A Spiritual Pandemic

We have been overwhelmed since early 2020 with a daily barrage of information about the impact of the COVID-19 virus sweeping the world.  And we have all been impacted personally with the illness itself, the fallout of social restrictions, the death of friends and family, the general chaos that has impacted most of the world, or some other dimension of this plague.  Except for those who look favorably upon the heavy hand of government control, this pandemic cannot end soon enough.

There is, however, another plague which has been causing chaos and destruction at a spiritual level long before the coronavirus existed.  I’m referring to the destructive effects of the plague of pornography.  The American Family Association Journal observes Porn Awareness Week October 24-31 and highlights the devastating impact of pornography, not just upon society at large but also within the Christian church.

Covenanteyes.com, an online accountability resource, offers help for those battling the lure of pornography.  It cites statistics from 2018 which reveal that one in five youth pastors and one in seven senior pastors use porn regularly and are currently struggling [with addiction].  64% of Christian men and 15% of Christian women say they watch porn at least once a month.   The impact of pornography has not declined in the past three years.  Currently, 35% of all Internet downloads are porn related.

As Christians we must take seriously this often-secret sin which has become exponentially worse since the advent of the Internet and especially with the prevalence of smart phones.  Today, 95% of American teens have access to a smartphone.  And 90% of teenage porn use happens on their smartphones. 

The Journal notes that in 2019 the leading porn site created 170 years of new content and garnered 42 billion site visits, with 115 million daily visits.  And this is a single website.

Ted Shimer has written a new book, The Freedom Fight: The New Drug and the Truths That Set Us Free.  He states, “This book is for anyone who wants to know the pathway to freedom for themselves or so they can be equipped to help others.”  Thefreedomfight.org offers a biblically-based, no-cost recovery program.

If you, or others you know, struggle with this pervasive sin that is wreaking havoc in both the church and the world, I urge you to seek spiritual assistance.  Scripture commands us to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

A Critical Misdiagnosis

 

One does not have to be a news junky to be aware of the growing lawlessness and corruption that is sweeping across our land.  Open violence that is tolerated by many who advocate reducing police presence in our inner cities is a growing threat to those populations.  Outright lies are being told to influence public opinion on matters dealing with health issues and legitimate treatment options.  Retail outlets in certain parts of our country are facing a wave of theft that is generated by a refusal to prosecute criminal offenders below a certain level.  Parental rights and responsibilities are being undermined by public officials who believe they know better than moms and dads how children should be taught and disciplined.  Efforts are being made to cancel major dimensions of our history, thus preventing future generations from learning the lessons of the past.

What is the source of such aberrant behavior?  Why do humans engage in actions that ultimately harm those they profess to care most about?   What drives powerful people to espouse policies and actions that are detrimental to those they are charged with leading?  Why is our nation divided in a manner not seen since the Civil War? 

The wrong answer to these questions is at the root of what ails America these days.

In May of this year, 1000 Americans were surveyed to determine their worldview.  A key finding of this study revealed that 51% of adults claimed to have a biblical worldview.  But, in actuality, their responses indicated that just 6% actually have one.  A biblical worldview is an outlook that integrates the Christian faith into every dimension of life.  The Bible does not just address how and when we should gather for worship, it provides principles that must govern behavior 24/7.

Among the discoveries of this study is that just 33% of the 51% “believe that human beings are born with a sinful nature and can only be saved from the consequences of sin by Jesus Christ.”  That means that only about 17% of our population recognizes our inherent sinful nature and that the only cure is found in the work of Jesus Christ as Redeemer.

Throughout history, the depravity of the human heart has been on full display.  In the Old Testament era, children were offered as burnt offerings to the heathen god Moloch.  Today they are aborted from the wombs of their mothers in service to the god of personal freedom and convenience.   National leaders in ancient Israel abused their authority, led the nation astray, and brought the crushing judgment of God upon themselves and their people.

Today, we are in danger of suffering a national collapse because our collective conscience fails to recognize the inherent depravity of the human heart which can only be cured by the power of God.  So long as we blame our social ills on educational methodology, or the color of our skin, or the level of the minimum wage, or any other peripheral issue, we will never get to the root of the problem.

We are each born a sinner.  Only the power of the gospel can change the human heart so that one can begin to reflect a lifestyle that honors the God who made us.  As a church, our task is to effectively communicate the gospel message so that individuals can be changed and families can build their lives upon God’s eternal truth.  Any other foundation will crumble over the course of time. 

The Perilous Perspective of Gen Z

The current crop of teen-agers and young adults born between 1997 and 2012 has been dubbed Gen Z.  Raised on the Internet and social media, what the majority of these individuals actually believe should cause great alarm in the Christian church.  In 2018 Barna research characterized Gen Z as the “first truly post-Christian generation,” with only 4% holding to a biblical worldview.  Since then, the trends have only worsened.

A new study conducted last year collected data from 1,503 young adults ages 13 to 21 between June 15 and July 17, 2020.  From that study, Barna researchers determined that two-thirds (65%) believe that “many religions can lead to eternal life.”  This figure was up from 58% in 2018.

The moral relativism dominating this generation of young people was further seen in the fact that 31% “strongly agree” that what is “morally right and wrong changes over time, based on society”.  This number increased from 25% in 2018.  Another 43% agree “somewhat” with this perspective.

To look at the situation from a different standpoint, only 10% of those individuals surveyed “strongly disagree” that what is “morally right and wrong changes over time, based on society. 

Malachi 2:15 states that God ordained marriage because “He seeks godly offspring.”  I.e., God expects parents to have children and to raise them to know and honor Him, fully committed to a biblical worldview.  It is apparent that many professing Christians today are failing in this most critical mission.  

One of the primary tasks of the church is to encourage, support, and come alongside Christian parents to accomplish this God-given responsibility toward their children.  Obviously, the parents themselves must be absolutely committed to the unchanging authority of Scripture before they can instill this perspective in their sons and daughters.

In one of his final addresses to the nation of Israel that he had led for 40 years, Moses expressed the urgency of imparting this outlook to their children in this way: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:6-7).  Hence, the constant, consuming passion of parents must be to ensure their children embrace the unchanging truth of God’s revelation as the foundation for their lives.  The importance of this priority has not changed in 3500 years.