Increasingly of late I’m noticing expressions of exasperation from fellow Christians with regards corrupt and perverted ideologies and practices eating away like cancers in Western Society. “Don’t these people get it?” That’s the cry from among some. Answer: No, they don’t “get it.” If they “got it” it would not be happening. As Christians, we must come to terms with the Scriptures and what they tell us about such people; they are dead men (people) walking! We were the same once and should never forget it. And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins Ephesians 2:1.
The Ten Commandments reveal the natural pattern of what’s being said here. Exodus 20:1-5; Deuteronomy 5:6-9. The first four Commandments teach our obligations to God, the last six teach our obligations to our fellow man. As sure as night follows day, when the former get rejected, so too will the latter; it’s only a matter of time. People believe they can push God out or keep Him at a distance and life will continue on for them as normal. Well, it does continue “as normal,” but only when God has a multitude of believers practicing their obligations to Him. Such believers, whether they know it or not, protect the unbelievers from the corrupt and perverted, whether they know it or not!
In other words, the more believers God has, greater are the restraints of the Holy Spirit upon the unbelievers. But now the believers are dying off and rarely being replaced. For anyone wondering why there has been a steady decline of godly standards and practices over the past 60 or more years, that’s the answer. Don’t be fooled by what you hear in many places called churches either; most of them are “me-centered” not Christ -centered. “Me-centered” Christians are useless to God but extremely useful to the corrupt and perverted; they are being moulded and shaped, twisted and turned every which way by them and are soundly asleep to the fact, spiritually speaking. No, they are not dead men walking, but they are dull men (people) sleeping!
True, it would appear not all dead men walking hold corrupt and perverted ideologies and practice them, but once again we must come to terms with the Scriptures and embrace what Jesus says about it, forgetting not, we were the same until He made us alive. For from within, out of the heart of men (people), proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man (person) Mark 7:20-23. There it is; it’s not so much what they do, it is what they are that is the grandest problem – both for God and for society! Society has no solution though; only God has that!
The above Scripture explains the reason why dead men walking don’t “get it” and the following Scripture further explains the reason why they cannot “get it” unless there is willingness for personal change. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned 1 Corinthians 2:14. The late Derek Prince said God has nothing to say to the senses, reasonings and imaginations of the natural man. It was the non-spiritual person he was referring to and to my mind, from 30-plus years of experiences with them this is what causes so many to flare up with white-hot rage. “Who do you think you are, you arrogant, self-righteous **!!**!!”
In some ways though, I would rather that response than the indifferent response. It shows that the Spirit of God has touched a nerve; He’s put His finger on something they may be willing to address at a later stage when left alone with their thoughts or when circumstances change. The indifferent response, not often so. I think of a friend, when asked by others what he thought of my stand for Christ, with blank expression said, “I think it’s a load of **!!**!!” Years later cancer entered his body and killed him. As far I can gather he died clinging to the same belief. Another man, although his response was not with white-hot rage, it was with insult. Cancer entered his body too a few months later, but he called for me and asked how he could put himself right with Christ.
Jesus said of Himself, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life John 8:12. Here we see both the problem and solution for dead men walking, both young and old. First, the problem: darkness; spiritual darkness to be more precise. Each one of us was born spiritually dead; this is our inheritance, handed all the way down from the first man and woman. Originally they were created with spiritual life and physical life, but their disobedience to Him changed that situation. They were warned, you shall surely die, if they failed to heed God’s command, and they did die that day spiritually. They were spiritually cut from God and banished from His presence Genesis 2:15-3:24.
From Genesis 4:1 onward, we see the results of this sin inheritance: corrupt and perverted ideologies and practices eating away like cancers in all societies! Just like today however, the people believed they could operate their lives successfully without the wisdom and guidance of God, unwilling to admit they were stumbling around in darkness. Second, the solution: the light of life. Jesus is the giver of it but for people to be recipients they must make the commitment to follow Him; that means a life of faith, trust and obedience from there on. Most people shy away from such a thought because they think it means a life of slavery. Not so; life is slavery without the Lord. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed John 8:36.
Free – ‘unrestrained’ ‘to go at pleasure’ ‘not a slave’ ‘exempt from obligation or liability.’ Does that mean I am free to do whatever I want to and, “to hell with you, Jack.”? No, that’s not freedom, that’s slavery. It means I am free to become what God purposed me to become. And most certainly it means I am free to cut myself loose from any and all corrupt and perverted ideologies and practices eating away like cancers in Western Society. It means I am free from the pressures, opinions, expectations and criticisms of dead men walking, both in the church and out of it. Equally though, it means I am free to speak of Jesus Christ, the light of life, to anyone who will admit they are spiritually dead, stumbling around in darkness.
Speaking of dead men walking in the church, especially leaders among them; enemies are these of spiritual freedom and liberty. How come? They preach a “Jesus” of social justice and things more aligned with Communist/Marxist ideology, not the Jesus of biblical justice and how to avoid it so as to receive God’s mercy, forgiveness and power in its place. They preach a “Jesus” who fills you with guilt if you don’t adhere to their message, never the Jesus who wants to all to know they can be released from their guilt. There can be only one reason why they do that, however, they are riddled with guilt also. That’s the price one pays when they dare treat the biblical gospel of salvation like some piece of cheap merchandise.
More about these enemies of spiritual freedom and liberty: But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction 2 Peter 2:1. (Underline mine) There are more of these people masquerading in churches throughout Western society today than there are the real deal. Talk about dead men walking! Twice dead, said Jesus’ half-brother, Jude, of them Jude 12. Popular people they are though in the unbelieving world. The media falls at their feet as do leading politicians, do-gooders and other so-called movers and shakers. Their level of popularity is a key indicator they’re not the real deal.
There is only one way for Christians to overcome exasperation regarding corrupt and perverted ideologies and practices eating away like cancers in Western Society. Come to terms with the Scriptures; none of this is a surprise to God. Life is what He always had in mind for all, but freedom of choice He also had in mind. That’s what He gave the first two people, that’s what He gives today. No freedom of choice would make God a dictator. True, freedom of choice is all we have, we’re not free to determine the outcome of our choices, they’re already locked in. That’s why people who are ignorant of or reject the right choice become dead men walking. Much to pray for! And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life 1 John 5:11-12.