In the previous article, we began to consider how Christians should navigate our polarised culture, especially online. We learnt that the New Testament book of Hebrews, in speaking to people facing similar challenges, encourages us to focus on three practical principles: the necessity of staying close to the Lord (faith); the hope that Christ alone can give (hope); and the good that we can do (love). Having dealt with the matter of faith in the first article, we come now to think about hope and love in the latter two points.
Focus on the Hope that Christ Alone can Give
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).
Again, to paraphrase: don’t stop trusting Christ. Focus on the hope that He alone can give, “for He who promised is faithful”.
It seems that the question of who we trust lies at the root of our Marmite world. It has not been helped by the fact that professions that once were implicitly trusted have proved themselves untrustworthy, whether politician, scientist, or journalist. This should be no surprise to the Christian, for Scripture tells us that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
It should, however, guide how we think about the voices in the world around us. Especially those who seem, by many, to be bringing to light scandals or truths that would otherwise remain hidden or unsaid. I am thinking of voices like Tommy Robinson, Jordan Peterson, Andrew Tate, Joe Rogan, Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, etc. All vastly different people, with different characters and content, motivations and messages. Yet they all have one thing in common – the ability to amass a following from those who feel let down, left behind or lied to.
As people of truth, who hold truth dear, Christians above all others should feel scandalised when those in authority try to pull the wool over the eyes of those they lead, but our next step must be to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering” – meaning that we trust Christ – rather than jettisoning our faith by turning to and following mere men. All these men, and more, may speak truth in measure. They may have some answers, but they, too, have hearts that are “deceitful” and “wicked”, and will ultimately be found wanting in some manner.
The only One who will not let us down, lie to us or leave us behind is the Lord Jesus Christ, who “is faithful that promised” (KJV) – and His promise is eternal. Remember, we live not for this world, nor should we seek its fame, pleasures, riches, etc. Rather, we ought to be looking “for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10), to “lay up for [ourselves] treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20).
We finally return to where we started – how Christians should navigate this Marmite world, the word “how” signifying the character that should be displayed in all our communications. This is the third consequence to the conclusion that Christ is our reality.
Focus on the Good that we Can Do
“Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24).
Some have said that Christians can be “too heavenly minded to be of any earthly use”, but this is a patently false narrative. While the first two points drew us into the heavenlies to consider Christ and the eternal, we are not left there as pious hermits. We are at this point brought back into our earthly experience, not with a bump, but with the fragrance of heaven to beautify our surroundings.
We may not be able to change much about the big problems of our society, but we can start small – not by posting about the problems, campaigning on the issues, or idolising men, but with a focus on our Saviour. We must manifest to those around us something of His love. Engage, not with the problems, but with people, and as we show them love through good works, we will set before them practically the answer to this world’s problems: Christ Jesus our Lord.
Without Christ, the divisions of our society will only grow more entrenched around the Marmite figures of man’s answers. Christ alone unites all, “having made peace through the blood of His Cross” (Colossians 1:20), and will one day have “all things [put] under His feet” when He wears the Crown (1 Corinthians 15:27).
Do you believe this, Christian? Do you look for it? Then live for it “so much the more as you see the Day approaching”.
