An old adage contains a lot of wisdom--"He who stands for nothing will fall for anything."
In many ways people in our society are proving the point.
It is said that interest in spirituality is at an all time high in America. Yet interest in the Church is at an all time low. The interest of Americans in spirituality is not being channeled into traditional forms of religious expression but in a myriad of 'new age' concepts, Eastern religions, cults, and a combination or hodge podge of different beliefs put together into an individualized system.
Some of this is not necessarily bad. There are certain spiritual concepts that are true across the board in a variety of faith groups. And it is certainly true that when viewed from an allegorical point of view, the concepts of the Christian gospel are applicable across the board within the belief system of a variety of faith groups, including those based on 'new age' teaching.
But there is also a pitfall inherent in this scenario. Without a foundation, without a solid platform or template based upon certain undeniable, timeless truths, then the venture into a nebulous, generalized 'spirituality' is doomed to failure.
People have always had doubts about the truth or validity of their faith tenets. They did so in Jesus' day. On one occasion John the Baptist sent a envoy to Jesus to ask, "Are you the Chosen One, the Messiah. or shall we look for another?"
John asked this question even after he had baptized Jesus and referred to Him as "the One who sandals I am not worthy to tie," and "the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world."
On another occasion Jesus put a direct question to His disciples when many who had begun to follow Him turned and walked away, "Will you also go away?"
Peter then answered Jesus by saying, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." (John 6: 66-69).
Dr. George W. Crane, famous psychiatrist and writer from the 20th century, once stated that we can ascertain truth by looking at history--whatever has been proved to be true for the most people for the longest period of time is a safe bet when it comes to truth.
The principles of the Judeo-Christian worldview have withstood the test of time. Going back into ancient epochs of history, the Hebrews, ancestors to modern Jews, discovered truths that when put to the test have proved themselves time and again. It is out of this worldview that Christianity developed.
A point to ponder--Christian truths have their basis in concepts that have been proved going all the way back into antiquity, at least 4000 years ago. I would think it more prudent and logical to trust the veracity of those truths than to base one's life recklessly on concepts that are so new as to be untested, untried, and therefore unworthy of our confidence.
Peter had it right when Jesus asked him, "Will you also walk away?"
Where else shall we go?
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