Topic category: Other/General
Challenging Times Present Chilling Temptations
In his book Things It Took Me 50 Years to Learn, Dave Berry once noted: "When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that person is crazy." [1] History is replete with examples of false and dangerous leaders who arose during difficult times.
America is currently in such a juncture of history. The economy is in a tailspin. Terrorists are on the march. Illegal immigrants are crossing the border by the millions. Government corruption is rampant. Lawlessness fills the streets. The combination of these circumstances makes the nation ripe for a deceptive leader.
The Bible warns about the rise of false leaders during challenging times, giving telltale signs of their identity.
Jeremiah the prophet did battle against the false leaders of his day, claiming that they proclaimed peace when there was no peace. Jeremiah said, "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace." (Jeremiah 6:14)
False leaders are characterized by not dealing with the real issues. They talk about the need for unity and hope, but fail to speak about what robs people of both – sin – rebelling against God's way. As in Jeremiah's day, they talk about prosperity, self-fulfillment, pluralism and diversity. They preach to "itching ears," as the apostle Paul said (II Timothy 4:3), but they will not talk about the will of God as something absolute.
Many years ago, there was a student strike on the campus of the University of California-Berkeley that prompted Campus Crusade for Christ to send hundreds of its staff to the Berkeley area. The protesters were chanting against the Vietnam War, "Hell, no, we want go...Hell, no, we won't go..." and making the two-fingered peace sign. In contrast, the Campus Crusade workers held up their index finger only and chanted, "One way, one way, one way, one way...," meaning there is only one way to peace – God's way. [2]
Jesus expounded on this principle when in the Sermon on the Mount he said: "Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life...." (Matthew 7:13, 14)
Interestingly, these words of Christ cut deeply across much of the easy-going syncretism of many contemporary theological and political leaders. Currently, much of society prefers many choices to the struggles of life rather than one, or better still, a fusing of the many choices into some sort of conglomerate. But Christ affords no such comfortable solution when dealing with truth, insisting that ultimately there is only one choice – the way of life or the way of destruction.
In his autobiography, C.S. Lewis describes a period in his life when be began to "broaden his mind." "I was soon altering 'I believe' to 'one does feel.' And oh, the relief of it!...From the tyrannous noon of revelation I passed into the cool evening twilight of Higher Thought, where there was nothing to be obeyed, and nothing to be believed except what was either comforting or exciting." [3]
False leaders are ingenious in capitalizing on this human tendency and garnering followers in great numbers.
Such a warning, therefore, should cause the nation serious pause at the remarks of Barack Obama, who declared in his "Call to Renewal" speech:
America's great leadership of the past sought another, more precise direction. Consider the following:
Indeed, challenging times present chilling temptations. One rises now and offers to take command. He argues for a broader way with respect to religion and ethics in the public square. But what he suggests is just plain crazy!
Dr. Mark H. Creech
Christian Action League of North Carolina (Director)
Resources
[1] Things It Took Me 50 Years to Learn, Dave Berry
[2] The Sermon on the Mount, Baker Books 1972, James Montgomery Boice, p. 256
[3] Christian Counter Culture, InterVarsity Press 1978, John R.W. Stott, p. 194
[4] Call to Renewal Keynote Address, June 28, 2006, Barack Obama
Rev. Mark H. Creech, a regular contributor to OneNewsNow, is the executive director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina, Inc.
Biography - Dr. Mark H. Creech
Dr. Creech is a regular columnist for Agape Press, the national news wire of the American Family Association. His columns have also appeared on numerous other sites across the web, including: The Christian Post, MichNews.com, The Intellectual Conservative, Capitol Hill Coffee House, The North Carolina Conservative, The Conservative Voice, Worldview Weekend Network, Renew America, as well as a number of others.