Bible believers are currently under attack in America as never before. The attack is not hidden or subtle, it is overt and blatant. This is happening because those that currently control the public narrative do not like us or what we stand for. The extent of this opposition is unprecedented in American history. To these attackers it is acceptable to “cancel” and “deplatform” not only the ideas they dislike but the people who express them. However, this type of opposition is nothing new in world history as can be ascertained through the reading of God’s Word. For example, here is what the Bible tells us about what I would describe as the intelligentsia, that group of people who have always been the primary peddlers of this opposition:
Ephesians 4:17-19: So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord. That you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity. They have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
Romans 1:21-22a: For although they knew God they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise they became fools…
Tragically, even many Christians have allowed themselves to be influenced by the anti-God narrative so prevalent in the American secularist society of today. The Apostle Paul had this to say to his young disciple about this:
1 Timothy 4:1-2: The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
1 Timothy 6:20-21: Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care, turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all.
In our public schools, public universities, and even many Christian schools and colleges, the gospel message is being intentionally obstructed and therefore nearly invisible to those who are supposedly being educated. In our Bible the Apostle Paul explains it like this:
2 Corinthians 4:3-4: And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18-20: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
Many of those who are held up as models by the intelligentsia of today actually show diminutive intelligence, lack common sense, have little ability to use critical thinking skills, and are consummate liars. Even in our Christian seminaries there are numerous examples of theologians who teach that the foundational doctrines of Genesis are not important. We who teach the importance of Christian doctrine and dogma are castigated by these same theologians for not having the “special knowledge” that they say is required to understand what the Bible really is saying. I would describe these theologians as today’s Gnostics. Over the past sixty years thousands of youth pastors and others have been taken captive by these deceptive philosophies that are based on evolution and millions of years rather than on the Creator God’s true Word.
Colossians 2:8: See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental forces of this world rather than on Christ.
So that is why we are opposed. What, then, is our responsibility and what can we expect in the long run? Here is what God says:
2 Corinthians 10:3-5: For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Isaiah 2:11-12: The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. The LORD almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled)…
Romans 11:5: So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
So we must not allow God’s gospel message to be impacted by today’s cancel culture. The great commission (Matthew 28:19) has not been rescinded. We are the remnant that has been chosen by grace. We are not to back down to atheistic ideas, systems and teachings in our churches, in our schools, or anyplace else where we have influence. We must pray and stay in the culture fight and take advantage of the divine power available to us. For the battle is the Lord’s.
Amen.
J.D. Mitchell
