Eternal Approach

“They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” (Job 2:8)

That seems pretty straight forward. We choose the mercy of God or we choose His wrath.

In the current cultural and political firestorm, it is becoming very apparent to me that each person chooses how he views the world.

Each person chooses what he listens to. Each chooses what he views. Each chooses what he reads.

But even more specifically, it is the narrative that he chooses. The overall idea or slant.

The bias.

What Do We Value the Most?

A person makes a clear decision to open himself up to what is being said by any given source. Whether that source is a film star, news anchorman, newspaper reporter, senator, congressman, government bureaucrat, author, late-night talk-show host or a comedienne. Or maybe a university, a website or a think tank.

It all comes down to a question of value, really. What do we value the most?

Consider the following foundational questions that impact us all:

• Are we motivated more by ideas and information or with how we feel about something?
• Do we believe that a massive part of the population can be deceived? Or is it even possible for an entire country to believe a lie? (Consider Nazi Germany)
• Do we believe that government institutions can be corrupted?
• Do we believe that the mainstream media could be pushing its own agenda and preferences? Ignoring one narrative in order to push another?
• Do we believe that the major philosophies taught in our institutions of higher learning could be false and corrupting ideas?
• Do we believe that popular scientific consensus is more accurate than biblical truth?
• Do we believe that the formally educated are wiser people than those that are not?

All of these are legitimate questions. With profound significance for our lives.

The Foundations of Reality

How we answer the above questions will influence our preferences for news and information. Which networks we choose. Which authors and internet sources we read.

Unfortunately, much of our modern world has chosen to observe lying vanities.

At the core of these vanities is a belief that man is basically good. That there is no specific way to find God and no specific deity that we must choose. If any deity at all.

Men have chosen to believe that a person will do the right thing if his environment is perfect. Therefore, man is not accountable to God; because the world is full of imperfection.

Men believe they can create an utopian society if only the right systems, laws and people are in control. And that success requires full control to implement the strategies for the good of all mankind.

And that more government, rather than less, is best. That more state control over our lives is good. And that it is the government that will protect us from the difficulties of life.

Therefore, God is not necessary. Especially since science has proven He doesn’t exist. And that the Bible has lied to us about our origins and our relationship to God and is, consequently, untrustworthy.

Therefore, man is merely a sophisticated animal. That there are no moral or spiritual absolutes.

Man is free to do as he pleases.

Man is his own God.

In the Valley of Decision

So, you see, everything comes back to the spiritual factor. We often don’t see this clearly. We cannot escape spiritual decisions. They are there at every turn.

Life is a long series of decisions. One choice leads to a new set of options. With the new options limited by our last choice.

Gradually these choices narrow. Until, at the last, we face the final, stark option of life or death.

Spiritual life or spiritual death.

There is no protection for those who choose to reject the things that the Lord has spoken in His word. All the commands, the statutes, the proverbs, the blessings and the curses.

Because we choose where we place our trust. We choose whom we follow. We choose whom we believe.

God is actually Pro-Life. His desire is for everyone to choose life.

And He is Pro-Choice. He gives us the opportunity to choose life. He will not force it upon us.

Or we can choose death.

Again, it is a value thing. Our heart makes a choice of what it treasures most. It is inescapable.

Do we value Christ and His word above all else?

Or is it something else that we love?