Being “woke” is an interesting new
expression used in current popular culture to denote a state of “sudden
understanding of what’s really going on and finding out you were wrong about
much of what you understood to be truth” (urbandictionary.com). I’ve heard the
term used in a few different contexts and decided that I needed to explore it a
bit. The first time I heard it was in reference to the idea of “gender
fluidity”. The second time my cousin was quite irate about a relative of hers
adopting the mantra of a racial group who’s experience she didn’t fully share.
The next tangible experience I had with this term was in a church’s youth
program poster. I believe this is the one that sent me over the edge I had to
address this. As always let’s go to Scripture.
Firstly there are two forces in this world:
good and evil (Genesis 2:17; 3:5). Good encompasses all that is righteousness,
truth, light, holiness and Godly. In contrast evil is composed of all that is
unrighteousness, lies, darkness, impure, and Godless (Matthew 6:22, 23).
Because there are only two forces in this world we must be following one or the
other (Matthew 6:24). The definition of the term ‘woke’ “is a sudden
understanding of what is really going on and finding out you were wrong about much
of what you understood to be truth”; to me this is suspicious and insulting. As
someone who has spent a bit of time in school and done some teaching I know
that knowledge tends not to be gained suddenly. Insulting, because how is it
possible that a person could achieve 30 plus years of life and experiences, and
be wrong about most of it. The best teacher is experience, cause and effect –
that’s scientific inquiry at its most basic. That said, what is this new
outlook that is being gained? How much of the foundation of lives is being
dismantled? What is the foundation being replaced with? And in light of the
controlling forces being good or evil which direction is this state of being
“woke” taking us?
Most of societal rules, as we know it, are
based on Judeo-Christian scripture: Honour your parents, don’t commit murder,
don’t cheat on your spouse, don’t steal, and don’t lie (Exodus 20:12-16). These
are solid tenets on which society is formed and functions, however, as time
marches on certain members of society become enamoured with the idea that
within ourselves we are able to perpetuate a smooth society without the use of
these guidelines, therefore, we see these principles slowly being eroded. Now,
the state and children have more rights than parents, murderers have more
rights than their victims, there is now an utter disregard for the sanctity of
marriage, laws exist that promote theft, and politicians and lawyers have made
lying an art-form. We did not just appear on this earth. There is One being responsible
for our existence and He set out basic principles by which to live and prosper
when we disregard them it is to our own demise. Our actions have real
consequences. It behoves us to investigate the final outcome of this utter
disregard for the obvious, logical facts on which we once based our lives.
This movement of being “woke” did not just
happen suddenly. It has been building for decades in modern history. This
generation is now the fruit of plans laid decades ago in the education, legal,
media and entertainment systems of this world. However, any student of history
will know what the outcome of this erosion of principle will be, as it has
occurred many times before. Every society that has disregarded these basic
principles of life has fallen, beginning with the antediluvians (Genesis 6:1-7;
7:7-24), then the community at the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), again with
the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-26), and various other
subsequent civilizations (Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome). When the principles
on which we build our existence are made to be fluid (spectral, uncertain) there
ceases to be any reliable support and that will inevitably lead to destruction.
Now, as it regards the church, we have an
added layer of responsibility because we claim to believe the whole of
scripture. When the youth of our church are turning up the volume to their
music and seeking for new ways of distracting themselves from reality and
calling themselves “woke” I become extremely concerned. As proclaimed believers
we are responsible to a known God for the remaining five commands (have no
other gods, don’t worship the work of your hands, respect His name, keep His Sabbath day holy, don’t harbour envious
thoughts). He has clear instructions in His word for how to keep these, but the
youth of our church are now of the opinion that God doesn’t care about those
“little things”, and that they can treat their minds and bodies as they wish,
as long as they claim to be Christ’s (please consider these texts: Matthew 7:21-23;
1Corinthians 10:31; 6:19-20; 3:16, 17). There is no more vicious lie than this
that has infested Christendom. As a result we seek to do the bare minimum to be
considered a Christian by societal standards, with limited consideration to
God’s actual standards.
Some claim that God doesn’t care much about
our obedience, that He wants a relationship with us. A true relationship
requires give and take but all we do is take. We want God’s blessings, not His
guidance, we want His mercy, not His justice, we want His name and for Him to
ignore our wilful disregard of His precepts, we want a Saviour not a Lord
(Isaiah 4:1). He should give all and we give nothing. This concept of a
relationship explains fully the divorce rate within the church. Scripture
informs us that God does not change and what He required in Old Testament
times, He required in New Testament times and still requires today; obedience
(Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). This is a most comforting thought, we serve a God
who is firm, and does not change; we can rely on Him to stand by His word,
always. His word is powerful and active and will fulfil what it set out to do
(Isaiah 55:11). He is the sure foundation on which we may build a life (Matthew
7:24).
I was listening to a sermon recently that referenced
this state of intoxication in the church. The preacher spoke about Noah’s
experience and Lot’s experience when they were drunk (Genesis 9:20-24; 19:30-36).
During their drunken state they were abused and taken advantage of. However,
when they woke up they became aware of what was done to them and could react. The
preacher then compared these events with the description in Revelation of the
“whore” who made all nations drink of the “wine of her fornication” (Revelation
17:1-6). These are symbols of a system that has infested Christendom, and
caused us to believe lies with no foundation is God’s sure word. The apostle
Peter admonishes us to be sober and vigilant because we have an enemy that
wants to destroy us (1Peter 5:8). Until we truly wake up and realize how far we
have drifted from scripture we will never truly know the extent of the abuse we
have suffered.
Young people of the church, I implore you, Wake Up! Stop following fads and
popular culture, pick up a Bible, sincerely pray to God for help, and read.
Read as if your life depended on it, because it does.
Time to Wake Up
The Missing Piece
Lord, I Want to Be a Chirstian
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