Overcoming Vain Philosophies

By:  Dale Weckbacher

This Saturday’s post is the second segment of the six-week series on empowered evangelism.  The studies are based upon the Book Empowered Evangelism, which is available on my book page at https://sites.google.com/site/dalesrbooks/

Colossians 2:8

8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

NKJV

One of the surprisingly successful Christian movies to come out in the last few years was the movie “God’s not Dead.”  With total worldwide box office of $63,777,092 domestic DVD and Blu-ray sales of $24,615,874 (1)  there is no questioning the movie’s success for it only cost an estimated $4 million in production and promotional cost.  (2)  In a time of massive production budgets and box office flops like the anti-God movie Noah, the fact that a movie defending the Christian faith is so successful demonstrates that Christian values are quite alive in our world. 

The movie also illustrates the dominance of secular philosophies that can mold young impressionable minds against any belief in God.  When we encounter someone educated, or should I say indoctrinated in these empty deceitful philosophies, we encounter a brick wall that may seem impenetrable.  However all things are possible with God.  To break down this seemingly impenetrable wall we must.

1)      Study to show ourselves approved – John 8:32 reminds us that the truth shall set us free.  Besides guarding the President, the Secret Service of the United States also has the duty to arrest counterfeiters.  On its website, the secret service helps people learn about U.S. Currency.  The idea is that if people know the truth about what valid currency looks like, they will be better equipped to detect counterfeit money.  (3)  The Bible is the standard for understanding God.  Just as people are better equipped to detect fake money by familiarizing themselves with real money, we will be better equipped to detect false philosophies through deeper study of the Word of God.  This is especially true for those of us endeavoring to begin sharing our Christian faith with others.

2)      Learn about these philosophies so we can point out their weaknesses – The foundation for much of the philosophies now permeating our education system and society has its roots in secular humanism.  Humanism is an atheistic worldview that believes man is a part of nature and has evolved through time as he becomes more educated.  (4)  It is easy to see why the secular education system would lean towards this worldview since it places a high value on education while demeaning religion.  However, humanism has been unable to provide answers to tough questions and has evolved itself into modernism, which believes all man needs is logic and science to find answers with no need for God.  However, once again logic has failed to provide answers to tough questions, such as why terrorists believe killing themselves while taking out thousands of innocent people on 9/11 is somehow beneficial.  We have therefore seen modernism evolve into post-modernism or the belief that there are no absolutes so whatever one believes is the answer is the answer.  (5)  Whereas the Bible has remained constant throughout the years, secular philosophies continue to change due to their inability to provide answers to tough questions, the failures of these philosophies are obvious.  As believers we must live lives of faith and peace in these troubled times demonstrating the stability of our faith in God.  This is what the student did in the movie “God’s not Dead” and it had a tremendous influence on his professor and fellow students. 

3)      Do not fear confronting those indoctrinated in these philosophies – Like the student in the movie, we too must be confident in our faith and not allow ourselves to be intimidated by vain empty philosophies (Colossians 2:8).  This sticking to our faith may result in rejection by some of our peers or, as was the case in the movie, risk of failing a class or even being unable to pursue ones academic dream but we have a loftier mission as believers, the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Tomorrow is Easter or as we like to call it at our church, Resurrection Sunday.  It is the Super Bowl Sunday of Christianity for without the victorious resurrection, and later ascension of our Lord, Christianity would worship a Messiah left in a tomb in Jerusalem.  However, the tomb is empty for the Jesus is risen.  As we attend church services tomorrow, many who do not normally attend church and who may not have a personal relationship with Christ will be in attendance. 

Join me in inviting those we know who may not know Christ to church, especially if they have questions and are unable to find answers using the vain philosophies into which they have been educated and indoctrinated.  We should also pray today and tomorrow for the Holy Spirit to begin working on their hearts to soften them and make them receptive to the message of salvation they will hear in church. 

Next Saturday we will look at how to prepare for the Spiritual battle for the souls of lost men and women. 

1. The Numbers. God's not Dead. www.the-numbers.com. [Online] the Numbers. [Cited: March 29, 2015.] http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Gods-Not-Dead#tab=more.

2. Nolte, John. Box Office: Anti-God 'Noah' Dives, 'God's Not Dead' Soars. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, April 12, 2014. [Cited: March 29, 2015.] http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2014/04/12/box-office-noah-dead-gods-not-dead-isnt/.

3. United States Secret Service. Know Your Money. www.secretservice.gov. [Online] United States Secret Service. [Cited: March 29, 2015.] http://www.secretservice.gov/know_your_money.shtml.

4. Creationist.org. Public schools targeted for promotion of Humanism. creationist.org. [Online] [Cited: August 31, 2013.] http://creationists.org/atheists.html.

5. PhD., Louis Hoffman. Premodernism, Modernism, & Postmodernism:. www.postmodernpsychology.com. [Online] [Cited: September 7, 2013.] http://www.postmodernpsychology.com/Philosophical_Systems/Overview.htm.