Fighting Back Against the Cultural Revolution

HOW TO FIGHT BACK IN THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION The Christian’s Resistance to the Cultural Revolution. Mountain View Christian Church 12 June 2024 RECAP: WE ARE IN A CULTURAL REVOLUTION, NOT A CULTURE WAR. We are not the rebels, but the defenders. Recap: A plan of action 1. Remember the Christ is Lord, Christ is King. This cannot be changed. There is nothing outside of His sovereign control. Do not panic. 2. Remember that you are Christ’s. your first allegiance is to Him. Political and national commitments are only valuable insofar as they serve Christ and His kingdom. 3. Know tha\t nothing happens that is not for God’s glory and for the growth of His people. 4. Critically evaluate everything. Note that we are surrounded by lies. 5. Look at every solution to a problem and ask, “Is this God’s way?” A plan of Action 6. Be suspicious of solutions offered by the same people who created the problems. 7. Be aware of God’s Law in all areas of life, including politics and finances. 8. Reject R2K theology, pietism, Dispensationalism, and any other theology that would teach that Christ’s lordship is limited. 9. Do the things that God has given you to do. Be prepared to step in when the world fails. 10. Understand that the world operates from an entirely different way of thinking—the differences are foundational, not trivial Foundations, always foundations. First things FIRST - We are here, because we forgot the where, who, and why: Where we came from, who we are, and why it matters. - Where: we are here by God’s creation, created in the Image of God. - Who: We are sons and daughters of God in Christ. - Why: It matters because truth matters. The lie is that there is no God, the universe is self-creating, and the universe (man) determines truth. Foundations matter - “Do not fear” (191x in the Bible, mostly to the people of God in general) - “Be strong and courageous” (44x in the Bible to people living under uncertain times) - Reject the sensational: Luke 8:5-15 is a warning. - Reject lazy thinking: Hebrews 5:11-6:3 - Be hostile to idolatrous thinking: - Daniel 3—idols demand worship - Daniel 5—idols forbid worship of God - Romans 1:24-25—Idols suppress the truth and exchange truth for a lie. - Acts 5:29—a demand to conform “Even if all is covered by lies, even if all is under their rule, let us resist in the smallest way: Let their rule hold not through me! And this is the way to break out of the imaginary encirclement of our inertness, the easiest way for us and the most devastating for the lies.” Alexandr Solzhenitsyn Truth “We are approaching the brink; already a universal spiritual demise is upon us; a physical one is about to flare up and engulf us and our children, while we continue to smile sheepishly and babble: “But what can we do to stop it? We haven’t the strength.”…But we can do— everything!—even if we comfort and lie to ourselves that this is not so. It is not “they” who are guilty of everything, but we ourselves, only we!” ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Live Not By Lies Live not by lies “The rules are simple: they lie to us, we know they’re lying, they know we know they’re lying but they keep lying anyway, and we keep pretending to believe them.” Elena Gorokhova Revolutions are more than change and may produce very little change 1. The revolution rejects the past Embrace your history--the Christians’ future creates their past 2. Revolutions seek to overhaul all institutions Create and sustain godly ones: family, church, education, finance 3. Revolutions promise a better brighter day after destruction Think long-term—the revolution will certainly fail. Think past this. 4. They claim to reject power and hierarchies in the name of a greater good. Use legitimate power that is available to you: godly patriarchy, leadership, normal roles in God’s society. DETERMINE: JOSHUA 24:14-16 I WILL RESIST. I will not allow an idol to dictate my faith, hope, family, worship, or business. Therefore - Christ is King. - The family is His - There is a godly way to conduct business - There is a godly way to conduct health, education, and charity. - I will not ask permission to do the right thing according to Scripture. - I will not submit to a ruler who would demand an idolatrous obedience. CONCLUSION This must be worked out in as many circumstances as we have people. This is the beauty of a church gathered to serve. Today’s Cultural Revolution Flashpoints (aka Cultural Marxism) - Equity over equality - Abortion/euthanasia - Finance - Islamic immigration - Housing/immigration - Law and justice - Climate change - Social Justice - Multiculturalism/diversity - Personal Liberty - Health Mandates - Decolonization - Digital dictatorship - LGBTQ movement - Morality - Racism - The State as god: dispenser of all things good, - Art and music; media arbitrator of truth, source of human rights