Decoupling from the Culture

June 14, 2024

Can you imagine living in a world described in this way: “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6 NASB95) This was the condition of mankind just before the flood.  Mankind’s wickedness was great.  Every plan and intention of man was sinful.  Every thought in their heart was evil continually.  It had gotten so bad that God was grieved over it.  And God said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:7 NASB95)

And yet, in all of this darkness, there was one bright spot shining like a beacon.  “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:8 NASB95) The whole world had turned against God, but Noah walked with God.  The whole world had allowed themselves to sink into depravity, but Noah kept God’s commands.  The world had closed their hearts to the teaching about God, but Noah was a preacher of righteousness. (2 Peter 2:5) “… Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.” (Genesis 6:9b NASB95)

It seems that our world today is becoming increasingly immoral, corrupt and violent.  There is a sickness that pervades our world that is caused by sin.  Things may have not yet degenerated to where they were in Noah’s day, but it would do us well to learn from the life of Noah and imitate his faith.  Noah had to make a decision to decouple himself and his family from the debauched world he lived in.  Do you need to do the same?  This decoupling will not happen on its own.  The corrupt current of our culture will suck in anyone who does not actively paddle against it.  This corrupt current will overwhelm you and your children unless you do something about it. 

We need to resolve to walk with God!  We need to resolve in our hearts and minds that no matter what everyone else is doing, we will follow Him!  Even if everyone else is fixated on evil, we need to resolve to fix our hearts on what is good.  While everyone else fills their minds with wickedness, resolve that you and your house will fill your minds with the things of God.

I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I know one thing:  I want to find favor in the eyes of the Lord!  I want to walk with God!  Let’s renew our resolve to do just that.    

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

Sold for a Song

September 14, 2012

I read the following quote in a book on technology.

Twentieth-century pop music transformed sexual attitudes on a global basis. Trying to summarize the power of music leaves you breathless.

The author wasn’t trying to argue the case in the sense of marshaling a series of facts as proof. He assumed the reader would agree. The author also did not appear to be a Christian, and he did not necessarily view the change in sexual attitudes as a bad thing. It is for him simply a matter of this is the way it is.

I’m a little leery of one factor analysis. I suspect that we could broaden the quote to include the influence of our entertainment culture adding movies and television. But that a change has occurred is without doubt.

  • The percent of births to unmarried women in 1940 was 3.8%, but it was 41.0% in 2009.
  • More than 2/3 of married couples today say they lived together prior to marriage; the number of couples living together increased 10 times from 1960 to 2000.
  • The divorce rate for first time marriages is between 40 and 50% twice what it was in 1960.

This has all happened during a time when the majority of Americans would identify themselves as Christian. That percentage in 1948 was 91%, and according to Gallop, the percentage is 78% as of 2011. Weekly church attendance, however, is only around 43%. Of course, we can’t help but notice a downward trend.

What happened? The merchants of music and entertainment did not hold the same values as the rest of our culture. They did not share the same moral agenda, and they used their position to influence the culture. The consumers of this culture did so uncritically. It is possible to like a tune, a harmony or great bass guitar riff without agreeing with the lyrics of song. But this takes thought. We could have voted economically with our dollars spent on things that upheld our values rather than undermined them.

We must awaken to the reality of the past few decades and think Christianly about our consumer society. We have a message of good news to share. Regrettably, Christian values were sold for a song.

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Posted by Russell Holden