We’re living in an age where truth resides in a “nonpermissible environment.”
The suppression of the truth is at an all-time high. Christians refuse to endure sound doctrine en masse. And much of humanity hates the light. Sadly, for many of us, that’s true for almost the entirety of our relationships. So, how do we combat it? How do we continue to live in a world that hates truth, doesn’t want it, much less stand the sound of it?
We have three choices:
Give up/Give in. This is where we figuratively or literally walk into the ocean and never walk out. This is a nihilistic choice, not a biblical one, but, to be quite honest, still tempting given that being in the presence of Truth Incarnate is preferable to living a life with a muzzle on. And it’s especially tempting, given that God tells us to stand up, while the entire world tells us to stand down, beating us to that point at times. But we are told to persevere for God’s glory, nonetheless. So giving up isn’t just nihilistic but also disobedient and inevitably leads to soft apostasy. Giving up and giving in to heresy is easier than the pain of faithfulness.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Romans 5:1-5 NASB1995
Resent the world. This is the opposite of loving God and loving our neighbor(Matthew 22.34-40), but it’s still a choice. A disobedient one, but still tempting. It’s very difficult to walk outside the walls of your heart, mind, body, and soul and love your neighbor. Your neighbor could be your wife, who won’t respect you. Or it could be your literal neighbor who believes a false gospel and uses their front yard as a billboard for it. It could even be your teenage daughter who won’t listen and refuses to wear pants under her oversized sweatshirt. You could resent them all and close yourself off, never sharing the love of Christ. And, again, it’s tempting because the circumstances are so frustrating and emotionally fraying.
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
Ephesians 4:30-32 NASB1995
Lean in. This option is especially difficult to choose because it’s not tempting. You see, leaning in doesn’t mean “get louder.” Leaning in means getting meeker. Leaning in means a quiet yet powerful presence. Leaning in means knowing you could tear every falsehood apart down to its molecular structure…without actually doing it. Leaning in means Christlikeness. And as many examples we have of powerful prophets and righteous warriors for God in Scripture and church history, they are all flawed types of Christ in one way or another. Christ’s very presence was a threat to falsehood. He barely said a word to defend Himself. He merely existed in moments, and it sent His enemies into a murderous rage. When He did speak, His words were deliberate, thoughtful, and weighted(John 18-19.15). Leaning in means doing that. Which is why it’s not tempting.
To be totally transparent, I am not doing well in the 21st century. Every day, I walk outside to the positively loathesome stench of falsehood in the air. It almost makes me gag. Family gatherings are increasingly difficult. Professional life is a test of patience and endurance. Friends are spiritually jumping ship like it’s a yacht party. And don’t even get me started on the internet. The constant gaslighting, propaganda, and false narratives in just about everything are enraging, and that includes the Christian world. It’s depressing and maddening. Faithfulness is given lip service but not really valued, much less truth itself, and I’ve seen so many men give up and give in, raising the white flag of theological liberalism to appease their own burnt-to-a-crisp nervous system. Additionally, it’s taking a toll on those at the tip of the spear, with spiritual PTSD running rampant across the ministry. It’s a wonder we don’t have more men answering the siren’s call to folly.
Are there times to respond and give a reason for the hope you have in Christ? Certainly, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about how to get through the majority of instances where there’s no receptive crowd. And, brothers, getting through those instances is tough.
But Jesus went through it(Matthew 4.1-11). Boy, did He go through it(John 19.16-30). He never threw in the towel. And while He could’ve drawn blood on several occasions, and had every right to, He showed mercy. He showed compassion. He displayed perfect meekness.
How often do we show mercy? I mean real, biblical mercy, not progressive tolerance. How often do we show compassion? I mean real, biblical compassion, not unbiblical empathy. How often do we display meekness? I mean real, biblical meekness, not pacifism. How often do I? How often do you? How often do we lean in to Christlikeness? Is our quiet demeanor as powerful a tool for the gospel as we think our mouths are?
We won’t know unless we try. And for the sake of those we love who are dying and going to hell, we have to do whatever it takes. And whatever it takes begins on our knees, not the tip of our swords.
“He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.”
Isaiah 53:7 NASB1995
Be faithful,
Alan
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