The disconnect between what we say we believe, what we want to believe, and what we really do believe, is sometimes stunning. We say we believe that God is in charge and that he can do anything, and yet when we see it actually take place the initial response in many situations is, madness. (Take a moment and read Acts 12 and the response of the disciples when something they are praying for actually takes place.)
We believe in the power of the word. We talk about the word being a powerful twoedged sword. We talk about the word being with God in the beginning and in fact the word is God. Because of the power of the word we believe words mean things.
Sadly, those who are foundationally settled on the power of the word can also believe that we can manipulate the word or play games with the word and by doing so we can change and manipulate people and their perceptions of reality. What is politics but the use of words to create a worldview that you can manipulate?
The Germans had a wonderful word – Weltanschauungskrieg. It meant warfare fought over the way we view the world. We see it happening today when we see politicians who have diametrically opposed views on everything. Something either is or it isn’t, is true or false, right or wrong. Weltanschauungskrieg is more sophisticated than merely gainsaying an opponent. It was meant to literally change a view of reality.
Item – This morning there is an article in the papers about a new island that appeared off the coast of North Carolina literally over night. People are told not to try and swim to the island because the current is strong and “the water deep”. No mention in the article as to how this could happen if the ocean levels are rising to the point as Al Gore claimed, that fish are swimming in the streets of Miami Beach.
Item – We are told that there are radical Islamists in Europe, but that it is virtually impossible for ISIS fighters to come into Europe or the US for that matter. We are also told that former ISIS fighters are complaining about the fact that when they come back to Europe they can’t find jobs. Which is it?
Item – When one politician was under investigation we were told that there was no evidence of wrongdoing so the investigation was considered closed. In the case of that politicians opponent being investigated and finding no evidence we are told that is precisely why we have to investigate further.
Item – An article on my computer complains that the health care bill is bad because it is being done in secret and no one knows what is in it. The next article on line is the fury that congressman are running into when they come home and have town halls because people are furious over what is in the healthcare bill.
From TV to radio and movies, books and news papers, we are constantly in the vortex of a world view warfare. Some Christian groups have turned the word order around and speak of a warfare worldview meaning that we must look at everything in life in terms of the struggle against principalities and powers and rulers of this present darkness.
The gospel has never been anything else than a message conveyed by words. It can never be anything beyond this. That it is a message is the greatest thing that can be said about the gospel. Preachers are called to preach this message. They have no other call them to preach and teach and minister this message. Pastors are to preach this message. They have not been asked to apologize for it, to argue about it, to reason it out, or to prove it. They are to bring it to man, intact. They are to declare that it comes from God. They are to preach it as eternally true. They are to bring it to men, because God has decided to use men to tell this message to other men, man to man, one at a time. It is meant to change their world view and their hearts.
[1] Trumpets of God Augsburg Minneapolis 1945
