“When he came to his senses, he said, How many of my father s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.” (Luke 15:17-19)
In the 1865 “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll, Alice asks the Cheshire Cat, “Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?” The wily cat replies, “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.” Alice then says, “Well, as long as I get somewhere.” “Oh, you’re sure to do that,” the cat replies, “as long as you walk far enough.”
It may be obvious to most of us that there’s an inseparable relationship between the journey and the destination, but that is not recognized by all when it comes to morality. Since 1600, there have been over 6000 known “peace treaties” around the world between nations, and in every generation, there are “wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6) which threaten the stability and livelihood of men. Scientific innovations progress at a dizzying pace, taking us all along for the ride, and usually without a clear idea of where we’re going, and why.
From artificial intelligence to assisted reproduction to social media to assisted suicide, new developments in technology are transforming how we live, love, and die. Few who are leading this technology seem willing or able to explain our destination. Is the purpose efficiency? Maximizing utility and pleasure? Making the money-hungry investors richer? With technology so powerful and pervasive, it’s essential to ask, like the cat, where society should go before deciding where it will go.
Tragically, few bother to ask where medical interventions in IVG and surrogacy would go in the hands of sinful people; the slippery slope of euthanasia/assisted suicide, near-free access to pornography and digital prostitution, and unchecked algorithms from social media have already hijacked & rewired most brains to commodify the preciousness of human life. In the name of “progress”, they have removed all notions of being “created in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27). Technologies directed by sinners seek to redefine and redesign the foundation that God had established, but it will never deliver the utopia it promises.
G. K. Chesterton wrote, “The triangle of truisms, of father, mother and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.” I am not as pessimistic towards the end of all things as some are, but reformation comes at a cost! Like most addictions, the body will need a shock to its system first. One might have to remove the screen from the grip of the toddler, and be willing to deal with the tantrum to follow. These tantrums only grow more sophisticated with age.
Many, if not most, will need a “prodigal son moment”, (from Luke 15) where one must “come to his senses” through the complete loss of something previously most-valued. According to the theme of scripture, one must be humbled before one can be exalted. They will need to see that they are better with Christ Jesus, even if it means the loss of all else. If they are still rational, you will still need to “start at the beginning”. It will not be enough to say “Jesus died for you”, and have them pray the “sinner’s prayer” if they have no notion of their own sinful depravity.
We must orient them with a biblical worldview. They must know that they were created, not evolved! They must know that through their sinful rebellion, they have left their Father’s favor, and are desperately in need of a new heart. Fortunately, all that we teach here, lines up with clear evidence, as this is “Our Father’s World”. The challenge lies in the scriptural truth that “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14) The Good News is that “God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:10)
There is one more key piece of vital information that we need, in the words of Jesus Himself: “This kind can come out only by prayer.” (Mark 9:29). God, in His magnificent wisdom, has chosen to work great things in this world, bringing the darkness to light, and for some reason it needs to happen through His people, the Church! “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” (John 15:16) The fact that God does it this way is both humbling and inspiring, but we must live by it! Meanwhile, don’t think that we can do any of this for Him apart from abiding IN Him (“remaining in the vine”). We are entrusted with Minas/Talents to be used wisely until He comes to finish the work and make all things right. May we be good stewards with this treasure!