2010 Prophetic Year in Review -- Living Faithfully in a Pagan and Hostile Society

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:13-16). We are one year closer to the return of Christ! With each passing year it becomes more and more evident we are living in the last days. So many things occurred in 2010 that it is difficult for me to summarize them all in one Thoughts to Ponder. It is clear to me that the United States is quickly going the way of the world. In fact, I am convinced America has crossed the line with God and our being given over to judgment is a foregone conclusion. Therefore, rather than follow my previous pattern of summarizing where I think we are in Bible prophecy I have decided to offer a few insights on living faithfully in a pagan and hostile society.

Peter begins his letter with a greeting to Christians “scattered” throughout the world. These were Christians who, like Israel of old, were scattered throughout the world. Their situation was one of suffering and trial. The sufferings and trials to which Peter refers are those that often come to Christians as they live faithfully in a pagan and hostile society. Such trials take the form of slander, riots, police action, and social ostracism. It is clear to me that America has become just such a society. The Christianity that once was part of the fabric of our nation that created some cultural props to hold us up and to give us a biblical morality and some divine standard in which to judge behavior is now gone. Moral freedom reigns as god. What was once done in secret has now emerged as outright open rebellion against the Lord God before whom we will all one day stand and give an account. This open hostility is clearly evident as the enemy seeks to marginalize those who truly belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. Consider these words uttered by a military leader concerning those who might oppose certain lifestyle choices based on religious conviction: "But these people opposing this new policy will need to get with the program, and if they can't, they need to get out. No matter how much training and education of those in opposition, you're always going to have those that oppose this on moral and religious grounds just like you still have racists today." Did you get that? He subtly tied biblical Christianity to racism. This is the kind of slander and social ostracism about which Peter wrote and we now experience. So the question is how do we live faithfully in this pagan and hostile society?

Peter offers three principles we must faithfully apply. These principles are captured with three words: (1) Prepare, (2) Keep, and (3) Fix. First of all, we are to “prepare your minds for action.” This is military imagery meaning we are to pull in all the loose ends that might otherwise hinder our walk with Christ. The image is one of gathering and fastening up a long garment so that it would not interfere with one’s activity. This gathering up would include dealing with sin, and that which is wasteful and useless. Secondly, we are directed to “keep sober in spirit.” This means to think soberly or to get your thoughts right. Will I think the way the world thinks or will I have the mind of Christ? Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 2:16 that we are to have the mind of Christ. The world says one thing but God says something altogether different. Finally, we are to “fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” In other words, everything we think, say, and do is to be thought, said, and done with a view to the return of Christ—our blessed hope—and the reward He will bring with Him for those of us who truly follow Him. Paul wrote, “We have as our ambition to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:9-10). How are we to apply these principles? Practically, we are to obey God by living a holy (separated) life: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.” We are to live faithfully in whatever pagan and hostile society we find ourselves. Regardless of what form our trials and sufferings take—slander, riots, police action, social ostracism—we are to live holy and faithful lives. As 2010 draws to a close it is clear the world is headed to an appointment with God—judgment is imminent. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:13).