The truth of God as our Creator and Sustainer is under attack in this present age. God’s eternal values and unchanging truth are being undermined and displaced by the powers of darkness. Is God relevant in society today?
In our information age there is an increasing tendency to dismiss God from our thoughts. Moral absolutes are also being set aside, and with them, any accountability that would inevitably accompany the fundamental truth of God’s existence and relevancy in our lives. Generation Y has an attitude of lofty independence and self-sustainability, along with a sense of entitlement. God’s patience in dealing with mankind in this late day of grace is scoffed at by the world.
There are many forces in our society that are a real part of Satan’s strategy to displace God from the world He created, and to dismiss the truth of God from the minds of men. Take, for example, the public schools that our children attend, the numerous media channels of our tech-ready digital society that intrude into our thoughts in so many ways, or the environmental stewardship that government and corporations are embracing and imposing on society at an alarming level. These are all being used by Satan to influence the world to displace God and deny the truth of His Word. There is no question that God is being assailed daily.
We are living in a world that is overshadowed by the powers of darkness. It is difficult to stand for God’s values and principles and resist this present age and what it values, but it is not impossible. For the Christian, it is extremely rewarding to stand in the gap.
Behind the brash scoffing and reckless mocking of God is a shameless impertinence that is clearly driven by Satan as an attack against God. This should not take us by surprise. As satanic influence and spiritual darkness increase, we have the opportunity to let our light shine in a “perverse and crooked generation.” By embracing and cleaving to spiritual values we can show evidence of the existence and relevancy of God in our lives. Knowing God as our Creator, and ultimately, as our Redeemer, gives a purpose, a destiny, and a unique value to our lives that is admired, and even secretly coveted, by some of those who reject the evidence of God.
Have you ever wondered why God is apparently silent, allowing people to attack some of the fundamentals of our faith? Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:1, “This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come.” What Paul was saying is that humanity will become more and more selfish, treacherous, reckless, conceited, and loving pleasure more than God. Many of these scoffers will ask “If God is the creator and in control of the universe, why doesn’t He act?”
In Psalm 50, God makes it clear to us that while men scoff and mock, He remains silent, allowing man to have his day. He warns all of us that there is coming a day when God will act as He says in Psalm 50:21: “These things hast thou done and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes.” Although God is being attacked, both subtly and expressly in society today, the Christian has the confidence and certainty of knowing God’s power internally and His plan providentially. This plan will unfold over time to execute His purposes in this world and bring glory to His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Satan is using our public school systems to try to destroy the truth of God. There, the Word of God and His truth are totally refused. Creation and the existence of God, if even referred to at all, are presented as theories that uneducated minds embraced before the intellectual giants of our new age society figured things out. In some of our public schools in Canada, the Christmas concert is no longer referred to as such, but rather is called a winter celebration, or some other neutral term. This terminology avoids the name of Christ which is an offense to some of the Muslims’ cultural values. Christmas carols, with the name of Jesus or Christ, are removed and only songs of snowmen, Santa Claus, or jingle bells are sung. Children are now taught to be tolerant of other religious values and to respect alternative lifestyles that are clearly sinful and against the moral principles of God’s Word. It is also inferred in our educational systems, ever so subtly, that inherent in every person lies good. It is taught that evil or sin is circumstantial and relative to certain unfortunate conditions. This removes personal accountability and ultimately absolves man from his responsibility for his sin. This is a direct assault on God. The Bible makes it clear that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23), and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). God has made it clear that everyone, both saved and unsaved, will stand before the tribunal of God and give account for the things done in his body (2 Cor 5:10; Rev 20:11).
The intrusion of so many media influences has captivated the minds of young people; the vast number of programs available on the Internet exploit immoral values and exalt the reckless and godless lives of celebrities. In reference to these things John writes: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world … For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15, 16).
Another growing force that is a subtle part of satanic strategy to displace God is the growing commitment to improving our environment. It implies that we don’t need God; we can clean up our own act. There is great value in being environmentally conscientious, but Satan is using society’s growing environmental awareness to make men believe they have the power to clean up the world and amend all the effects of sin, and all this without God’s help. It’s a subtle statement to the effect that “we have the power to change and improve ourselves and we don’t need God.” The environmental movement is driven by the new age society that says, “No God for me.” It is an attitude of independence and self-improvement that attempts to invalidate the effects of sin and goes directly against God’s desire for all men to repent and turn to Him in submission and faith. It also is used by Satan to make men believe that the world is improving rather than deteriorating and therefore takes the edge off God’s warning that impending judgment is fast approaching this world. It also dismisses man’s accountability, absolving him of his responsibility for the sin that has destroyed our world and so many lives.
The bent of this world is to displace God as creator by both subtle orchestration and blatant rebellion. And so I ask again: “Is God relevant in society today?” Ask our world, “Where is it all going to end?” The truth is, God is more relevant than we could ever imagine. He is about to visit this earth once again. But this time it will be in all the manifestation of His power and with great glory. His coming will be as lightning that comes from the east and flashes across the sky unto the west (Matt 24:27). “Every eye will see Him” (Rev 1:7). The entire world will recognize Him for Who He is and people will cry out in fear and with great trembling. When He sets up His kingdom and reigns on this earth, all His enemies will be put under His feet and all satanic influences will be destroyed. Satan himself will be put in prison and righteousness will reign on the earth. Our God is an awesome God! He is indescribable, uncontainable, all-powerful, and absolutely amazing. We bow our hearts and worship Him today – He has destroyed our enemy. We will reign with Him on the earth and worship Him forever.