When Worlds Collide
Posted: Friday, February 06, 2009
by John Waddey
firstcenturychristian
In 1933 the science fiction novel, When World's Collide by Phil Wylie and Edwin Balmer was published. Later, it was made into a successful movie. The story described the disaster that would occur should another heavenly body collide with our planet. Astronomers keep a careful watch on asteroids that move in proximity to our planet lest such a collision might actually occur.
Today, these two worlds have collided. There are those people of the earth who have surrendered their lives to Jehovah and his Son. They constitute a spiritual kingdom on earth (Matt. 4:17), but their true citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). They are governed by the benevolent Son of God. To them he is King of kings and Lord of lords (I Tim. 6:15). His written testament is the code by which they order their lives (Matt. 28:20; John 12:47). They live in the world, but they are not of the world (John 17:16-18), i.e. , they do not share the view of life that worldlings hold nor do they partake of the sinful things of the world. While those of this world tend to exhibit the works of the flesh in their lives, the children of God's kingdom reflect the fruit of the Spirit in theirs (Gal. 5:19-22). The Holy Spirit guided the sacred writers to use such metaphors as light and darkness to describe these two different worlds. Christ is the light of the world (John 8:12). His disciples "walk in the light" (I John 2:7). Citizenship in Christ's kingdom carries with it certain responsibilities. We are to devote ourselves to teaching and recruiting those of the worldly kingdom to become followers of Jesus (Matt. 28:19-20). We are to live among those of this world as the salt of the earth and light in the world (Matt. 5:13-16). The example of our godly lives is to lead men to "glorify (our) Father who is in heaven."
There are other people, far more numerous, who hold a much different view of life. They live with little nor no thought of God nor his will in their lives. The indulge themselves in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life (I John 2:15). Some of them are outspoken enemies of God and all things connected with him. Others are flagrant sinners. They indulge themselves in the vices of this world and defy God or his people to stop them. Most significant are those whom Paul calls, principalities, powers and world-rulers of this darkness who are allied with Satan and his host of wicked spirits (Eph. 6:12). These are the thought-leaders and champions of the rebellious world. They are authors who write hateful books designed to destroy faith in Jehovah, that attack His Word, His Church and His people. They are those college and university professors who delight in undermining the faith of their students and creating in them hearts of unbelief and rebellion toward God. They certainly include those philosophers of the world who bring forth a never-ending parade of world-views that are antagonistic toward that of Jehovah. There are those religious teachers and theologians who lay their sordid hands on the faith and worship of the church and corrupt it with ideas and practices of their own making. There are the men and women of literature who produce books, movies and articles to promote the ways of the world and attack the standards of Christ. Some are openly antagonistic towards Christianity, but more of them tend to disparage and ridicule Christians, to paint them as either hypocrites or as bumbling fools. There are the vicious comedians whose hateful barbs are constantly hurled against God's church and his people. There are worldly political leaders whose anti-Christian sentiments are reflected in their rulings and legislation that penalize God's people and promote that which is contrary to His wholesome code. We could not fail to mention the attack dogs of the world, the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for the Separation of Church and state who devote themselves to accusing and seeking to limit the freedoms of God's people.
For most of the first three centuries of our existence as a colony and then as a nation, faith in God and respect for his Word was the dominant view. But in the last half of the 20 th century we saw a collision of worlds. World views such as National Socialism (Nazism) and Communism reared their ugly heads and viciously attacked humanity, wreaking terrible suffering and destruction. The included Christianity among their enemies. Within our nation, leaders of this dark world unleashed a withering attack against Christianity and its teaching. Irrupting from the universities, from the movie studios of Hollywood and from television networks, there streamed a destructive flow of ideas designed to displace Christianity and its values in the hearts of the citizenry of our nation. They easily capture our public school system and for fifty years have sought to indoctrinate every child they enrolled.
The leaders of the generation that embraced the youth rebellion, the hippy movement, the free-love movement are now ensconced in our universities, media and government. Liberal Protestantism is firmly under the control of worldly leaders. In recent years most Evangelical Protestant bodies have been swept up by the forces of this world.
We cannot fail to mention the collision of Islam with Christianity. The leaders of that violent religion aspire to rule the world for their prophet and their Allah. Under their dominion Christians will convert to Islam, be enslaved or be destroyed!
The Lord's church is under fierce attack by the armies of the world. Sadly, many of her members either do not understand the serious nature of this conflict, or they have already been weakened by the attractions of this world. To survive the collision of these two worlds, we must remember the exhortation of John the Apostle, "Love not the world, neither the things of the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him....the world passeth way, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever" (I John 2:15). We must never forget that this world is not our true home. We are "sojourners and pilgrims" only temporarily living here (I Pet. 2:13). We are looking for that city "whose builder and maker is God" (Heb. 11:10). Till the Father calls us home, we must seek to live soberly, righteously and godly in this life" as we look for the appearing of the blessed hope of our Savior Jesus Christ (Tit. 2:12-13). When he comes in the clouds, the material world and all its treasures will be destroyed. But we look for the new heavens and earth wherein dwelleth righteousness (II Pet. 3:10-13).
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