“While promising them liberty, they themselves are servants of corruption; for that which a person serves, the same is he brought into bondage to.” (2 Peter 2:19)
Regardless of the fact that true faith in the Western World has been on the decline for years, we are beginning to see faith and the reemergence of a Christian identity stir once again. Yet in some cases, not without attendant issues. For example, while the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the American Constitution was put in place to prevent the government from giving preference to one religion over that of another, the political climate now exist where that might be possible. While true that the U.S. and UK. in particular, have been in need of a spiritual reformation for years, if that were to happen it would necessarily be a bottoms-up proposition, as no amount of conformist religiousity could ever solve the problem.
The population could in effect be made fit for action in fulfilling God’s purpose of establishing a higher order, not simply in compliance to the dictates of the law, but one derived from a sincere moral conviction that resulted in ethical transformation. The inherent challenge at this stage of the game would be how to flesh-out such an enterprise without inevitably falling victim to polarizing influences. By way of example, Christianity today has been rendered seemingly impotent today by a malaise of self-righteous rectitude that obfuscates duty and parallelizes the will. This has led to a general characterization of the West as not a “coalition of the willing,” but a collection of decaying and irresolute religious and social enterprises ripe for the picking.
From that perspective, it does then add a certain weight to the Kremlin’s religious accusation and rationale for opposing the West, in that it has become morally destitute. Yet contrary to Russia’s own depiction of itself of being the vaunted Katheon or “restrainer” that maintains the spiritual balance in the world, and which must first be removed before “the man of sin” can appear (2 Thes. 2:6,7), the prospect may have already appeared, with both Moscow and Washington playing their parts.
The increasing chaos, random violence and catastrophic natural events we are seeing today may in fact be preparing the way for a false archetype of peace in line with the prophetic. If so, what we may be witnessing is simply the prelude to a final solution of a world leader who ushers in the false messiah, or Antichrist of biblical prophecy. Yet, whether one points a finger at West which Russia uses as a scapegoat, or at Russia itself, the point has now become rather moot, as both Russian and America seem to lack the visionary capacity needed to overcome their inherent similarities of militarism and religion.
And so, both are now confronted with a similar dilemma. Neither has the power or wherewithal to emerge victorious in a conflict at the cost of their own existence. A tragedy in that both have made such unique contributions to the advance of civilization that the demise of either is beyond any reasonable calculation. That aside, Russia is perhaps of singular interest, as it has served as a crossroads between East and West from its inception. In turn, advertising the fact through its rather archaic notion of being the rightful heir and guarantor of the Classic European World, as seen in its adoption of a French Renaissance motif in the government space. Yet the effort, while admirable in a historical and contemporary light, is somewhat akin to rebuilding the Czarist past atop the colorless rubble of a failed Stalinist futurism. Yet, for sake of comparison, America itself isn’t fairing much better, as its educational institutions have been reduced to facsimiles, having been left molder in the fading light of intellectual curiosity and a passive indifference to American idealism. The same could be said for general population as well, who now seem hell-bent on erasing any memory of the national struggle it took to get there. A heart-felt repentance for past-deeds-done is one thing, but to “Cancel” the memory of a nation’s achievements, while attempting to render impotent the legacy of its founding ethos begs the question. – “Where is the devil now?”
Yet, one can’t ignore the obvious. Neither the bipolar West nor a multi-polar East can ultimately prevail without some sort of supernatural assistance. And from whence that comes remains a question which has yet to be determined. Ultimately, it comes down to a simple equation, either repent before God and rise as lions in defense of lambs, or bow the knee as willing minions of the pit. And, while that may read like somewhat Tolkienesqe, the reality is far more fundamental; we still have a choice as to whom we will serve
And so, lift up your heads you weary and pray, becoming that voice of conviction which stirs others to a confidence in Christ, motivated to building lasting works of faith. As R.C. Sproul once said: “The only way the Kingdom of God will ever be made manifest on earth is when Christian believers reflect that ‘kingdom reality’ within themselves, not only spiritually, but practically, in the way in which they live, think and act as citizens of heaven.”
