In the world of men there are only two messages being offered. One is from God, the other isn't! God's message emanates from The Bible: The Revelation of God to man. The other comes from seducing spirits and devils [I Tim. 4:1]
We like to believe in the neutrality of ideas and standards. One society adopts this standard, the other adopts a conflicting standard. But both standards seem to work for each. The reality is that every message is packaged in a philosophy; in a worldview; in a religious context. These messages offer hope and prosperity to those who embrace them.
Societies reflect the messages they embrace. It is a fact of life that what we believe drives how we live. Americans, in the 21st century, have come to believe in everything and in nothing. Post-modern relativism has given way to the frustration of nihilism: nothing is any better than anything else. Everything is equally good/right. Traditional structures aren't important. Objective moral values are not necessary.
The result is a socio-political, religious reality that offers no emotional/rational footholds, nor hand-holds from which to stabilize ourselves and launch onto solid ground. Our entire stystem is floating on the sea of subjectivism and the "now."
The Bible calls this "doctrines of devils" [I Tim. 4:1]. The context is spiritual understanding. But what's true in our spiritual orientation flows over into every other area of life. What you believe about God, sin, salvation and right living, affects every area of your life.
American Christians gave heed to the seducing spirits of religious liberalism in the early 20th century. We ignored the seductive humanistic philosophy that took over American Education, in the mid-twentieth century. We were conflicted about the seducing spirits of the sexual and feminist revolutions, in the 1960's and 1970's. And we never really saw the socialism that steadily crept into our political and economic life, over the last 30 years.
Christian doctrine, characterized in The Bible as "the faith," has always stood against the "doctrines of devils," and the "seducing spirits" of compromise. It has been The Church of Jesus Christ which provided the moral conscience and authority of this nation, protecting us from our own selfishness and moral decline.
But God told us that "in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." the result will be Christians [so-called] who speak lies instead of truth. Lies even they don't believe nor follow. They will corrupt people without fear or recrimination, their conscience seared as with a hot iron.
When the story of America's decline is written, it will include The Church. Had she not departed from the faith. Had Christians not given heed to seducing spirits. Had the doctrines of devils not been brought into The Church, citizen-leaders would have been less likely to abandon Truth for a 'mess of pottage.'
