There’s a common, possibly overused adage we hear a lot today. “The devil’s not even hiding it anymore.” Obviously this is in reference to evil, ungodly behaviors and attitudes we find more and more prevalent in our modern culture. Part of this being seen more clearly has to do with the abundance of media and social media platforms we have at our disposal. So within minutes to seconds, we have videos, comments, and tweets about what just happened. The Grammy’s just took place and everyone has chimed in with their opinions of how it went. “It was pure evil. I can’t believe they allowed this on tv.” “Well, it’s pretty obvious now. Satan’s not even trying to hide it anymore.” “C’mon people. There has always been evil out there. Are you really surprised?” “This isn’t evil. It’s just the Music Industry and Hollywood doing what they do. They’re just trying to get attention and stay relevant.”
I heard all of those statements and more. And it was from believers and unbelievers. In watching a recap of one of the songs called Unholy, you undoubtedly know they were trying to be provocative, edgy, and mock Christianity. Romans 1:18-32 comes to mind as you think about this particular display for our entertainment. Verse 24 speaks of how “God gave them over to the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.” One of the ways that they are presently degrading their bodies (it’s obviously sexual sins in general) is by sex changes. The push for normalizing gender confusion, gender identity, and gender fluidity, is influencing many to do harmful and irreversible damage to their bodies in the name of sexual freedom.
In fact, Kim Petras, whose song “Unholy”, caused her to win a Grammy. She made mention of the fact of how she is the first openly Transwoman to win the award. At the age of 16, she was allowed to undergo gender affirming surgery to become a woman. She won the award with Sam Smith, who has been on a journey themselves (identifies as they/them). Side note: sometimes I think we’re living in an episode of The Twilight Zone. He came out as homosexual a few years ago and has since claimed to be non-binary (some associate with a third gender, some with both genders, others no gender, and still others fluctuate back and forth).
With the entertainment industry, the recent Grammy’s, Half-time shows, movies, and much of our world now, we begin to see verse 30 on display before our eyes. “They invent ways of doing evil.” Not only that, but going a little further, verse 32 says, “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” It is sad times.
But enough of the calling out what we see in parts of our world. And to many who may be reading this and say, “This is all you guys, the church do. You just point fingers, call everyone unholy, and shame people. No love.” That’s not my purpose in highlighting this. For some, I just want you to recognize what is happening. To others, I want you to wake up and see the need for the church to step up and be bold, courageous, and share the truth. For everyone, I want you to see the need for love, which means we be the light by going to the darkest corners of the world and speak the truth in Jesus.
My simple thoughts about what is happening in our world and what the response of the Christian is twofold: the church must live consistent, biblical lives devoted to loving God and others. And secondly, our approach to the unbelieving world (of which loving others is included) is the share the gospel. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 says the church judges each other and we let God judge the unbelieving world. We judge each other by being accountable, involved, mentoring and teaching each other how to follow Jesus by following His word. We do this by checking our hearts and making sure we’re not hypocritical (Matt. 7:1-5).
And with the unbelieving world: we can’t hold them under the same standards as Christians hold to. They don’t believe in God, so it is irrelevant to them. So what do we do? We share the gospel. They must meet Him and come to Him, before they see the need and necessity to follow Him.
Yes, our world seems to imploding before our very eyes. That is, morally speaking. I heard one pastor say, “We’re worse than Sodom and Gomorrah.” What if we are? Billy Graham once said, “I keep looking for retirement in the Bible, but I can’t find it.” The same thing goes for the church. For all Christians. Our mission as the church on this planet is always the same. The scenery may change, but the mission doesn’t. Jesus prayed a very fitting prayer over His disciples in John 17, which I believe applies for all believers, for all times. “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”
People are in need. The world is dark, yes. But the light of Jesus, His message, His saving message of hope and salvation, can pierce, illuminate, and completely overtake any darkness there is. People are in need, yes. And the devil isn’t hiding anymore with his attack. Where is the church? It is time we shine the light in every dark crevice there is on this planet.
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