"Change is here to stay", says the world. Certainly the last 100 years have seen more change than at any other time in history. The problem is, how should we deal with it?
Aristotle wrote, "Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom" ... "The energy of the mind is the essence of life" ... "Happiness depends upon ourselves" ... and, "Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existance".
But those statements are in stark contrast to the Bible. 700 years earlier, the Psalmist penned, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" and "... with You [God] is the fountain of life"; and then Nehemiah's assurance that, "... the joy of the Lord is your strength".
That old humanistic philosophy easily resonates, in the self-obsessed echo-chamber of our post-Christian society, as strivers look to themselves to master each new change. It resonates because: it exalts self and excludes God the Creator and life-giver; it excludes Jesus the Saviour and sin-bearer; and it excludes the Holy Spirit - whose work in the world starts with convicting it of sin because they do not believe in Jesus or His second coming as Judge of all.
So, where does that leave the Christian?
Some will 'go to ground' and become invisible in a potentially hostile environment. Some will be spurred to evangelistic action and debate, understanding the necessity to follow Jesus, in the public square. But alas, many in the West, who fear social displeasure, take the path of least resistance and fall in line with the majority voice.
When that happens, evangelism goes off the church's agenda, as it colludes with the world's social play-script which defies the authority of Jesus and Scripture.
So what does the Bible timelessly say to the followers of Jesus?
"Stand firm"! Because the Lord does not change and His plans stand firm (Psalm 33:11), and His statutes stand firm (Psalm 93:5) - stand firm ... in Christ and what is clearly revealed in the Scriptures (2 Corinthians 1:21; 2 Thessalonians 2:15).
Is it easy? No! Jesus said that His people would bear the world's hostility when they followed Him (John 15:18-25). But if they do not stand firm to the end, are they really in Christ (Hebrews 3:14; Revelation 3:11)?
So many of our partners in Nepal and Malaysia, Mozambique and Myanmar are standing firm despite persecution, war and personal suffering. Thank you for praying for them. They are standing firm becuase they believe in Jesus and they believe that the Bible is His Word to them. What examples to us! Pray that we will be like them.
"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!" (1 Corinthians 10:12).