Volume 17 Issue 5
Ignore the problem and it goes away. So goes the popular view in todays politically correct world. Worse is the idea that if you appease the enemies of civilization they will love you in return and crawl back into their caves. This is not true, of course.
A recent Cal Thomas article entitled Europe Ignores the Flames states, The world is on fire, but Britain and much of the rest of Europe are not paying attention. but its enemies are noticing. And while Europes enemies arm themselves for war, they regard the European attitude toward them as unilateral surrender. Winston Churchill would have called it the gathering storm. As it has done before, with severe consequences, modern Europe prefers to ignore the clouds. Thomas is talking about the fact that a good deal of the world today has chosen to ignore the significance of the drawn sword of evil in the world. He says in the same article, [its like] refusing to be interrupted when your house is on fire because you dont want to miss your favorite TV program.
I sometimes see in the eyes of my friends or sense in their attitudes a reluctance to deal with the moral, doctrinal, and ethical inconsistencies in our churches and society. I have been embarrassed by their rebuff on more than one occasion, when with trite explanation they pontificate its all a waste of energy to bother with anything that is negative. However, the fact is that evil does not just go away. The dripping water under the sink will in time collapse the floor. Furthermore, one thing is for sure: the preachers of false doctrine and false ideology never quit making their arguments; and our silence is a unilateral surrender to the anti-Christ.
The enemy takes note when we fail to defend the faith, correct our children, speak boldly, contend for the truth, or when we retreat, give in, show cowardice, or appease false doctrine. The great Apostle Paul determined to CUT OFF OCCASION from false apostles and deceitful workers (2 Cor. 11: 12) who robbed the people of money while bringing them into bondage. The intense fearlessness of the Apostle should be our pattern and example. Otherwise, I fear, Godly and truth-loving folks will be overrun by evil.
Once we start bowing at the altars of the world, seeking the approval of the world, seeking our inspiration from the world, shuffling about like beggars to gain the favor of men, imitating their ways to appear noble and high, dressing in robes of power and strutting about in our silk hats of status we purchase on over-run credit cards, we have ceased to be apostolic. And we run the risk of unilateral surrender– intoxicated with our blind ambition to climb the latter of human success. As Jesus put it in Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
We could easily become enclosed in our own worlds, comfortable and unwilling to deal with the gathering storm of evil and unbelief, preferring luxury over the hardships of battle, and closing the drapes rather than allowing the light of reality to disturb our false sense of security.