Another World

Dear Bob,

What do you suppose that John means when he tells us, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, "Do not love the world, or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him"? Does that passage frighten you? It does me. I'm pretty sure he's not talking about the planet, you know? I mean, it's not like the really spiritual people are the ones that think, "Gee, if only we could get to Pluto, then we'd be happy." And I don't think it's the creation either. To admire a mountain range or a sunset should not damage your assurance. It's smaller than both those things, but bigger, I think, than we think.

Most of us try to salve our consciences here by imagining the most depraved things that the world has to offer. Worldly is the man who gets excited about walking down Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Or the president. He's worldly, you know, because of that Monica thing. As with all our Christian lives, we figure if we can avoid the really big sins, then we're probably doing alright. And if we don't avoid them, there's the grace of God. We treat the gospel like some safety net there to catch us, in case we do any of the bad sins, the worldly ones.

But it's bigger than that. We love the world Bob when we are comfortable in it, when we think like the world thinks, when we act like the world acts. Whether we are failing to love our wives because we're off somewhere with our secretary, or if we're just too busy with softball and work, and tinkering with the '65 Mustang, either way we love the world.

Here's a small test for you. What would you rather do, go to a ballgame with the guys from work, or share an afternoon with your neighbors in your pew? (Before you answer, try to make an assessment of the worldliness of your pew neighbors). Which would make you feel more alive, to watch Darth Maul wield a lightsaber, or to watch your children draw a picture? You see, knowing enough to know that this whole Force thing is bogus is not enough. Here's a tougher one. Which would you rather read, Sports Illustrated, or the Bible? Again, writing a nasty letter about the swimsuit issue doesn't get you off the hook.

And hooked you are. The world, that is the world that John is talking about, is under the spell of the devil. It's not some neutral benign thing out there. It's a tarbaby, and designed that way. Drinking in the world is like drinking from the ocean; it just makes you more thirsty. The difference is that the world tastes good.

And how subtle it is. Consider this. Suppose that scholars unearthed a screenplay in Geneva. Calvin, we discover, saw what was coming, and translated his Institutes into the funniest movie in history. You go and see it, and come out more Reformed than you went in, right? Maybe. But while you're learning all that good theology you are also learning this: that we exist not for God's glory, but to be entertained. See, that's the message of the media, no matter how good the stuff is that's on. That's part of the subtlety.

I'm not saying you can never again watch a movie. I am saying that having your antennae up to watch for foul language or "mature situations" isn't going to keep you safe. Reading a whizbang review by Laurence won't do it either. Go back further, and question the assumptions you don't even know are there, both yours, and those in the movie.

Neither am I saying that you should just sit and meditate. There's another world out there besides the one we're sup- posed to hate. That's the world that God said we are to exercise dominion over. We're not against culture, we're against our decadent culture. Making music, making art, growing flowers and vegetables, building chicken coops, these are good things. It may even be a good thing to take back a '65 Mustang and undo the ravages of our sinful world. (Be careful though. If you're doing it so that folks will stare as you cruise, you're on the highway back to that other world). Here's a clue as to the differences in these worlds. Ours says to build, to create. Theirs says to watch. Ours looks to God in thanks; theirs seeks to glorify man. Remember, it's not only important to understand what you're against, but also what you are for.

The Christian faith is counter-cultural. It is the work of making visible the invisible kingdom of God. It's more than witnessing to your neighbor. More than bowing for prayer in a restaurant. It is building homes, mixing chemicals, designing pill bottles and newsletters, changing diapers. It's all glorious work, because it seeks to show forth the glory of God.

Remember that we do not battle with flesh and blood. And the culture is the arena of the battle, a battle going back to the Garden. And those nice men and women in Hollywood, they are the enemy, the enemy who we are to love, and whose works we are to hate. And I pray that as you begin to build God's culture you'll find that the world has lost its appeal. It's nothing but a Potemkin village constructed of wood, hay and stubble, and destined for the fire that never dies.

Remember also that the devil's book is much like our own. He's read ours after all. And you can be assured that he too asks his minions to labor to take every though captive, but in obedience to him. His army never rests, so stay on your guard, and rest in Christ our King. For He who is in us has already defeated he who is in the world.