As we mentioned in the previous blog (part 1), American culture today can be characterized as post-modern – no absolutes, no divine authority such as God, and in reality, no hope. This life is all there is and you are your own god. Because today’s society presents little hope and is perceived as outdated and wrong, post-modernism carried to the extreme would seek to destroy the current social order. Tragically, post-modernism talks very little about what it would replace the current social order with.
Obviously this prevailing philosophy in our day and time has created an America where morality, order, adherence to rules, regulations, and our government structure are taboo. As a result we are experiencing a rapid increase in the decay of society as we know.
This present-day philosophy of “post-modernism” is nothing new as was modernism when it was in vogue. These approaches to life have been around for centuries. In fact, Paul the Apostle dealt with similar world views in his day and time. One such philosophy in particular surfaced in the church at Colossae in late 50s or early 60s A.D. Note what Paul said:
Colossians 2:8 (NLT) – “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.”
In Paul’s day, “philosophy had everything to do with theories about God and the world and the meaning of human life. Today we would call it a “worldview.” Paul said the “worldview” or “philosophy” beginning to show itself in the city of Colossae was in reality “empty and deceptive.”
This false world view that Paul addressed had incorporated Jewish elements and a Greek false teaching called Gnosticism. Gnosticism basically involved very strict following of rituals and dietary laws. It also involved angel worship. Gnosticism involved seeking to find salvation through acquisition of special knowledge. Gnosticism took away from the personhood of Christ by either saying that he didn’t really come in the flesh or that he wasn’t really God. This worldview eliminated God as the Creator and said that creation was done by some lesser angelic beings.
Paul told them that this philosophy or worldview was hollow and deceptive. And the same thoughts hold true for the world-views of modernism and post-modernism today. Not only are they empty of meaning – dead end streets--but they are also full of danger – streets that lead to death.
Paul told the Colossians that there were three things about the philosophy creeping into the church in Colossae that are equally true today.
1. This false philosophy was human in origin. In verse 8 Paul said that they come from human thinking. – It was a made-up philosophy. I can’t think of anything more appropriate to describe today’s prevailing world view. If life and its meaning is not authored by God and recorded for us in Holy Scripture, then we have to make up our own meaning. We answer the questions of life with our own ideas.
Where did we come from? If not God, then what – we create some theory called evolution which is not scientific and is contradictory to the very laws of nature that we see at work around us.
Why are we here? If we can’t find meaning in a personal relationship with God, we talk then either about the fact that we’re here to make a difference in the lives of our fellow man, or we say there is no meaning at all to life. That is the bottom line on post-modernism.
You can understand how such an approach is futile. If we don’t have an authoritative word from God and if God doesn’t exist, then what’s the purpose to life and where are we heading? Life really can be seen as meaningless.
2. Paul indicated that this philosophy was elementary in nature. This false world of Gnosticism chose to substitute something else for God. Again in verse 8 this philosophy is “from the spiritual powers of this world.” He is talking about lesser beings that took the place of God in creation and even in the path to salvation.
There is absolutely no doubt that today’s philosophies of modernism and post-modernism have substituted for God – with the results that they are inferior in their ability to answer the important questions of life. Who am I, how did I get here, what’s going to happen to me in the future, what is meaningful, what is right and wrong, what is real, and so forth.
Because the current worldviews or philosophies are inferior, people who espouse them still remain empty and searching. Only the real thing will satisfy – a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Any other approach leaves a person dissatisfied.
3. Finally, Paul called the philosophy of his day and time, “non-Christian.” It was not “from Christ.”
Gnosticism eliminated Christ and the salvation that He secured on the cross. The philosophies of today also eliminate Christ and the need for Christ. They water Him down by trying to analyze Him as a man and strip Him of His godhood. They view the salvation He offers as only one of many ways to meaning and purpose in life. The current philosophies of modernism and most especially, post-modernism, represent a very empty, deceptive, and even dangerous approach to life.
Look at it this way. If I wanted to give you advice on the most important aspects of life including how to ensure that you live forever, there are two ways I could do that – I could write you a number of letters or essays giving you the advice. Or I could visit you face to face to share the information with you.
Both of those approaches are precisely what God has done – He has given us a written revelation – the Bible, and He has visited with us face-to-face – in Jesus Christ. In the Bible, and in Jesus Christ, we have the correct and true answers to the fundamental questions of life.
Why, then, do people reject the Christian world view that centers in God and His son, Jesus Christ? Why have they chosen to substitute a worldview of their own creation that is by far inferior to God’s viewpoint? Why are they so quick to declare that God is dead, the Bible is irrelevant and out-of-date, or that Jesus wasn’t divine or that His salvation is unnecessary?
Here’s the bottom line –we want to be our own God. This is the essence of the humanistic worldview prevalent for the last 125 years. If we can water down, or eliminate God, we can be our own master. If the guidebook says this is the way to play the game, and we really want to make up our own rules, we have two choices – we can decide to change our attitude and actions and play by the rules, or we can throw away or change the rule book and do it our way.
Therefore, if I can eliminate God and His Word, pushing God from the center of my world, if I can play down Jesus Christ or declare that He never existed or never claimed to be God, then I am no longer accountable for my actions. I can do as I choose. Anything goes and I am not in danger of any kind of punishment or eternal death.
This is the American culture today. When you come to see that the perspective of our world has changed and God is no longer around and His laws are no longer relevant, then you can understand the turmoil that our country is in today.
To be continued!
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