a culture with a voracious appetite for ANYTHING we think will satisfy our soul, including violence—but no appetite for what we need most—a relationship with God. Do you see any parallels to our current culture and the following verses which predict the cultural fallout from rejecting a relationship with God?
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, KNOWING the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:28-32
Doesn’t that sound just like the pervasive flow of most cultures?
But—there is HOPE! We have the power to reverse the tide of evil! Ah, my dear friends, if we want to stop this downward slide, it begins with us. If we are born again, we have the power of the CREATOR living within us. We need to get serious about our relationship with God so those without hope can SEE HOPE in CHRIST. They need to see real love. They need to hear the infallible truth. If we are not serious about God—why would anyone else take Him seriously?
God has placed the hope of His Kingdom within us!
Jesus promised us the restoration of all things (Matthew 19:28). All of our greatest hopes and dreams on earth will be restored. The climax of the entire Bible is written in this wonderful promise of God: “I am making everything new!” Revelation 21:5
A day of great restoration is coming. All we long for and all we have lost—will someday be recovered! We are looking for heaven to come to an earth which will be scrubbed free of darkness—by God’s refining fire. A restored earth is the final answer to the Lord’s Prayer, that is, that His kingdom will come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Imagine the earth and all you enjoy about it—free from pain and darkness! This is our great hope. We have so much more than Buddhist Nirvana, which is “total nonexistence” or Hindi “everlasting tranquility of death.” Someday Jesus is going to make all things new! We will experience good without evil.
We are the carriers of the great hope of the Gospel. But to be effective, we need to be credible and on fire with a passion that reflects our deep belief. We need to be diligently studying God’s Word and allowing the fruit of God’s Spirit to flow out of us and—into others. We need to know the ANSWERS to the BIG and HARD questions of life based on God’s Word. That’s why we teach the Basic Bible Truths. People are dying for answers that are consistent with the God-knowledge inside of them. Their souls are thirsty for God and they don’t know where to find Him. We have the only answer that will change the heart of mankind, and that is a relationship with God! This is more powerful than mental health, politics, gun-control, or any of man’s solutions. This Almighty power is within us.
The truth of God’s Word—and His love—frees us to LIVE in hope and to GIVE hope to the world!
“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18
