The Fate of the World from a Biblical Perspective

As we approach the season of Lent......

The previous blog entry which touched upon the belief that "we are being tested in love" in relation to the world and its seductions, might appear a bit "flighty", even from the perspective of common Christian faith, if it is not somehow "tied down" by more "objective" points of reference. The Bible, whether seen as the Word of God, or an ancient and influential collection of writings by men who promoted themselves as Divinely inspired, has many passages which bear out the belief that our relationship with the world ought to be of a cautious and informed nature. This blog is being written largely for believers...those whose lives have been somehow impacted and oriented on a deep level towards the Christian Faith. Those who have chosen to believe in the revealed Word of God.

As regards the "world" as a testing grounds, there is one primary passage which provided influence in my own life many years ago. This passage is very strong and clear:

"Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticements for the eye, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticements are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever." 1 John 2: 15-17

On a deeper and even "heavier" level, so to speak, the author to the epistle to the Thessalonians writes concerning an apostate generation:

"And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay through His Word and render powerless through the manifestation of His presence...the one whose coming springs from the power of Satan in every mighty deed and in signs and wonders that deceive, and in every wicked deceit for those who are perishing because they have not accepted the love of Truth so that they may be saved. Therefore God is sending upon them a deceiving power so that they may believe the lie, that all who have not believed the truth but have approved wrongdoing may be condemned".
2 Thessalonians 2: 8-12

Saint James in his epistle writes:
" Religion that is pure and undefiled before God is this: to care for orphans and widows in their afflictions and to keep oneself unstained by the world".
James 1: 27

In the 18th Chapter of the Book of Revelation we find the exhortation:
Come out of her my people, so as not to take part in her sins and receive a share of her plagues, for her sins are piled up to the sky, and God remembers her crimes....she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord who judges her. Alas, alas, great city, wearing fine linen, purple and scarlet, adorned in gold, precious stones, and pearls. In one hour this great wealth has been ruined.....No melodies of harpists and musicians, flutists and trumpeters, will be heard in you again. No craftsmen in any trade will be found in you again. No sound of the millstone will be heard in you again. No light from a lamp will be seen in you again. No voices of bride and groom will be heard in you again.....Alleluia, smoke will rise from her forever and ever." ( a sequence of various quotations from the 18th and 19th chapter of the Book of Revelation).

From the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament:

"The earth fades and mourns, the world languishes and fades, both the sky and the earth languish. The earth is polluted because of its inhabitants, who have broken the ancient covenant. A curse devours the earth and they who dwell on it grow pale and few are left.....He who flees at the sound of terror will fall into the pit. He who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the trap. The earth will reel like a drunkard, its rebellion will weigh it down, until it falls, never to rise again."
( A sequence from Chapter 24)

From Psalm 9:
The nations fall into the pit they dig, in the snare they hide, their own foot is caught. The Lord has revealed Himself and given judgement, the wicked are ensnared in the work of their own hands. Psalm 9: 16-17

I realize this is all SEEMS very gloomy. From the perspective of faith it describes the process by which fallen man returns to the dust. Every Ash Wednesday we hear the words "remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return". This can be reckoned and understood both individually and collectively, as regards the "human world". And that is really the basis of it all. Humanity stands in need of redemption, reconstruction, renewal. The spirit of the human world, no matter how gloriously and seductively it presents itself, is built upon and extended upon a wrongful, fallen and condemned choice of "freedom". Freedom in the absence of true self knowledge. Impious freedom. The world is passing away in judgement. And to heartfully attend to this fallen world as a source of entertainment, an object of desire, or as an immediate goal of human fulfillment is a "chase after wind". We fail the test. This is the path of condemnation. The call of the Gospel leads us to separate from and transcend the world spirit...To be counter cultural to the abiding culture of the world. This is the way of salvation. God, who is Love, and Who is the reference for Love defined in the Ultimate, is testing us for our obedience in love. As Jesus says: "He who "loses" his life for My sake will find it."

A Great Period of Testing

One of the fundamental beliefs within my own heart and soul as a person of faith is that which states that "our present life is a period of testing". Just as in the beginning, with our first parents, each of us is given a test in life. This test is related to personal allegiances and the orientation of our hearts. We are being tested "in love". In the book of revelation, reference is made to this "great period of testing", from which souls are drawn to "wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb".

For the past two hundred years or so, our world has become unbelievably complex and technological. Never before in all of history has there been an age like the one in which we are living presently. The human spirit can become enamored of many attractive activities, objects and sources of "entertainment". From my perspective, as one who sees life as a testing grounds, this technological complexity takes on an ominous appearance. Here is the basis of my perspective:

The human heart finds its sacred purpose and fulfillment through a prayerful and contemplative relationship with its Creator. As human beings, we grow in proportion to just how much our hearts are lovingly related to our God. This relationship is necessarily our first devotion in life and is sufficient unto itself as an exclusive source of happiness.

In this complicated world which surrounds us, relative to this fundamental purpose, we are being tested in relation to the many seductions of the present age. The activities, pastimes, material things and even ideas which we store up and "bring into our houses" have a powerful effect on us. These can easily derail us from our human identity and purpose. Our spirits become suffocated and dislocated from our most important goal.

I realize that there are other more positive ways at looking upon the contemporary world. And also, one might reasonably add that there is much "gray paint" in the mix, which precludes us from being too legalistic or judgmental of others in reference to this perspective. It is certainly possible that people can be "conquered" by the need to "play the world game" in order to live and provide for others. Their hearts may be in a good place, though their lives may be cluttered up. Nevertheless, as I see it, the ideal must be acknowledged, honored and striven for. That ideal is a humble, unselfish life of piety, simplicity, frugality, and detachment. THIS FORM OF LIFE IS PURE GIFT. If we become "predisposed" to the "gray paint" in the overall mix, as many do, we very likely will fall short of the goal of our life. But if we foster an urgent and unflagging desire for the ideal, so as to pass the test,we will pass into the realm of mercy in the end. God asks us: "Will you love Me or will you choose the world". We are being tested in Love.