The world in which we live can be so dizzyingly chaotic and overwhelming that many people dismiss matters of faith and religion as optional, “luxury” issues to think about when there are not more pressing matters at hand. Some consider such things irrelevant amid the practicalities of the everyday. Still others pursue various forms of spirituality in search of hope but regard theology, doctrine, and Bible study as divisive and unnecessary. Such opinions could not be further from the truth.
I had originally planned to address one specific issue in this piece, but that plan has now changed several times. Things seemed to keep popping up in the news or in life at a pace I couldn’t keep up with, and all of them are worth addressing. All of them demand biblical wisdom in a time when our society rejects it, and a great many of us in the church seem too distracted to put in the effort to develop it. Nonetheless, if we ever needed to wrestle with sound biblical doctrine and apply it to our everyday lives, it’s now.
While the Spirit of God speaks softly to his people (as in 1 Kings 19:1-18), the headlines are full-throated in their shouts. Marijuana use is being increasingly promoted all around us, and many Christians are confused by it. Recent polls consistently show shocking support among Americans for the culture of death rather than the sanctity of life. All manner of sexual immorality is being validated, normalized, and actively encouraged throughout our society, even among children. Families are disintegrating, violence and crime are flourishing, and economies at home and abroad are in shambles. Anxiety over the future is skyrocketing.
The reality of Christ matters. The truth of God’s Word matters. Clinging to sound doctrine matters. In our recent studies of Paul’s letters to the Thessalonian church, two Core Realities stood out. The first is that the transforming reality of Christ, our returning King, is our source of hope in a hostile world. The second is that in a confusing world, clinging to the truth of God’s Word gives us hope to carry on.
Since God is the creator and designer of everything, understanding Him and His purposes is anything but irrelevant. More specifically, we who claim Him as Lord must never separate the reality of God from the realities of our everyday lives. There can be no hope for those who separate the living of life from the Giver of life. Living without reference to the God who made everything and gives us everything we have is at the very core of sin. We cannot separate the creation from its Creator and expect a good result.
Abraham Kuyper, Dutch prime minister and noted philosopher and theologian, filtered all of life through his faith in Jesus Christ and the inerrant, infallible, and authoritative Word of God—including even his statesmanship and politics. He famously declared,
“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”
This echoes the words of Psalm 24:1. “The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein….”
All truth is God’s truth. He is ultimate reality. If we desire to understand the world around us and find hope for the future, we must begin with embracing the character, nature, and will of God revealed to us in His Word (Proverbs 9:10). We cannot—we dare not—allow ourselves to trade eternal things for that which is passing.
In the words of the hymn writer:
This is my Father’s world: Oh, let me ne’er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father’s world, The battle is not done: Jesus who died shall be satisfied, And earth and Heav’n be one.
May the chaos of the world and the weight of our struggles drive us deeper into contemplation of the deep things of God, knowing that every answer worth finding is in Him.
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