Un-Confusing the Confusion

Un-Confusing the Confusion Some time ago on TV, Ravi Zacharias was discussing various aspects of Christianity with a large crowd of Columbia University students. He was asked what he felt was the main problem facing Christianity in America today. His answer was swift and to the point. He said (paraphrasing his words), “Churches are shallow. There is very little thinking. They are message unfriendly. There is no depth. Music is everything. Teaching and ideas are needed. Parroting of phases is too common. Young people need answers.” His feeling, however, that all was not lost in America was exhibited by the large turnout in the auditorium. He emphasized that young people such as those in the audience were there because they did have questions and wanted answers. He proclaimed that he was seeing the greatest hope for Christianity in Korea, China and India (his home country). Clearly more than half and possibly as much as 75% of the audience was of Asian descent. Whether Asian students in the United States on student visas or Asian U.S. Citizens, was not known. It seemed to reinforce what Ravi had just said concerning the condition of American Christianity. We could add to this discussion a fact that is being noticed in this part of the country. Many churches are sorely lacking in youth attendance. Catching the interest of young people before they get addicted to video games and such is a main concern for many entities that are vying for the next generation’s participation. As one example: The State’s Game and Fish Department has reduced the age at which young people can hunt from fourteen to twelve as long as they have an adult along with them. Studies that prompted the decision showed that the hunting and fishing interest had severely dropped over the last several years and was accredited to the fact that there are many more “single parent” families, generally headed by mothers instead of fathers, resulting in no male leadership toward hunting and fishing pursuits. Going way back in time, there is a recollection of instructions given to all new military personnel. Communism was the big hammer hanging over America, which at the time was symbolized by the Russian empire. Their strategy, G.I.s were told, was focused on undermining America’s cultural foundation. Basically, they were going to destroy America from within. Subvert their moral foundation and patriotic zeal and the battle would be won. Later in a college atmosphere that still revered our country’s Judeo-Christian beginnings, sociologists accredited the decline in American social stability to the destruction of the family unit. There have been any number of “facts” reported over the last couple of decades that would indicate nothing of surprise to a fairly well informed Christian public. To the secular public, it’s going basically unnoticed. It’s just the way it is. Recently it was reported that divorces in the U.S. dropped significantly over the last several years. No reason to be jubilant over that data. The reason isn’t that married people are getting along better but rather that fewer people are getting married and simply choosing to live together. So, the family unit, which has for so long been a stabilizing building block on the foundation of Christianity, is disintegrating. http://www.summit.org/about/world/ The opening paragraph of the article above paints a vivid picture of the current status of Christianity and the world today, particularly in our American society. Combining all of the previous information, points to a clear and present reality. America! We have a problem! So what’s the answer? That mainline Christendom will answer the challenge and develop programs to stimulate a contemplation of scripture among old and young alike, otherwise, get people to really ponder, chew on, digest and seek answers in God’s word, is extremely remote. That a secular society will recognize there is a problem is even more remote. Our apostle Paul painted a clear picture of America today in Romans 1:21-32. Will there be a massive “revival” in America that will address and solve all social ills? Some misinformed Christians think so. Scripture says otherwise. The world situation is going to get a lot worse. Instead of calling for a revival across America, there is a need to get Christians to contemplate the word of God but the odds are that it won’t be facilitated by mainline Christendom. So who’s going to “carry the ball”? It seems clear that those in the body of Christ, who understand how to rightly divide, clarify and reveal the mystery to any and all individuals and Christians whose hearts are opened by God, so that questions developed by their inquisitive minds can be answered and sustain them in this age of confusion. That those informed individuals in the body of Christ will reach all mankind before the Tribulation begins, is not part of God’s plan. The hope of the age is to bring as many as have their hearts opened, to understanding the basics of right division then allow their Berean inclinations the opportunity to explore the word of God and through it all, find the inner peace so many are seeking today. God’s plan is being carried out to the nth degree, completely unnoticed by society as a whole and ignored by an uninformed Christian community. To those involved in the study of scripture, it should be of great consolation and comfort to see the reality of God’s hand at work and the verification of His Holy Word. Paul gives ample advice to us concerning how we are to conduct ourselves in this day and age. We have a debt to promote the real gospel and be ambassadors (Ro 1:14, 2 Co 5:20). The charge is awesome but lightened considerably when we know what the Word really says. It gives the peace we so desperately need in this age, un-confusing the confusion. In Christ,