“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
I heard this turn of phrase to describe a large swath of our culture that is promoted, protected, and the chosen direction for our elites, popular culture, and those lemmings that have been brainwashed to believe and profess its principles. The principles of the death cult are become more and more crystal clear and crystalized for all to see for those who have a teaspoon of discernment.
Death Cult?
There is a corresponding list of things this cult hates and seeks to destroy.
PRO!
Pro-Abortion, pro-destruction of Judeo-Christian values, destruction of biological binary realities, destruction of free speech, elimination of all boundaries, borders, and concepts of discipline, abstinence, and self-control. The destruction of personal liberty, virtue, and purity. To defile innocence, to indoctrinate each generation with the mind virus that aligns with its anti-values.
Against!
Free speech.
Absolute moral codes that are found in the Judeo-Christian worldview. The traditional family is seen in a mother and father in the home. Individual rights of all kinds, UNLESS they support what they support. If these individual rights are against their list of things they hate, these amoral souls will go as far as lock you up and silence you.
The good news.
Our Western world with concepts of personal liberty and freedom is a new development in world history.
The Bible is full of faithful examples of those who lived, thrived, and were honored by God in the face of even greater persecution.
As believers, it is important to recognize the reality of the corrosion and wickedness in the world we live in. We will, by our natural moral codes not be coerced and, by extension, will communicate and contend for the truth in the face of all of these moral insanities.
A few examples.
Noah Abraham Joseph Nehemiah Ezra Daniel Shadrach Meshach Abednego Mordecai
The Bible is about God and his plan working through individuals who are yielded and, through conviction and personal grit, are enabled by the grace of God in the face of all manner of opposition and difficult circumstances.
The scripture declares there are two diametrically different impulses animated in our world.
Life and death.
Death crusades under the lie of absolute freedom to love, live, and embrace every natural impulse. Doubt, fear, anger, lust, covetousness, excess, and reject concepts of absolute truth. The results are apparent.
Life is promised to those who will live a life of faith, discipline, virtue, devotion, diligence, and truth.
We see with great disappointment that large swaths of “Christianity” have been completely taken over by those who advocate against the basic truth the Bible teaches, declares, and demands.
What can we do? How do we reject the death cult?
Examine ourselves. Judge ourselves. Not to compare ourselves with others but to consider ourselves in light of what the scripture teaches, what Jesus taught, and the values commanded to believers in the Epistles.
How do we align ourselves with the Spirit of life and reject the spirit of darkness?
This is possible and mandated on those who profess love and faith in Jesus Christ. He modeled how to live a life that God honors and will bless.
A list of simple virtues we must strive to model. We can become a center of gravity toward goodness and God.
Kindness, mercy, forgiveness, patience, serving the good of others, and embracing our responsibility to improve where we are through having positive attitudes and actions towards others. We must not live in a selfish way but rather to bring and sow goodness into those we encounter.
A list of simple vices we must avoid at all costs. We can become a center of gravity of darkness and curses toward others.
We must reject our natural tendencies toward bitterness, blaming others, and expecting others to do things for us. We must avoid doubt, anger, vengeance, pouting, complaining, criticizing without helping, and finally, doing good even to those who can’t or won’t do good to us.