The world, in 2010, philosophizes about “being all you can be, getting all you can in the here and now, doing what you want, when you want, where you want, and above all, flaunting what you’ve got.” This thinking has infected mankind, and we’ve got a pandemic on our hands. It’s worldwide and people are dying everyday, eternally, because of it.
This viral infection has many symptoms, some of which include: idolatry, adultery, fornication, and homosexuality. But the disease presents itself in other ways as well: insubordination, lying, cheating, covetousness, anger, wrath, filthy language, sorcery, jealousy, drunkenness, disobedience to parents, without self-control and the list could go on, but is, overall, adequately diagnosed with one simple word: humanism.
The most dangerous fact about this infectious disease is that as more and more of the population becomes affected by it, less and less recognition is given to prevention and infection control because, surprisingly enough, it is considered that the abnormality no longer rests with those infected, but with those who aren’t. The majority of infected individuals not only think that there is nothing wrong with them, but they also think that they are of excellent health and overall wellbeing.
The disease has become so ubiquitous, that long standing governing principles of society and state are beginning to change so as to reflect the symptomatic nature of the disease. Schools and their curriculums are radically changing. History books and science books are being re-written to better accommodate the diseased population’s needs. The long term effects of the disease have been misrepresented and confused. Some religious leaders are openly asserting that despite the disease, there is yet a future allotment to be extended in some fantastical heaven of heavens.
As such, the disease has, as of late, been advertised as being ‘consequences-free.’ Everywhere, morbidity rates are increasing and the mortality rate is being ignored, and the world at large is ignoring the question, “Is there a cure?”
The individual who is in search of a cure for this insidious disease of mind will invariably find him or herself, in figure, at the foot of a wooden stake standing upright in the ground upon which a man has been nailed, who once spoke the words, “Follow me.”
Immediately, the alert mind recalls the words spoken of old, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Initially, these words seem counterintuitive; the current philosophy of this diseased world purports that now is the time to chase your desires, to seek your fancies, to gratify your wishes, but as the mind becomes in tune with that of him hanging there, a realization is made, belief springs forth, and an unequivocal proclamation is made, “Truly this [is] the Son of God.”
As the murkiness of diseased thinking disbands, what is left is a crystal clear understanding that for each individual, cure of the aforementioned disease is achieved only when one hearkens to the words of he who spoke, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).
Individuals can be saved, but can the world be saved? The extent of disease has spread uncontrollably, beyond the means of human repair. In the words of a man written long ago, “The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one…The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good” (Psa 14:2-3).
Is there hope for this world? Minutes before he had his hands and feet nailed to that wooden stake and stood upright, this man was questioned by the ruling power of the known world, “Are you a king?” to which all the world has heard the response, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.” (John 18:37).
The hope of the world rests in this man and in his truth. He is king and he will reign. He will cleanse away all the effects of this pandemic disease, purifying the society in which we live.
When will this be? He himself said, “I am going and will come again.” When questioned by his followers, he answers, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8).
Who is this man? It is Jesus Christ, Savior of the world.
Do witnesses of Jesus still exist in 2010? Is there anyone who still “follows” after Jesus? Does anyone know that Jesus is coming back to this world to cure it of its rampant illness? Who are the witnesses of Jesus in the year 2010?
There is a group of peculiar individuals who claim to be a Bible based community and who hold the doctrine of Jesus in high esteem. Although only officially becoming an organized group in the not too distant past, they claim no difference to the believers of the first century. Their name: The Christadelphians.
The members consider themselves to be a privileged group for having been called out to know Jesus’ truth, and have for years carried on quite successfully as witnesses of Jesus.
But how has history proven to run its course? When considering the Holy Scriptures, when and how long did groups of people hold out and hold onto the cure before humanistic philosophical thinking pervaded the group’s ideology and replaced Scriptural reasoning and belief? The answer indicates that it was for short spurts of time, by few numbers of people, that the Truth was grasped, before the winds of erroneous doctrine and infected thinking blew in to smother the life of the group.
That same Jesus, in his revelation, emphatically states, “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” (Rev 16:15).
He counsels, “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before my God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you…Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown….I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see…He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before his angels” (Rev 3).
The implication: there is a very real tendency for those who hold the cure to loose it in time, as a result of the insidious philosophy of the world around us. The emphasis is therefore to hold true, to not let go, to not give in, even unto death.
The cure to the viral disease plaguing the present world will quickly become ineffective, if it is contaminated with foreign thought, with carnal thought, with diseased thought. It will come to serve no purpose for the witnesses if the doctrine of Jesus is watered down to accommodate the philosophies of man. This is the very real danger that groups, like the Christadelphians, face. If such is the result, the group will by default become a band of individuals who “have a form of godliness, but who deny the power thereof” (2Tim 3:5).
If this is the tragic end, what is the beginning? It starts with apathetic attitudes and indifference amongst individuals to disease prevention and control. Individuals no longer check new ideas and thoughts against Scripture. In fact, Scripture tends to become more of a peripheral set of mundane rules and regulations instead of an absolute necessity to living disease free.
Meeting together no longer takes precedence over job and career pursuit or entertainment and relaxation. Lack of support and criticism leads to disillusionment, and negativity begins to spread wildly amongst other members. A willing wholeheartedness is replaced by selfish ambition and self gratification. And the strength of the group is eventually lost and each and every member succumbs to the diseased thinking.
Where do the Christadelphians stand, therefore, in the face of this pandemic? The odds are against them it would seem in all aspects; how are they coping? Have standards slipped? Have values once esteemed been thrown aside? Have the diseased philosophies of this world begun to subtly subvert the anchor in the Scriptures this group claims to have?
Is there a growing discomfiture amongst members that Jesus has not yet appeared, as he said he will? Lack of patience and a growing disbelief in the promised life to come has led to a preoccupation with this life. A general comfort with this age, busyness with ever broadening personal interests, distraction with present pleasures are resulting in dullness to signs of Jesus’ imminent return. Attendance records show that increasingly, members are continuing to miss weekly meetings.
In some areas of the globe, in their assemblies, long standing Biblical principle no longer takes precedence.
Biblical roles of men and women are no longer respected, and the worldly ideology regarding rights of men and women have been adopted. Men are no longer accepting responsibility as spiritual leaders and women are asserting their “unalienable right” of equality. Mutual submission is generally despised, seen as archaic and largely viewed as unnecessary.
Christadelphian parents are increasingly encouraging Christadelphian youth to pursue many years of education so as to achieve successful careers. Marriages are being delayed to accommodate this pursuit, resulting in increased levels of promiscuity amongst youth. Lost is the once held ideal of seeking the blessing of a spouse with whom to build a spiritual house and raise a godly seed. Raising children is seen as a burden and not a blessing. Women increasingly find it something to be avoided, as it stands in the way of achieving personal pursuits of career. Men no longer find fulfillment in the wife of their youth, but rather in the social interactions of work cohorts. Longer hours are being worked as individuals feel more and more pressure to keep up with enhanced standards of living.
As career success is achieved, materialism begins to rear its ugly head. The young, successful career man or woman, with his or her new found wealth is faced with many new temptations. Does the extra money get spent on the new expensive car, large extravagant home, multiple vacations to exotic places, fine dining on the town, clothes that speak richness, or does the blessing of wealth get returned in service to the assembly through donations to local and worldwide projects and initiatives?
These witnesses of Jesus are progressively becoming more and more affected and infected by the disastrous disease that has taken the world by storm. Long held values of separation and holiness are being subtly worn away as diseased thinking pervades the walls of each assembly, leaving those in tune with Jesus’ call of “follow me” acutely aware that the life of the Christadelphian body is quickly being drained of all vitality.
Forms of entertainment that once were avoided have in these recent years become an inseparable part of daily life. Television and movies serve in many ways as an escape from the stress of daily life, as an easy thing to do when life gets too busy, as a form of relaxation. They have in almost all cases replaced the once valued family time that evenings were made out of, and the study time and reading time that once was cherished by many of this group. Past are the days when individuals actually felt a prick of conscience to be seen at the cinema, the corner pub or bar, the rock music concert. These forms of entertainment are the backbone of diseased living; it is what diseased individuals live for and almost always becomes the default topic of conversation.
If history stands true, it is expected that more and more of the decisions of some group leaders will be based heavily on diseased reasoning and less and less on sound scriptural principle. The result will be a general watering down of once highly esteemed principle and practice. Some will be devastated by these events, choosing to pull themselves away into isolation, unable to cope with their resultant distress and strife. Others will hardly notice a change and continue on merrily with daily life, with eyes glazed over unable to see and ears stopped up, unable to hear the Truth. Still, others will become so disillusioned by the state of affairs that cynicism results, and gossip and backbiting will increasingly be manifest. And slowly, the threads of a once tightly woven tapestry will begin to unravel, catalyzed by the inroads diseased thinking has made.
The following are words spoken to bygone generations, but that find incredible application to those living presently, “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 24:45-51).
And so the world’s coming king questions the people of this very generation, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man returns, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
Will there be a body of witnesses who have maintained the testimony of Jesus the Christ when he returns? Will all have gone astray, washed away by the viral thinking now present in mankind? Where will the Christadelphian group be? Will it have maintained a stand for Jesus, witnessing the cure for eternal death to all who would listen? Or will the group be pervaded by corrupt ideology and thought? The time is soon when all will be made manifest, and each will gain his due reward.
Let the reader choose his course wisely — the diseased philosophy of humanism, or the life inspiring teaching of the king who will reign on high, Jesus, Savior of mankind.
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” (Matt 16:24-27)
Where are we, and where are we going?
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One