The Paralysis of Pessimism

Does it matter if we live fearfully or hopefully? Very much so, as Gary points out in this important talk from several years ago.

In applying all the Bible to all of life, those “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1) must have a “new heart” and a “new spirit” so they can rightly understand God’s Word and the world He created for our use (1 Cor. 1:18–25). The “heart of stone” must be removed and replaced with a “heart of flesh,” that is, a heart and mind open to God speaking through His Word. This is God’s work. God’s Spirit must be in us before we can “walk in” His “statutes.” The result will be that we “will be careful to observe” His “ordinances” (Ezek. 36:26–27). The New Testament summarizes it this way: “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17). All of this requires a belief in the sovereign work of God. Only God can make dead men live (John 11:25–26).

In a similar way, only God can bring a dead culture back to life. Cultural “resurrections” are made possible when people are “resurrected” (Eph. 2:6) and then apply their new faith to all of life. “New creatures” (2 Cor. 5:17) mean new societies. Noted scholar and author Rousas J. Rushdoony summarizes it this way:

The key to remedying the [modern] situation is not revolution, nor any kind of resistance that works to subvert law and order. The New Testament abounds in warnings against disobedience and in summons to peace. The key is regeneration, propagation of the gospel, and the conversion of men and nations to God’s law-word.
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Clearly, there is no hope for man except in regeneration.

Politics, a conservative economic policy, and other social-oriented agendas are not in and of themselves the answer to man’s sinful condition. Because we are sinners, we cannot make proper evaluations of how we ought to live in the world until we have a new heart that guides a new mind. But once this happens, God’s Word in all its fullness begins to make sense. We learn to love God’s law (Psalm 119:47, 97, 113, 127, 159), because it is “a lamp to [our] feet, and a light to [our] path” (119:105; Prov. 6:23) so that we can shine it on a world that shows the effects of sin.

Myths, Lies, and Half-Truths

Myths, Lies, and Half-Truths takes a closer look at God’s Word and applies it to erroneous misinterpretations of the Bible that have resulted in a virtual shut-down of the church’s full-orbed mission in the world (Acts 20:27). Due to these mistaken interpretations and applications of popular Bible texts to contemporary issues, the Christian faith is being thrown out and trampled under foot by men (Matt. 5:13).

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Christianity is a future-oriented worldview. Who inherits what we leave behind? How does our view of the future affect our attitude towards the future? God is the Author of the past, the present, and the future. He owns everything, including time. Does it matter if we live fearfully or hopefully? Very much so, as Gary points out in this important talk from several years ago.

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American Vision’s mission is to Restore America to its Biblical Foundation—from Genesis to Revelation. American Vision (AV) has been at the heart of worldview study since 1978, providing resources to exhort Christian families and individuals to live by a Biblically based worldview. Visit www.AmericanVision.org for more information, content and resources