Major 21st Century Challenge:
Living Holy in a World of Diversity
By
Pastor Clarence William Page
Living Holy in a World of Diversity
By
Pastor Clarence William Page
The true hero of the 21st Century will be the person that succeeds at the "art" of living holy in a sinful world of diversity. Granted, sin has been present since the time God created the heaven and the earth and placed man in the Garden of Eden. Factually, sin became so grievous (to God) early on that He expressed His wrath by using the cleansing mechanism of a deluge (the flood). So, the idea (and reality) of sin is not foreign to Planet Earth.
The Twenty First Century presents a great challenge because it is so easy to "export" the ideas of sin. Instantaneous media "real-time" broadcasts now blanket the globe. Ideas are instantly introduced and promoted by advocacy groups. The unlearned and uninitiated often drink in the unsound philosophies and think themselves educated and "modernized". Having no eternal point of reference, they rush through life tripping over the principles of eternal truth and causing themselves much trouble and harm. Many are destroyed early. Significant numbers of others become damaged and spend years (if not a lifetime) trying to "get it together". Thus, they have sown the wind and they find themselves reaping the whirlwind.
The person that finds God, embraces Him, learns of Him, obeys Him, follows Him and holds on to Him will be an unsung hero of the Twenty First Century. It is unlikely that Holiness will be a much respected "commodity" during the Twenty First Century. To the contrary, many will see it as being just myth and superstition. Globalization and the concentrated attempt to bring the world together under one government will breed hostility against the concept of the One True God. As a matter of probability, it is likely that the very concept of "Holiness" will be scoffed at and rejected out of hand. Twenty First Century man is basically a visual-logic slave - - accepting only what he can see with his eyes and make logical sense of with his mind. For the most part, he has no use for the "invisible things" of God (see Romans 1:20). This will be the great failure of the century and of the future.
There will be those that will have a "zeal of God" but not according to knowledge (see Romans 10:2). They will call themselves church people (or "the church") but they will embrace, follow and promote the unGodly philosophies of the world. We see this happening already. Sins of abortion, lottery, same sex sexual intimacy, unmarried sexual activity, adultery and other unGodly philosophies and practices are already being accepted and promoted by some "churches". So, we already see a "falling away" from the word of God. Further, we see worldly "showtime" characteristics beginning to profane the once sacred worship service and worship experience. Desecration of that which is Holy is actively afoot and having devastating effect. This downward slide from the peak of holiness is no accident. It is by design (and the plan calls for its fast acceleration).
A major indicator of the tenor of the age is the character of the "public atmosphere". I define the "public atmosphere" as being that domain through which public expressions (visual, sound, etc.) travel. When, as a matter of course, the public atmospheres become profane, the decline of the civilization is clearly evident. Such profanity is already evident. The promoters of it will plead "necessity" and "humanitarian motivation". Their arguments will (to the Unholy) sound logical and sensible. Examples of this are the push to encourage the use of the instrument called the "condom". Its public promotion is profane. Yet, certain international organizations plan to increase such public exposure. They claim (as their mandate for doing so) the necessity of protecting people(s) from the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Human Immuno-Deficianecy Virus (HIV) viruses. So, they use the "compelling" necessity of the the danger to promote (worldwide) the profaning of the public atmosphere. Thus, we are likely to see the "condomerization" of Africa and other countries. Unborn generations, growing up with such profanity being exhibited and practiced (and being a "natural" part of life), will not recognize the profanity of the public atmosphere in which they dwell. That is Satan's intent. They will blindly follow and practice the profane acts of their societies.
There is a wonderful alternative. Those of us who know the Lord Jesus Christ can draw nigh unto Him, become filled with the Holy Spirit and live a Holy life. This is our wonderful choice. We will observe the demise of the world (as it slides down the slopes of sin into the slime of decadence) and we will minister to it. However, we would be wise to seek an understanding of Biblical prophecy (so as to help maintain a peace of mind). Jesus spoke of the decadence of the time of the end. He told us that we should not worry. He said that those things will happen. Therefore, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Live Holy and you will be an unsung hero of the Twenty First Century.
Copyright© 2004 Clarence William Page