Yesterday I wrote about the problem of sexually active Christian teens. Some of the data is horrifying. Over one in five ninth graders have had four or more partners! One survey indicated 80% had been sexually active by age 19. One fourth of the girls aged 15-17 included sex in casual relationships. Being a father of two teens, such numbers are not just sobering they are terrifying.
Today we read about putting on the armor of Christ at morning prayer. "Be strong in the Lord," Paul exhorts. Strength is a major Christian virtue. I was raised in a time where much of the talk was about being gentle and loving. The more militant Christianity of the previous generation was held in disdain. This is typical, constant swings back and forth. Each age gets some things right and some things wrong. The problem of the kinder, softer Christianity I was formed in is it is ill equipped to deal with the struggles. Pleasant people expect to live in a pleasant world. Being "nice" becomes the center piece of existence.
Paul paints a different picture of life. "For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh but against...the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Wow. The sexual mores of our culture (and its materialism, shallow consumerism, secular atheism, and the large amount of indifference to God) is a reflection of those spiritual forces of evil. The single greatest social factor with the most negative impact on children is growing up in a single parent family. There is no argument about it. Church, a community of believers sharing a common faith commitment, has the potential to make a positive difference. The problem is, as Paul knew then and we know now, the Church is infiltrated by the same dark forces. The battle ground is inside as well as outside the church walls.
It is easy to forget that we are in a period of struggle. Most ancient writings are filled with conflict. Most of us, people like me, are shocked to see that there will be struggle and loss and battles. We think life is supposed to be pleasant. We think there should not be so many problems. We wonder why God doesn't do a better job of making things better.
The people in our culture are in need of Jesus. Not the consumer Jesus of modern America. Not the shallow Jesus of "come on, get saved it will only take a minute!" of so much contemporary spirituality. Rather we need the Jesus Who is Light in the Darkness. The Jesus Who says, "pick up your cross and follow Me." We need the Jesus Who will lead us into love and service, away from self centeredness and pleasure seeking. And in an increasingly hostile environment, we need Christians to get much more sturdy in faith, more joyful in hope and more sacrificial in love.
Hi Jeff! thanks for the comment! I definitely agree that our culture is in DIRE need of the TRUE Jesus, the one that loves with no bounds but takes seeking in order to follow. I would like to comment on the idea that being in a single family household has the most negative impact on children. As a product of a single family household, and one whose parent's relationship was unhealthy, I know that my family has turned to faith because of the void in our family so it was actually all for the glory of God which is the most positive impact in the universe! And since my parent's split several years ago, I have committed my life to Christ and honored his wishes that I save myself for marriage. Just another viewpoint! :)
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