AROvercoming Society's Subtle InfluencesSubtle influences in the world draw us away from the right path. How do we stand strong and rooted in God?With the rapid disintegration of ethical values in modern society, it is hardly surprising that today we face even-greater challenges to our faith. Keeping faith today has become a much more difficult struggle in comparison to generations past. But even though the world presents constant subtle influences to draw us away from the right path, we have the promise of Jesus-with God all things are possible (Mt 19:26)-to root us steadfastly in Him. Through constant prayer and spiritual refinement, we can build up a strong moral character in the face of worldly depravations, standing firm in the Lord.With the rapid
disintegration of ethical values in modern society, it is hardly
surprising that today we face ever-greater challenges to our faith. What
the liberal world offers to humankind continues to corrupt in all
conceivable aspects of life. Beginning with the basic family unit through
to the society at large, domestic problems such as broken marriages,
teenage pregnancies, and child neglect are ever on the increase,
compounded by an increase in violent crimes and a decline in moral
standards. Even among Christians, God's principles are often ignored.
Keeping faith today has become a much more difficult struggle in
comparison to generations past.
The Lure of Material Wealth
With regard to our
own obedience to God, there are, without a doubt, big holes in the fabric
of our personal faith. In the past people lived much simpler lives, with
less cares and concerns. But now, in our economically confident society,
we feel the need to keep pace with the modern lifestyle and its inevitable
demands for more material prosperity. Without even realizing it, we are
easily influenced by this world, and we find ourselves yearning for that
"little bit more"—a bigger house, a faster car, more
designer-labeled products, and more stimulating entertainment.... The list
goes on. It is not surprising that our value system changes under such
conditions, causing us again to embrace the worldly ideal that we once
discarded, and to become materialistically inclined (cf. Phil 3:7-9). The
time we allocate to God decreases in proportion to the amount of time we
put into secular pursuits. As our love for God grows cold, our faith in
Him subsides. Taking care of our daily necessities becomes our principal
priority, and when there is time left (which rarely happens), we
half-heartedly seek for His righteousness and kingdom (cf. Mt 6:30-34).
When we pursue material prosperity, we can never pledge total allegiance
to God. Although we are well aware of the plight we are in, we
nevertheless turn away from the principles of God.
The Corrosion of Entertainment
Our prosperous
existence has exposed us to the corruption that TV and the popular
entertainment world bring forth. This corrosive influence has ensnared
both children and adults alike. As TV programs become increasingly amoral,
we become less sensitive to their destructive elements. For example, TV
soap operas, which often highlight extramarital affairs and loose
relationships, have become part of our everyday leisure enjoyment. As a
result, our moral judgment and discernment are losing focus. Instead of
reducing the chance of drifting further away from God, we use our
prosperity to buy even more, so that the TV set becomes a treasured item
not only in our dining or living rooms, but even in our bedrooms. To
worsen the situation, we feel the pressure to install satellite, digital,
or cable TV. In the name of relaxation we engross ourselves in an endless
diet of movies that reveal nothing but the products of depraved minds, the
anarchy in the streets, the violence and immorality of contemporary
society. This stream of unrestrained behavior directly affects the younger
minds in our families. But parents still provide what their children ask
for. Playstation and other video games are filled with violent elements,
and yet long stints in front of the box have become integral parts of the
daily habits of young people today. They have absorbed this visual garbage
all of their lives, which has rendered them virtually no different from
nonbelievers. We have lost our moral sense of direction and spiritual
moorings. When it comes to worshiping God, we feel that His word is
monotonous and hard to digest. His grace becomes only vaguely visible to
us, and like the Israelites, we find murmuring and complaining against God
to be the only available option in life. Such latitude in our spiritual
observance results in the dismantling of our faith.
The Confusion of Relativism
The problems we face
are further compounded by the influence of secularism on the family and
church. With Christian values and devotional time for God quickly
vanishing at home, there is much room for moral relativism and
individualism to seep in. When this change occurs, we tend to shift our
focus away from God and His church, toward our nonbelieving friends and
their attitudes. Lacking a moral compass and a true love for God (1 Jn 2:15-17), we find it difficult to make sense of our own belief. Our faith
is further compromised by the wider social belief that every way of life
is legitimate and acceptable, as long as everyone is happy, and that no
one should pass judgment on others. This attitude tremendously weakens our
resistance to sin-instead of having God as our absolute moral standard, we
adopt a secular model. As a result, many believers fall back to their old
habits, such as gambling, drunkenness, and acts of immorality. For it
would have been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, then having known it, to turn from the holy commandment
delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true
proverb: 'a dog returns to his own vomit,' and 'a sow, having washed, to
her wallowing in the mire.'" (2 Pet 2:21-22)
Standing against the Tide
Although the world
presents constant subtle influences to draw us away from the right path,
we have the promise of Jesus—with God all things are possible (Mt 19:26)—to root us steadfastly in Him. The only thing that stands out in
this promise is God Himself, who works in and achieves all things for us,
if we allow Him to take full control of our lives. This promise truly has
come to pass for those who fully trust in Him. Some examples include the
transformation of the people of Nineveh, who responded to the call of
repentance preached by Jonah, and the willing repentance of the
Corinthians after the stern warning of Paul.
Return to God
For the transformation of the church to take place, all members of the
congregation need to be awakened to the necessity of changing their
lifestyles (cf. Rom 12:1-2 ; Eph 4:21-24; Col 3:10), to recognize that it
is wrong to be busy at the expense of serving God. We need to return to
observing His commandments and looking after the spiritual welfare of our
children. If we can confess our wrongs in prayer, we can rediscover the
path of divine strengthening and reestablish a solid relationship with God
(Neh 1:5-11). This is an urgent matter. We must start now.
Live a Simple
Life
Right and wrong are clearly differentiated in the Bible. "Woe to
those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and
light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter" (Isa
5:20). This same confusion was equally devastating during the time of
Malachi, who witnessed the staggering problems that occurred among the
people of God when they mistakenly thought that "...everyone who does
evil is good in the sight of the Lord" (Mal 2:17b). With courage from
God, we must dare to return to a simple life, one that is pleasing to God,
as opposed to our present life full of worldly cares, which repels Him.
Redeem the Time
A simple life starts with making the most of our time in order to
understand the will of our Lord (Eph 5:16-17). We must strive to live a
prayerful life in the Spirit (Jude 20), with a greater emphasis on inner
transformation. The Bible defines a normal life as one of holiness (Lev
20:7; 1 Pet 1:13-16; Eph 1:4; 2, Cor 10:12). It is a life in which we can
thrive in the abundance of God. We must return to this life of normalcy by
reducing the influences of TV and movie viewing to a level that is
harmless to us spiritually. Spending more time with our children and
conducting regular family service, rather than watching TV or playing
computer games, can undoubtedly achieve this goal. God desires all of us
to live up to this eternal command. We must strive to be as perfect as our
heavenly Father is (Mt 5:48).
Adopt God's
Values
When we strive to abide by God's principles, we take His values to be our
own. This is a natural defense against the creeping influence of moral
relativism and individualism. God is our compass in everything we do, for
God's word embodies complete veneration for Him and denial of ourselves,
and it offers protection against worldly influences. Through practicing
the truth, we can form a strong moral character. A classic example of this
strength is Joseph, who resisted the seduction of Potiphar's wife. Her
repeated efforts to trap Joseph were foiled by his fear of God. His strong
moral character simply would not give in to the persistent amorous
advances of the temptress: "How can I do this great wickedness, and
sin against God?" (Gen 39:9). His uncompromising moral value, even at
the risk of imprisonment, is a lesson to us all.
We consider
ourselves to be the saved ones, whom Jesus has called into His kingdom out
of the multitudes in this world. Most of us are aware of this God-given
grace, yet today the pursuit of material prosperity has become our only
object of adulation. Our hearts are not with God: we have forgotten our
heavenly status, our obligations and commissions. Instead of spending time
in fear, servitude, and cultivation, we are too preoccupied with what
secular entertainment can provide. When God is replaced, our families
become fragmented, subject to the influence of the world. Our children
turn rebellious, demanding the right to do as they please. They begin to
accept alternative lifestyles that are contrary to the way that Christians
should live. In view of this precarious position, it is time to champion
the idea of following God's way, with the leaders of the church making the
first moves. Since God has given us a spirit of power, of love, and of a
sound mind, it is not at all impossible for us to live a simple life that
revolves around Him. Through constant prayer and spiritual refinement, we
can then surely build up a strong moral character in the face of worldly
depravations, standing firm in the Lord.