Left behind to me means one of two different scenarios. The definition of “left behind” most Christians will relate to is that the “Rapture of the Church” has just taken place and for some reason you’re still here.
The other definition of “left behind” relates specifically to a feeling that I am beginning to have more and more often as I age. At 57 years young I’m feeling like life is leaving me behind and I don’t feel a strong connection to the society that I’m living in. Not the way I used too when I was a youth anyway.
This later definition is the one I want to explore first because I see some very concerning aspects to this scenario. However, I think this feeling of disconnection is a normal part of aging that comes as we get older and the mantle of leadership is transferred to a new younger generation who seem to be far too comfortable with the way society is developing and how issues like new technology are changing human interaction.
One factor that makes this so is the change in the human brain that takes place as we age. In the forties and fifties reasoning skills begin to slow, memory begins to fade 1). In the sixties the brain begins to literally shrink. Moral decision making, regulating emotions and social decision making actually improve from middle age. These changes in themselves are evidenced in people becoming less flexible and more conservative as they age. Which explains why as we age we struggle to acclimate to the changes in the environment that we live in.
However as a Christian commentator I have become very concerned with the rift that has occurred in society between secular groups. New Zealand has been a largely liberal progressive society for at least forty years. Although during that time there has been noticeable change in the dominant discourse of today when compared to the New Zealand of forty years ago. Back then the dominant group was considered to be white males in their forties. Now the dominant group is best described as liberal progressive academics approaching middle age.
This change is evidenced by a change in the prevailing dialogue in today’s media. This relates mainly to political issues which are now underpinned by the liberal, feminist, LGBT, socialist and racial issues agendas. An example was a recent article on the front page of a 2) local news paper describing a situation where a Māori woman was portrayed as the victim of a racist telephone conversation. This happened she while attempting to obtain information about a car she was interested in purchasing. To me this graphically demonstrates a paradigm shift in the dominant discourse of the day. This article would not have appeared in the media forty years ago much less on the front page of a popular news paper.
I believe this is a problem because it indicates the growing gap between liberal and conservative perspectives and an increasing level of intolerance between each group. As I mentioned earlier New Zealand has been increasingly seen as a liberal progressive democracy. However traditional conservatives are small group in this country and therefore have a smaller social voice. A better example of what I am talking about is in the USA where the conservative and liberal groups are both large and of a similar size. They are increasingly intolerant of each other’s position. California 3), a strongly liberal progressive state has seriously put forward the idea of secession from the United States. It is possible under President Trump that there could arise a situation that could lead to civil war. Maybe not likely but certainly there is much more likelihood in 2018 than would have been entertained back in 1993, twenty five years ago.
Pew-forum states that there are 25.4% Evangelical Christians, 14.7% Mainline Christian and 20.8% Catholic in the United States. 4) So 60.9% of Americans fall into the Category of Christian. These are people of faith who hold to a moral perception of how life should be lived and it is fair to say that they are at odds with the liberal left. They don’t agree with abortion or accept the LGBT lifestyle and are termed bigots by those on the left. Forty years ago the generation that fought WWII held identical views to the American Evangelical Christian of today. They were the dominant discourse of that time throughout America and the West.
As I have pointed out, in America the majority of the population are people of faith and yet they have to a large extent been disenfranchised from the government of the country. It is also accurate to say that secular humanists control the majority governments in America and the countries of the West. Christians have been pushed aside. The Christian majority are said to be out of step or to use a New Age quote “millions of people can't adapt” 5) This statement means that they can’t adapt to the teaching of New Age - Liberal left. Essentially this means we are left behind or left out and are not worth listening too. I know that I increasingly feel that darkness is engulfing our world and that this world is no longer for me.
Call it the New Age or the New World Order or even the Global Elite. It might be defined as the bible terms it. The Mystery of Iniquity. But the people of darkness have insinuated themselves into every facet of society and oppose the work of God’s people at every level. They have gained control and they demonstrate that we are in the last days as described in the scriptures. The verses below describe the predicament of these times.
Second Timothy chapter 3: 1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. NIV
So as believers what can we do about this situation of being left behind or as the Priests of the New Age term it being of the millions of people who can’t adapt. Well in America they have tried with some success to get a group of people into the government to represent Christian views. Their hope is that President Trump will change society back as he has promised to do. In New Zealand we had a party called the Conservative party which was supported by many Christians but in the end human fallibility lead to the demise of that party.
Personally I think Christians need to return to the basics. Scripture says that we are not of this world, we belong to Jehovah. 1John verse 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.7) NIV
Trying to force our viewpoint on an unwilling global society is not what God wants us to do. Our job is to preach the gospel to all of mankind and to win them to Jesus Christ through faith alone.
8) Matthew chapter 28 verse 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
We may be feeling left behind but our duty is not to change the world by our own works. Rather to lead those around us to Jesus so that by being indwelt of the holy spirit that these new followers of the only begotten Son of God. Who having won eternal life and a new Godly character will, one by one, lead this world back to Christ and to sanity. That is our commission.
Part 2 :
Now as to the other kind of being left behind. I will be brief. This is the scenario. You find that the event mentioned in the bible called the Rapture has occurred and you considering yourself to be a Christian are still here on Earth.
Thessalonians Chapter 4 verse 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 9) NIV
So if you find yourself left behind. Check your faith. What do you believe? Make sure that you know and believe John Chapter 3 verse 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 10) NIV
My friend if you find yourself in the midst of the Time of Tribulation and the Rapture has taken place you have just been afforded the opportunity of a life time. You are a person of purpose and great blessings from Yahweh Elohim and his only begotten Son Yeshua. You are there to lead those who turn away from Antichrist to a knowledge of their great salvation in Yeshua.
You are definitely participating. May God bless you greatly and don’t forget to pray.
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