THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE SPIRITUALLY DEAD

“What we will not do is to adopt the stance of those who insist that human beings are no more and no less significant than any other species on planet earth”

(D.A. Carson “The Gagging of God)

One of the deep concerns I had, as a pastoral leader, when we entered the pandemic, was the affect it would have on our view of humanity. Would we come to see our fellow human beings as just a host for disease? That concern, unfortunately, has been realized in some respects. Fights have broken out in the market place simply because one person was wearing a face mask and another was not. The belief that just breathing the same air puts another’s life at risk became common place. It was subtle at first. We justified what we were doing as keeping others safe. But deep down, underneath our philosophical argument of separation for salvation, a fear may have taken root that was teaching us to be suspicious of one another, judgmental, accusatory.

My intention in this blog post is to take a look at the philosophical views of the spiritually dead. Dead men talk and as the spiritually alive in Christ, we should not listen to dead men talking.

8 Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said.  (Col. 3:8)

Climate change, global warming, and a host of other terms used over my lifetime to describe the scourge of humanity living on the planet. If we listen intently and seek to uncover what the true philosophy of the salvation of the planet looks like, we can hear dead men tell us how great the planet would be if mankind were not on it. But that is not what they really say to us. They talk about the greenhouse effect and how we need to reduce our carbon foot print. They talk about controlling population growth, they tell us that human existence is equal to or lesser than any other species on the planet. Therefore we have no right to exploit the resources of the planet to survive.

It is easy to get swept up in the causes of men, especially when their voices are all we hear. The spiritually alive in Christ are directed by God’s Word not mans. We understand our responsibility to care for the planet that belongs to God and we understand He has given us dominion here. We value the species of the planet while understanding they are under our dominion and care because God said so. We know God sent His son to die for mankind not the animal kingdom. There is a premium value set on us as the children of God. We also understand that because of sin this planet is dying and no amount of human effort can rescue it. That is no license to abuse the planet it is just the reality of consequence of sin.

2 Peter 3:10–13
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."

Revelation 21:1–5
"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.' Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' And He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.' "

Listening to the dead talk can open your heart to the philosophical views that are counter to Christian living. They can lead us to make decisions based on our fears, anxieties, carnality, lustful desires, impatience. Jesus said:

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matt. 4:4)

Our life is from Him, through Him and for Him. We are not interested in what the spiritually dead believe to be true. We know the Truth. Our hope is in Him and we trust our lives to Him alone. The Bible says:

You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer. (Job 14:5)

There is no truth or value in the philosophies of the spiritually dead. Behind them is the father of all lies. Satan bends, twists and distorts the facts and presents them as the whole truth. He is the grand master of the lie. As an ageless being he has a huge advantage. He has watched your family for generations, he understands your weaknesses better than you do. He knows what will get your attention and how to package a lie just for you.

6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” (Job 1:6,7)

Satan travels the earth times over and examines the inhabitants. He learns about us and he feeds the spiritually dead with philosophical lies that undermine the truths of scripture. The plans spiritually dead leaders take credit for have been planted in their minds by the prince of the power of the air.

In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, (Ephesians. 2:2)

To be spiritually alive is to be awakened to the Truth! Anchored in faith so that we are not moved by the voices of men. The Spiritually Alive are established in God through Christ Jesus. No weapon formed by the enemy can take us out.

17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord. (Isa. 54:17)

This article is by Pastor Alan Kirkpatrick , Lead Pastor at Grace Place Church in Round Rock Texas www.gp.church