Forthright Magazine http://www.forthright.net Straight to the Cross COLUMN: Square One Culture Wars by Richard Mansel The battle raging between God and Satan engulfs everyone alive. We are fighting in the Lord's army or we are an enemy of Christ (Romans 5:6-10). The tools of Satan are vicious, yet subtle. They consist of the people and things around us whom we love and utilize on a daily basis. Seemingly harmless items become deadly weapons in the hands of the "father of lies" (John 8:44). The environment we live in provides the influences that will lead us to live in a certain manner, even if we do not realize it. Lot's family lived in Sodom and the sin around them apparently affected their judgment (Genesis 19). Lot's wife longed to return to her life inside the walls of debauchery. Would Lot's older daughters have married men who ridiculed the Word of God? Would his older daughters have remained in the city despite Lot's warnings? Would Lot have gotten drunk? Would his younger daughters have resorted to incest? The culture in which we live is exceedingly important. However, the true determining factor is in whether we will allow it to turn us away from God. We live in a world aggressively against the ways of God. We see rampant hedonism around us. Jesus warned of this reality (John 15:18-19; Ephesians 6:10-12). While the influences of sin are nothing new, technology fosters the spread of depravities that once slithered around in backrooms. Now, they find vigorous supporters with endless media alternatives and the cash to make them viable. For example, every form of sexual deviancy is available on the Internet for a few dollars a month. No longer do people have to shame themselves to enter businesses catering to sexual sin. Instead, they have it come to their own homes. Satan attacks godliness at every opportunity. The stars of the entertainment business influence young and old with their depraved lifestyles. Movies and television shows mock Christianity with passion and skill. Efforts to silence God's Word are being pushed and normalized daily. Making preaching a hate crime provides Satan an opportunity to criminalize God's Word. Through their fomenting of alternative lifestyles and profane speech, they harden younger generations who have never known anything else. Many ridicule Christians who stand for moral standards and strive to create a mishmash form of Christianity without the moral structures prescribed by God in the Bible. Their mission to incorporate moral laxity with a diluted spirituality is leading them to spiritual destruction. Christians cannot remain ignorant of these attacks. It would be the height of incompetence if our military leaders refused to learn what their enemies were doing. Yet, some Christians think it is a waste of time to learn more about the attacks on God's way. Elders refuse to allow sermons on moral and ethical issues to educate their congregations. We must employ healthy resources to learn about the attacks on God's people in our society. /1 Christians must take an absolute stand against error. We must not dilute our preaching and teaching and we must have the courage to defend absolute truth. "Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven" (Psalm 119:89). Since Scripture existed in the mind of God long before time ever began, we have no right to try to alter its truths (Deuteronomy 4:2; Deuteronomy 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18-19). Christians must utilize every acceptable method available to help guide our children to God's truths and arm them with the weapons to fight against moral laxity and spiritual death that their generation is so enamored with. We cannot remove them from the world but we absolutely must prepare them for the spiritual battles they will face. Or our legacy will be another recounting of Judges 2:10. _______ 1/ For a humble resource you can go to http://preacherpages.preachersfiles.com/category/culture-wars/ ---- Read this article online, write your reaction, and read others' comments as well. Click here: http://www.forthright.net/square_one/culture_wars_1.html You can help get the word out. Here's how: http://www.forthright.net/editorial/lend_a_hand.html