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Why The Heathen Rage I recently joined and on-line community for people who like Halloween, horror and such. I've met some nice and very talented people there. That's off point, but I thought to throw that in. In the course of joining I was asked to tell about my likes and dislikes. I found it almost unanimous; poeple like "open mindedness". I haven't really found a definition for this, but general consensus seems to be: "acceptance without regard or question to behavior". Equal dislike is reserved for "narrow-minded people". Especially those narrow minded people who are vocal about standards of behavior (and we all know who "they" are, don't we?). These sentiments seem to be a cornerstone of modern thought. It's tempting to add, as some do, that this is a sign of the times...meaning the last days. This is true only in the sense that the last times are a time of rampant, unbridles human-ness. The fact is, there is nothing new under the sun and certainly this attitude is neither new or unique to our time. The writer of the second Psalm recognized this mindset in his day and in two distinct sets of people. He wrote: Whether you like the term or not "heathen" is how God sees those who claim no belief or allegiance to Him. The heathen and their leaders, the kings of the earth, rage against the Law of God. They find the Law restrictive, bigoted, exclusive, unjust, etc...ad nauseum. I say, this is a proper state of affairs. The carnal (we could substitue heathen here) mind is emnitity against God. It is not subject to the Law of God and cannot be. The "natural" state of Man kicks against everything that is Holy...except, maybe, the idea of forgiveness. Therefore, one should not marvel that heathen don't like Christianity or its disciplines. What I find interesting is the second group mentioned in the Psalm. They are called simply, the "people". These "people" are those who claim some sort of alliance with God. The nature of this alliance is not necessarily important to this discussion. What is important is that the "people" have imagined a vain thing. What is the thing their imagination has conjured up? They have imagined a relationship with God that exists without bands or cords. That is, they picture a relationship to God without God making any claims on them. These people have a relationship with God in which they, and they alone, are the final arbitrator of all decisions concerning the nature and circumstances of the relationship. God abides by their evolving choices that He may remain revelant to them. This sounds like an outstanding basis for religion. In fact, many churches and Christians are adopting it. However, this concept is completely foreign, and diametrically opposed to Christianity. Christianity requires the transformation of its adherents into Christ-like beings. Christianity requires the forsaking of former behaviors and surrender of the self to Christ. Christ does not conform to the Christian. The Christian is transformed into Christ. Without this exchange there is no Christianity. Someone will immediately remind me of all the Christians who do not meet these requirements. My only answer is that God has reserved for Himself the right to make the decision about who has and who has not met His requirements. I can say judgment will be easier on the "heathen" than the "people" and none of it will be pretty. God's Son has already been crucified on this account. Maranatha |
