What is the Problem?

You may ask, why is society acting so crazy today, and what is driving this cultural revolution focused around diversity, racism, inequality, and a lack justice? Some would suggest that it has been the oppression of the people of color by the elite class, keeping them down and subjugating them to oppression (critical race theory). Others might suggest that those whose ethnic race supported slave ownership owe a debt to those who were forced into bondage/slavery to serve others by force. Still others would suggest that many in our society have come from broken families, a lack of education, and have little to no work ethic, basically a lost generation. Which is it? Is it any of these? A mix, or something totally else? What is driving our society/culture in such a negative direction? Can a focus on diversity and inclusion really fix the issues? Or could the problem be much deeper, much darker, than anyone really realizes or wants to admit? What do you think?

I would suggest that the American society and our culture have taken God (Jesus Christ) out of the picture. When this happens, and God (Jesus Christ) is gone, what is left? Well, our current society/culture is trying desperately to find meaning from within self since God (Jesus Christ) is out of the picture. They are looking deeply within self, looking for answers, searching their hearts, and ignoring everything else. A good question we need to ask is that “are the answers to societies problems within us?” Is humanism truly the answer to all our issues and concerns we are facing today?

I would propose that a picture or reality without God (Jesus Christ) and the power of the Holy Spirit is a dark one indeed. If we take God (Jesus Christ) out of the picture, we are painting a picture of pure hedonism (the pursuit of self-indulgence and pleasure). In this case, it is not a surprise that we are in the state that we are in. One of evil, chaos, self-seeking, pride, lust, and the pursuit of our agenda, the agenda from within self (our wants, desires, and care-abouts). Is this the path to justice and freedom? I would suggest it is the path to sin and bondage to sin (serving the ruler of the world, Satan and his demonian).

What happens when we paint a different picture, a picture where Jesus Christ is the head (and not self)? What advice does the bible have to offer us today as we struggle with these issues? Well, let’s look at Romans Chapter 1.

Romans 1:18-31 (ESV). For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[g] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason, God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

How many of us can resonate with the above statement (whether you are a Christian or not)? Does it help explain the current situation we are in today? If it does, then the next logical question is why, and what can we do to help stem the tide of this behavior. We need to help our neighbors understand that God (Jesus Christ) does exist and there are consequences for not believing in God.

The secular society has worked over time to take God (Jesus Christ) out of our daily lives. We have taken God (Jesus Christ) out of our schools, out of the public square, and out of the public view in general. We have replaced Jesus Christ with a belief in self (Humanism). We have allowed the concept of a Monotheistic God (Jesus Christ) as THE creator and Lord of ALL to erode into people worshiping self as their own creator. When people worship self, the concept of God (Jesus Christ) is lost, and replaced with whatever someone wants to believe, in this case worshipping self.

Again, as we can see it play out in society today, when one worships self, it produces vanity, conceit, egotism, and pride. This approach does not solve anything, as you can see with your own eyes. It produces division, hatred, rage, and anger. We need to get out in the market place of ideas and help our fellow human beings ask the hard question of life. Does God (Jesus Christ) exist? If he does, who is he, what is he like, why do you love and serve him? What is the purpose of your life? The Apostle Paul summarizes it nicely in Acts.

Acts 17:22-33 (ESV). So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for

“‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said,

“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

So, what are we waiting for? Let’s get out in the market place of ideas and fight for the existence of God (Jesus Christ) and show our love for our neighbor. Who do we know that does not believe in Jesus Christ and is lost in this world? Have we prayed for them, do we care enough for their soul to reach out and share that there is a God, a God who loves and cares for them? A God who scarified his one and only son for their sin, so that they may have eternal life, and a hope of eternity spent with Him in heaven!