Regarding the Biblical Perspective of a Christian's Relationship to the Broken World

 As a biblical Christian, I am thinking of using this space to share some perspectives on how I currently see and understand the world and its event around me. Short paragraphs that follow cannot, adequately, illuminate my thoughts to others who read it. Also, Facebook/Twitter posts are more akin to a toilet flushing one-way (for disposing of what is in the bowel) rather than an open platform for intellectual exchange and discussion. So, you might or might not hear more from me. Here goes.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. (The more things change, the more they stay the same.)

We are living in a world where the previously subscribed Judeo-Christian values and ethics has been dethroned and in its place, a greater emphasis on the “faith in humanity” become the replacement. The society is no longer looking and depending at a Greater, wiser, power like God for the hope of a better future. Rather, it has turn to depend on all humanities, in corporate sense, as the ultimate answer for a beautiful future. How is it working out so far?

When a society abandoned the Judeo-Christian values and ethics that built and sustained its roots and history, it is no wonder that chaos will reign to replace it. One who desires to erase one's past and root identity will be ignorant of all the past mistakes and dooms repeats it.

In this post-Christian world, a person (or organization, interest group) actions or inactions are subject to one's subjective interpretation. We do not have a dividing line of right and wrong that agreed upon mutually. Consequently, the Law of the Jungle (the strong or powerful survive) will slowly, encroaching, and in an unassuming manner, becomes normative.

To live peacefully, most will compromise by adhering, or keeping quiet on ethical choices. Ethical choices will become more severe as time goes on, if unchallenged.

Ultimately, the natural course and tendencies for humanity, apart from God's grace, is to be our own Sovereign. By nature, we do not want to adhere to a God (or ultimate authority figure). We seek to determine what is right and wrong for ourselves, with grave consequences.

Most of us are going about building our version of the Babylon tower. We seek to live in unity and happiness with each other, but apart from God. The various society's passionate goal is to do everything necessary to achieve one's subjective interpretation of peace and unity. However, human history has proven that tranquillity never arrives after numerous such attempts. Technological advances may change our living circumstances for the better. However, it offers no solution for the root cause of self-justification, selfishness, pride, and self-centred desires that leads to all kind of chaos around us. Biblical worldview regards this time we are living in as a Fallen and broken world.

The events that are happening around us are not new or unfamiliar to history. It has been repeated millions of times over individual and corporate human history. We are living in a fallen broken world of our own doing. This world has been broken for a long time. Humanities' years of efforts to rectify this world has not been able to achieve the fix to the fundamental problem, which lies within ourselves. In of ourselves, we do not have what it take to build and create a true paradise for us to live in. Only by the intervention of God, motivated by His grace, can we have hope that there will be a better day coming.

Thus, here is the message of the Gospel. "God came to save sinners from their future doom to a restoration of the relationship between sinners and Himself." If this Gospel is just empty words (or a mental/spiritual crutches) that has no real bearing for one's future, then we are all in trouble. Nothing more to see after this. The strongest (by using any means) survive. However, if this Gospel is historically, empirically, and experientially true, then there is hope in living because there will be a better future (though not for all humanity) due to God's intervention.

So, take a look around you. How do you make sense of this world and what is happening now? Mere positive thinking is just like a pedestrian prancing in the middle of the highway and acting as if the car does not exist.

For those who ignore the Gospel, they will ignore it to their perils. It will affect their actions and the way how they perceive the world around them. Without the Gospel, there is no basis for positivity, nor hope for a better tomorrow. "Only the strong survive and use whatever means necessary to survive." That is the only way to move forward in life if one ignores the Gospel.

＊This post was first published on my Facebook post on June 3rd, 2020