Sometimes it is hard to believe that the majority of Americans have really bought into atheistic Naturalism. But more and more I am resigning myself to that conclusion. The latest indication of this trend comes in the form of a report by Barna that shows a large majority of Americans now believe that cohabitation is perfectly okay. In fact, 65% of American adults either strongly or somewhat agree with the notion that it is a good idea to live with one’s “significant other” before getting married.
Actually, though, as disappointing as I find that conclusion, there is something else that is even more noteworthy. While a majority of practicing Christians still believe that cohabitation is not a good idea, an incredible 41% think it is okay. From this statistic, it is evident that the pervasiveness of naturalistic beliefs in our society is profoundly affecting the church. It is supposed to be the other way around – that the church affects society – but apparently not so much now.
Actually, my greatest concern here is not about people’s views concerning cohabitation. That is only a symptom of something much more grave. And if, indeed, that large a majority of people have bought into naturalistic worldview beliefs, there are two things for which we better prepare.
First, we need to be prepared to see an increasing amount of immorality, of all kinds, being accepted as normal in society. The culture war struggles over the value of life, issues concerning sexual morality, business and political ethics, and other moral issues will intensify. This is already happening and will become more prominent going forward. We will see this affecting our families, our jobs, and our social interactions.
Second, we must prepare ourselves for an increasing dose of religious persecution. Naturalism is a faith system, and it does not brook dissent. Persecution is already beginning to happen, but I assure you it is going to get much worse.
The news is not all bad, though. Along with the increasing immorality and persecution, will come ever more opportunities to be used of God to blow away the darkness – for those willing to step up to the plate. But this will come at a cost. Only Christians who are willing to pay the price will be in a position to be used of God this way. So, what are the costs? Let me mention a couple.
1. The Equipping Price
It used to be that Christian Theism was the dominant belief system in America. In that environment, there was no need to be expert in worldview concepts. That is only needed when working in an environment where one is interacting with people who have different worldview beliefs. It used to be that only missionaries who served in places where a different worldview dominated had the need to understand that. Not so any more. America has become a place where a different worldview dominates. Now, EVERY Christian needs to be equipped in this way. Going forward, you will have great difficulty interacting with non-believers if you do not pay the price in time and effort to equip yourself in this arena.
2. The Persecution Price
No one likes to be in a position where they are being attacked – for any reason, much less for what they believe. But now, any believer that wants to be faithful to their Lord will have to be prepared to be on the receiving end of that kind of persecution. It must be remembered that, in spite of Naturalist’s desire to paint their belief as being based in science, Naturalism is actually a belief system. And its adherents cannot, and will not, abide dissenting views. They will use any means possible to wipe the competition of the Christian faith from the face of the map. They will attempt to use social, psychological, economic, political, legal, and any other kind of pressure they can muster to accomplish their goal of domination. Any Christian who is determined to stand strong in the faith will need to be ready and willing to accept this, and to face it down.
Here is what we need to know. Naturalism is a false religion. Its beliefs, all the way to the core, are simply not true. As such, any Christian who is willing to stand strong in the face of persecution and who has equipped him or herself with the knowledge of how to deal with this falsehood, can prevail. This does not mean we will not feel the negative impact of those who hate Christians. It does mean, though, that we are in a position to have a powerful impact on people who need to know Christ. God is still in the business of changing lives, and he will use faithful believers as instruments in that process.