All around us today we hear Christians bemoaning the world’s
descent into the dark hole of moral and ethical decay. Listen to what these men have to say about
the situation,
“When I look at the younger generation, I despair for the
future of civilization.”
“The world is passing through troublesome times. The young
people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for
parents or of old age. They are impatient of all restraint and they talk as
though they know everything, and what passes as wisdom to us is foolishness to
them. As for the girls they are immodest and unwomanly in speech, behavior, and
dress.”
Can you guess who made the above quotes? Was it a church
leader unhappy with the direction of society today, or someone on one of the
nightly talk shows? It may surprise you to know the first quote was made by
Aristotle in about 300 BC, and the second was made by Peter the Monk in 1274
AD.
The point is that as followers of Jesus Christ we need to be
careful to not allow ourselves to slide into fear and inactivity. For thousands of
years God’s people have been saddened by the decay of the societies they lived
in. Every generation thinks they have it worse than the one before. Even
Solomon stated, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done
again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can
say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it
was here before our time.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9, 10)
We are told that 4000 years ago Lot
was, “…distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man,
living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the
lawless deeds he saw and heard)…” (1Peter 2:7, 8)
It should not surprise us that the world is falling apart around
us. It has been every since sin first came into “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become
blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved
generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the
word of life…”
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| Children of the Nile Project in Bangalore |
(Philippians 2:14-16)
Most Christians we have spoken to from different countries
and backgrounds are concerned about the state of their nations, the economy,
corrupt governments, and most of all the moral decay spreading through their
society. Many believers seem obsessed on the problems around them. And while
these problems are real, they can easily be used by Satan to distract a
Christian’s focus away from where it should be.
As Disciples of Christ it is imperative that we look upward
and beyond the troubles of everyday life and society. If we become isolated we will die. There is a
great lesson for us in the Dead Sea. Did you
know there are 153 different streams and rivers of fresh water that flow into
the Dead Sea, yet nothing can live and grow in it except a few bacteria and
other organisms. That is because there is not a single outlet for all that
water, so everything that flows into it dies because it has nowhere to go. The Dead Sea does not have a single outlet.
This is a lesson for every denomination, church, and
Christian; without an active and effective outlet for your faith you too will
become stagnant and die.
Even though the world appears to be a frightening place,
it’s not the time for Christians to bury their heads in the sand, or run for
the hills. Doing this plays into the hands of the devil, who wants all of
Jesus’ followers to think the job is completed and that their own needs and
self-preservation are important. The opposite is true. Jesus tells us, “You are
the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people
light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it
gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine
before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
(Matthew 5:14-16)
Remember that Jesus did not say we take care of our needs
first, but that we should, “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and
all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
Our focus as believers should never change. First, we should
be totally committed to know, love, and obey God and His Word. Second, we must
always focus on what God is focused on—reaching the unreached nations of the
world.
Only then will Jesus return for His bride, and only then
will the seventh angel sound his trumpet in heaven and proclaim, “The kingdom
of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will
reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)
--Russ Sharrock
