Some years ago I had the privilege to tour a bank. During that tour we enjoyed a presentation on counterfeit currency. We saw many different counterfeit bills and were able to handle them. By just using a visual assessment of the bills it would be very hard to distinguish them from the real thing. However, when one actually handled the counterfeit bills, there was something that didn’t feel quite right. There was something about the paper.
Later in the presentation, the subject came up as to the best way to detect the counterfeit. We were told that the best way to discover a counterfeit was when one consistently handled the real thing; one could feel the difference when a counterfeit was slipped in. It was the paper not the printing that gave it away.
In today’s avatar world of fantasy reality, the counterfeit has become more accessible and readily received. That which is actually real and rooted in truth has become suspect and often less desirable. Biblical principles gave way to biblical suggestions which have given way to biblical ignorance and skepticism in favor of almost anything counterfeit. We have become a largely biblically ignorant culture that has embraced a counterfeit intellectual paradigm that is systematically destroying families, culture and government.
It would seem that no matter in which direction we look, “intellectual” ideology is being implemented as fact rather than time tested biblical principles. By embracing these kinds of decisions, problems are multiplied by the consequences of sin… problems that we were never meant to deal with.
If we were to go back just 50 years ago, we would find that no-fault divorce was passed. The new law was to eliminate fabricating spousal wrong doing in order to obtain a fault based divorce. Seemed intellectually reasonable at the time.
From 1950-1980 the divorce rate more than doubled so that instead of having a divorce rate of 20%, the divorce rate climbed to 50%. In 1950 only 11% of the children born to married parents witnessed divorce. In 1970 that figure was 50%. While the divorce rate is just the tip of the iceberg with relationship to the family, it is clear that making laws that encourage divorce rather than helping people stay together has forced over 1 million children to have to deal with something they were never intended to deal with. Under the guise of fixing a problem, we unwittingly create a number of others that perpetuates itself until a biblical paradigm is restored.
The same has been true of birth control. Growing up as a teen in the early 60’s there was a big push for birth control. We were told that since it was virtually impossible for teens to control themselves sexually, we needed to be “responsible”, protect ourselves from diseases and use some form of birth control. After all, the population was totally out of control and we all needed to do our part. (Of course the population growth assessment was shown to be totally incorrect).
Now that we have had 50 years to look back, how did we do with this strategy to prevent pregnancies? If we look only at one statistic it is alarming enough. In 1960, the abortion rate was .01 percent; in 1970, 4.9 percent; in 1980, 30.1%; 1990, 27.9%; in 2000, 24.4; and in 2008, 22.2. When we educated people by telling them that since they were not able to control themselves they should use birth control, the percentages of unwanted pregnancies skyrocketed. While this philosophy is still largely accepted as truth, sexually transmitted disease has skyrocketed, unwanted pregnancies have skyrocketed and we are again dealing with consequences of sin that we were never intended to deal with.
Most recently, our nation has been experiencing the financial consequences of replacing biblical principles with intellectual solutions. Worse yet, it would appear that the intellectual solutions were not only not very intellectual, but stupid and destructive.
It would seem elemental to any educated person and clear even to the uneducated, that one cannot spend more than they make… at least not for very long. Eventually, the credit is shut off and one is forced to live within their means.
Why is it that the federal government gets a pass on this? How is this thinking even a consideration? Why are we even dignifying this subject with a discussion as to whether it is a real problem? The only discussion we need to be having is how to cut spending and pay off the debt. This is something we all but our elected officials in Washington seem to understand. It would seem that there is a serious gap between that which is “intellectual” and that which is “intelligent”. For the intellectual, thoughts are prized. For the intelligent, practical workable solutions are prized. The intellectual sells the sizzle; the intelligent eat the steak.
The intellectual seems to think that when we are severely in debt, it makes sense to spend huge amounts of money. The intelligent know that when one is severely in debt one must make difficult decisions to cut back and make a workable plan to bring things back in balance.
Whether it is the examples above or genetically modified food crops, chemically infused feedstocks fed to animals, subsidies given to large corporations, more money spent to improve education etc. one constant runs through it all. In spite of all the evidence to the contrary, the counterfeit is being wholly embraced as the real thing. Is it any wonder things are not going in a positive direction?
We must return to a biblical center. We must learn accept that the biblical parameters set forth by God in his word are there for our protection. We must understand that once sin is conceived, it brings forth death… not sometimes; not most of the time; but all the time. Sin is a killer.
Just like with currency, it’s the paper not the printing that makes the difference. God says that he will write his word upon your heart. He will write the real thing deep within you and will transform you from the inside out for all to see. You are the paper that God will use to expose the counterfeit.
Start today to realign yourself with Gods word. Pray that the Lord will guide you as you move back in his direction. Be determined to learn how to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only. Surround yourself with people who, like you, are committed to growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord and are committed to honoring God in all that they do. Align yourself in a solid bible based church where people are encouraged and mentored in how to properly apply God’s word.
Finally, be that light that is set on a hill for others to see. While people may debate the word of God, a changed life is not debatable.
Let your light so shine before men that they might see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
The 5 Stone Builder 