difficulties of 2020 in order to make political commentary. Instead, I think it valuable to consider the events of 2020 in light of what we see unfolding in the world around us. Whether it is global pandemics or race relations, Supreme Court vacancies or presidential elections, hurricanes or wildfires, or even the fact that Taco Bell had the wanton audacity to remove the Mexican Pizza from its menu, the world has all sorts of problems. And when it comes to its problems, the world is so very quick to offer all sorts of solutions (even for problems that aren’t really problems at all, which I’ll leave you to figure out). Perhaps you know this already, but if not, al- low me to tell you…the world isn’t so great at fixing its own problems. As a matter of fact, most of the time the world either creates problems where there are none or makes mat- ters worse. Why is this the case? Despite the
world’s current mantra du jour of “We’re all in this together!”, and the world’s insistence that all people should coexist in tolerance and love for one another, how should I say this? In the spirit of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, isn’t it clear that the emperor has no clothes? Think about it. As you consider 2020 and watch current events un- fold, does the world look united to you? Are people coexisting with one another? Are people really lov- ing one another? In popular culture it seems that conformity is the real goal, not coex- istence. We are told to consume and not question. Instead of peace and love, the world’s real philosophy is centered on lust and selfishness. No problems can be fixed when the world’s focus is self-gratification. No wrongs can be righted when people can’t even agree on what is good and true. In a time when
November/December 2020
people rejoice over that which should make them weep, and when people label real love and devotion as hateful intolerance, how can anything that is broken be fixed? In light of the world’s great hypocrisy and devastating actions, Psalm 14:1 comes to mind—“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
Foolish But should we be surprised at the world’s foolishness? Fools do foolish
things, after all. In light of all of the ways the Bible describes humanity in its natural state, that people have eyes that cannot see and ears that will not hear, and so on, is the chaos unfolding every day really that much of a surprise? No. We should not be surprised when the world acts worldly and moves toward its own destruction, all the while promoting its own twisted wisdom. In fact, instead of being surprised by the world’s darkness, we, as God’s people, should be reminded and inspired to carry the light of the Gospel into that darkness. We should be filled with a sense of urgency about proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ to a world that, like Nineveh, is so sin- ful and twisted that it doesn’t even know its right hand from its left. And because the world is so twisted and flawed, the last thing that we should be doing is looking to the world for answers. Sadly, however, a great deal of those who claim to be the followers of Christ have done this very thing. What are we to do in the ARP Church? Should we also embrace the world’s remedies for its own problems? Thankfully, by His grace and provision, God has not left us to wonder about these things. Months ago, I was given the great honor of receiving an invitation to
preach at the 2020 meeting of the General Synod. When Dr. McGregor asked if I was willing to do so, I jumped at the opportunity. Later, as we discussed the Moderator’s theme for the 2020 General Synod, Dr. McGregor asked that I preach from John 16:5-15 and that I write a corresponding article about this text for The ARP. Again, I was more than happy to do so, especially in light of how this passage relates to this year’s Synod theme: “Preparing the Church for the Return of Christ Jesus.” After all, what is more important than preparing for the return of Christ Jesus? In addition, John 16:5-15 is one of many passages that exposes not only the world’s folly, but also how we, as the people of God, are to live in a world filled with chaos and destruction. Let me encourage you to read John 16 in its entirety but a brief summary
of verses 5-15 is that this section details the promise of the Holy Spirit, who Jesus called the “Advocate” and the “Spirit of Truth.” Jesus started by tell- ing His disciples, yet again, that He would be “going to Him who sent me.” Jesus also went on to comfort His disciples about the fact that He was leav- ing them. In verse 7 Jesus even said “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” While we may read this with the scope and understanding of the whole of the New Testament, consider what a blow this must have been to the disciples. Perhaps the thought that came to their minds was “what could be better than you being here with us, Lord?” Even so, Jesus continued to encourage His disciples by telling them what the Holy Spirit would actually do and revealed to His disciples, and by extension, to God’s people today, just how important the Holy Spirit re- ally is. For the sake of this article I want to point out two main features of the Holy Spirit’s work in the world today.
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