The first thing I do when I plan a trip is to decide on the best course. I look at all the different possible routes, and then typically if I'm being honest, I choose the path that is the quickest (according to my smart phone). Truth be told, I have forgotten what it was like to use an atlas or a paper road map. As most of us know, much of the time we run into roadblocks of some sort when we travel also - especially on a long trip. A detour here, or some road construction there.
In fact, in my little corner of the world, there are two stoplights that were set up on the highway between my small town and my place of work. There is road construction going on for two different bridges at the same time. If I hit the stoplights at the wrong time of the day; I am late to the office.
Some days, it can feel like fighting a losing battle in traffic. We fight many different battles on the spiritual front as well. I think often about what I will pass along to my children and grandchildren in this spiritual battle arena. What type of religion will they inherit? What will the next generation think of the version of God that was handed down to them by their elders and teachers? Will church even look the same ten years from now?
I worry very much that a lot of mainstream churches today are teaching what I would term 'lukewarm living.' This is a reference from the book of Revelation where Jesus mentions that he wishes certain churches were either hot or cold for God, instead of just lukewarm. Simply put, someone who lives out a lukewarm faith isn't taking the commandments of God seriously.
Think how confusing our culture must be right now for the younger generation coming up through college and high school. Society tells them to go ahead and dress like the opposite gender if they want to, and use a different bathroom if they so desire. To go ahead and compromise their religious principles or else they may get in trouble or fired from their job. Culture today tells them to react emotionally to everything first, and then think about what they said or did second. It has been a formula for disaster these last five years.
Let's look at 1 John 4:1 for guidance. It says, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." Have you tested anything lately? There are sometimes latent agendas in our schools, our workplace, and even in some churches. Policies or lessons that might look good on paper, but the fruit of the Spirit they produce is less than righteous. Doubtless there will come a time in the not so distant future, where I may not even be allowed to write these words.
I will never forget a story from one of my colleagues in ministry. He told me about an important meeting he attended with many church elders and leaders. When it came time to pray, one of the religious elect opened with the following words: "Dear friends, let's begin by giving glory to the season of Autumn..."
We do not pray to nature, the seasons, or to the weather outside. We pray to God above. Although this may seem like a small thing, it's a symptom of something bigger and deeper. The type of thing that can misguide people who perhaps have just started out on their spiritual journey. This is what we must fight against so that we aren't passing on a lukewarm faith to the next generation.
No one gets to revise Scripture or ignore passages that they happen to disagree with. We must take the Bible as a whole and acknowledge that it is the inerrant Word of God. As C.S. Lewis was fond of saying, "The Scriptures say what they say. We can struggle with understanding them, but we cannot change them."
I will close with one last reference from the New Testament. It's from John 17:16-17, and it says, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." This is from a passage that describes Jesus praying for his followers. It puts forth this ultimate truth: the Christian lives in the world, but he or she is not of the world. The believer in Christ is set apart and called to live by a different set of morals and values. The type of morality that this world no longer desires.
Our battle for the true faith will become more and more difficult as time goes on. This is clearly prophesized in the Bible. We are told that the love of many will grow cold, and that families and friends will be pitted against each other due to religious and political strife. This is already happening.
But rest assured, all is not lost. If we stay in God's commandments and remain a branch in His living vine, then He will see to it that we have something of importance ready to pass along to our children. And we will have His peace that surpasses understanding. We may not find joy and peace in our culture anymore, but we do when we turn our gaze up to God the Father.
May His love provide a sanctuary and a place to rest when nothing else seems like solid ground. Cultures and societies change, but God's Word does not.
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