I attended a conference in the Canary Islands this month with Christian leaders from Argentina, Ecuador, Italy, India, France, Spain, England, Africa, and the United States. It was refreshing to be with these men who oversee church networks and congregations with thousands of people around the world. Most of them spoke two or three languages, which left me feeling a little inadequate.
As refreshing as the fellowship with these leaders was, there was a theme at the conference I didn’t agree with. A couple of the speakers believe the culture of the world is getting darker and the darkness is destined to increase until Jesus returns to deliver the world.
I realize many societies have loosened their moral standards. There is an increase of pornography and drug use around the world. TV and movies show more sex and violence, and use far more cursing than ever. However, the loosening of moral standards in the media, or culture does not tell the whole story about the influence of God’s Kingdom in the world.
Let’s go back 200 years in America to determine how our society has changed. If you were a black man in America, you would probably have been a slave. If you were from Asia, the Middle East, or a native tribe, you would be subject to major discrimination. If you were a woman, you would have no voting rights and have little access to education or a good job. If you were a child, you would have limited access to education and might be forced to work in dreadful conditions.
No matter how rich you were, your healthcare options were worse than the poorest people in America today. The justice system was substandard for the poor. The prisons were dungeons compared to today. Higher education was limited to the rich. Healthful food, sanitation, and warm houses were not available to most people year-round.
What does this progress have to do with the gospel? Because of Jesus, most people in our society believe there should be food, clothes, medicine, and education available to everyone. Because of Jesus, many people have devoted themselves to improving medicine, education, and justice for all. Jesus teaches us to love our neighbor as ourselves.
He set the standard for righteousness in our lives. The light he has brought to his disciples over the generations has permeated our culture like leaven.
Even those who don’t follow Christ often aspire to do unto others as they would have others do to them. Jesus has motivated His disciples to love and serve others. The sacrificial service of believers has set standards of righteousness which are lauded and emulated by people in every nation.
Isaiah 9:7 says, “Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end.” The government of God on the earth has been increasing from the time of Christ and it will continue to increase until His return. It is a mistake to assume that the freedom to indulge in pornography, immorality, or abortion means there is a decrease in Christ’s influence in a society.
The followers of Christ are the salt and light of the earth. Though attendance has decreased in some denominations, the church is growing worldwide. We may disagree on taxation, gun control, and immigration, but we want freedom and justice for all. Nations are in competition with each other, and tribalism, racism, and the love of money cause many evils. However, food, medicine, justice, education, and access to the gospel have increased exponentially over the last two hundred years.
The increased well-being of the world’s population corresponds to the way the gospel has permeated our cultures. We have a long way to go and many battles to fight, but Jesus will sit at the right hand of God until all His enemies are put under His feet (Psalm 110:1, Matt. 22:44, Acts 2:34).