MAJORITY OR MINORITY CHOICES? The split in humanity was seen first in Cain’s treachery against his brother Abel. More than a simple disagreement between brothers, their conflict embodied the world’s natural resentment and hostility against a response of faith in the true God. Satan worked to rid the world of the only person alive who might possibly become part of the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15. And Cain’s hatred toward his brother was the result of his hatred toward God and God’s unbending truth. Because his way of self-justification was unacceptable, Cain hated God and anyone who represented Him (Gen. 4:1-8). If Cain could speak to Abel in today’s terms, he would probably call him “narrow-minded,” and a “self-righteousfundamentalist.” He would chide Abel for believing there is only one way to God, and condemn him as an anti-environmentalist (for making animal sacrifice). Eventually his rhetoric would claim there is no place in a civilized world for people so unbending and smug. And Cain would kill Abel! Apart from God’s intervention, every society ultimately polarizes itself into an UNRIGHTEOUS MAJORITY and a RIGHTEOUS MINORITY. The epitome of modern social structure began at the Tower of Babel. After the earth’s environment became less hospitable due to the Flood, but before the people of earth were broken into individual nations, they were united in their unbelief in the true God. Rather than choosing to live in submission to the offspring of Shem (as God ordained), they banded together in the Mesopotamian valley. There they had all they needed for food and water. And by uniting to build a city where all could live and benefit from a perfectly socialized society, they wanted to ensure their survival without dependence on God. What’s more, their common religion (the “gate to god”) helped fill the void left by rebellion against God. Their sheer numbers were certain to guarantee they would eventually rid the earth of those few who still held to that unpopular belief in the true God. God acknowledged that this one-world society posed a genuine threat to the righteous few. Even killing off the believing remnant would be possible for the Babel-builders.So God judged them in a bloodless, but perfectly effective way—He confused their one language into many. Precisely the opposite of our “e pluribus unum” (from many, one), God took one and made many. At that point, the nations of the world were born, and since that time, the nations have been the major vehicles through which Satan has worked to defeat the plan and purpose of God. From the time of Babel until now, the world system through which Satan attempts to effect his own purposes has always been measured by the majority—a majority hostile to God’s truth! All of this, then, forms the foundation of what that majority represents today. Within every kingdom, nation, or society, there is a steady movement toward a majority opinion that represents the will of the god of this age, the prince of the power of the air. Even in democracies that profess freedom, justice, and truth, eventually the will of the majority conforms more and more to the will of the personality behind the nations of the world, the same deceiver who opposed God through the vast assembly at the Tower of Babel. Make no mistake—a society that includes a large number of true believers reflects its presence to a certain degree. Such a society is always preferable to a lawless, godless, or idolatrous society. However, even a society founded on a belief in the true God gradually, subtly, insidiously moves toward apostasy and the false truth of majority opinion. And isn’t this what we are seeing so much of today? CHILD-TRAINING I’m sure you are acquainted with the well-known verse of Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Scholars differ on the meaning of the phrase “the way he should go.” Does this mean that parents are to teach a child the way he SHOULD GO, or does it mean that they are to teach a child the way HE GOES? The latter view is saying that if you encourage a child to pursue the things he’s (or she’s) most interested in, then he will really excel in them later in life. Both views teach that what a child learns stays with him when he grows up. The question is, what shall we teach him—what HE wants to learn, or what we think he SHOULD learn? If little Susie has a desire and bent towards music, then parents should do all they can to teach and encourage her along the lines of music. Or, parents teach Susie what she needs to learn and should learn, regardless of her desire and bent. Both views are possible. MORE TOMORROW! STAY TUNED!
Posted on: Thu, 23 Jan 2014 11:00:52 +0000
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