Today as a nation we have an influence that is a “silent” attack on our faith and values. The attack is in the form of a “paradigm” which defines the way we view our world. It is called “negativism” and it is not going away. Negativism has crept into the media, the home, the workforce, and yes even into the church! A careful study of negativism will reveal the objective of such a mindset beginning with the definition itself. Negativism is simply, “to neutralize and make ineffective; to make inoperative by means of an opposing force.” This paradigm if not recognized will affect everything in its path including the Christian faith. Negativism will take man on a journey that leads to an end that is not where we want to end up and the journey is a progressive path that follows these built-in influences: (Negativism is a philosophy that no knowledge is secure, and that we therefore no nothing!)
- Negativism leads to Skepticism, which is defined as “an attitude of doubt, that true knowledge is uncertain therefore suspending judgment.” Skepticism will keep a person from making a decision because all of the choices seem to be negative. (Just look at politics and elections.) The Truth is always “positive” and freeing in nature but remember negative influences “neutralize” what is truth.
- Skepticism leads to Pragmatism, which is “opinions relating to “matter of fact” – or practical affairs leading to exclusion of truth.” Pragmatic thinking will simply close off any kind of faith and relate everything to what can be seen, or experienced by natural senses. In other words, if I can’t see it or touch it then it’s not real. Can you see the influence this could have on faith?
- Pragmatism will lead to Individualism, which adheres to a “doctrine that the will of an individual makes one ‘ethically paramount’ to all others.” This is better known as Ethical Independence or the phrase, “well it’s right for me.” When man begins to isolate himself from the influence of community and feels as though he must “find his own way” to survive then he is headed for a rude and crude awakening. The Christian will begin to use God as a leverage by saying things like, “God told me…” even though the action they choose is contradiction the Word itself!
- Individualism leads to Anarchism, which is “a political theory holding that any and all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary and undesirable by promoting a society based upon voluntary cooperation and free association of individual’s and ‘groups’.” The meaning is clear that this final offspring of negativism leads man to determine his existance as “I will submit to nothing outside of myself.” Man will reject even the government of God and find his faith challenged with the same thing that was found in the Judges of the old testament, which was a statement made several times by the Holy Spirit, “and every man did what was right in his own eyes.” This cause a whole nation to go astray because they began to follow a distorted path of negativism.
The end result is where this journey ends, and the story is told in generations to come which is “SELF-DESTRUCTION.” Be careful in the days ahead, stay focussed on the truth of God’s Word, and keep trusting in God’s Plan. Negativism will separate man from his faith and trust in God, and cause one to think that “he” alone has the answers to lifes problems. As Christian’s we must follow “the way, the truth, and the life” that is only found in one place… Jesus Christ! Jesus is still our great Salavation, and the Head of His Church. He still builds upon His Wisdom and understanding according to His Government which Isaiah spoke of as, “and the government shall be upon his shoulders.”
Stay the course of Colossians 3:1-4,
RB
Last Updated: November 20th, 2008 |