The world is a brutal thing. Full of scoundrels and made up of torment. There is a curse upon it, made by men. The race of man is small. We’re nothing better than ticks scattered in the sage. Maybe we started clean but now we’re livin’ in filth made by ourselves and we breed upon our own ignorance and vice, the smell which rises to heaven.”
–Ernest Haycox (The Wild Bunch)
“I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and I will hand you over to brutal men, craftsmen of destruction.”
–Ezekiel 21:31 (NASB)
————————–
Several years ago I developed a study/course which I titled, “How to Live in a Pagan and Apostate World.” I’ve decided to review and upgrade it some and along the way in doing so I will be sharing with you. I have not forgotten the Psalms, but in my current state I do not have my study books with me.
The first thing I am going to do is change the title: “How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World.” The New Testament world was the world in which the Church was born. It was a pagan world from Augustus and the birth of Christ through several evil and immoral emperors: Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian. The New Testament was written under the rule of these individuals and then carried on into the next century by the early church fathers. Eventually the Church grew and prospered (often to its detriment) and soon one-third of the Roman Empire would be Christian.
One of the main purposes of this study is to recognize that the Church, the true Church, the body of believers, will survive in any type of culture. Another purpose is to heed the warning of Solomon:
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.”
–Proverbs 4:23(NASB)
Holman translates it this way:
“Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.”
Our heart, our soul must be guarded and protected at all cost. Our life depends upon it, not only here on earth but for eternity. In this evil world we must be diligent in protecting ourselves and our loved ones. The world and its evil leader is out to destroy anyone who is a Christian, and to wreck havoc upon the Church of God.
The New Testament was written in the pagan atmosphere of Rome. The Church grew despite this influence and persecution. It would be a few years before apostasy started to affect the church. Look at a few simple terms and their meanings.
pagan–professing no religion, a heathen,
heathen–one who adheres to a religion that does not acknowledge the God of Judaism or Christianity; one who is regarded as irreligious, uncivilized, or unenlightened,
apostasy–“defection, departure, revolt, rebellion” from previously held religious beliefs. It is defined as “a willful falling away,” but at times it can be a subtle accepting of false teaching,
fool–someone who lacks judgment or good sense, one who makes silly, stupid mistakes. He does his own thing without thinking of the consequences.
Our Christian foundation is bombarded today by multiculturalism, cancel culture which includes woke, pluralism, globalism, and postmodernism just to name a few. Truth has become subjective and relative.
I am adding “Foolish” because that is exactly what is happening. One cannot escape the foolishness in society if the news is watched for any length of time.
“Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” — Romans 1:22 (NASB)
“Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves].” –Romans 1:22(AMPLIFIED)
“Behind a facade of ‘wisdom’ they became just fools.” — Romans 1:22 (Phillips)
Look at the news and it will be clear to see that the world is clearly pagan, apostate, and foolish. Only a fool could say that a person can choose their gender and that goes along with their belief in relative truth.
I urge you not to be swayed by the trends around you. Guard the truth! Hold it dear to your heart! Three lessons to remember: do not be compromising, curious, or complacent as you live in this world.