Why do things fall apart?
Psalms 82.5
They do not know, nor do they understand;
They walk about in darkness;
All the foundations of the earth are unstable.
What is the cause of instability and uncertainty? What undermines ancient foundations of civilization, culture, and the human psyche? Why do things fall apart?
In this psalm, God is holding court with those "gods" - judges, elders, prophets, pastors, theologians, and the like - to whom He has entrusted His Word (cf. Jn. 10.34, 35). He is not pleased with what He sees. They don't know the Word as they should, and they don't understand it as God intends. As a result, the foundations of life are unstable, and earth is moving out from under their feet.
When those who are entrusted with the Word of do not know or understand it as they should, so that they shed no light on the paths of life, then things fall apart and all the ancient landmarks are moved. The state of our culture is Exhibit 1 here. The foundations of Western culture were laid with the cement of Scripture and a Biblical worldview. But those foundations are being swiftly eroded, all of life is being re-erected on sandy soil, and the souls of people are being ignored, denied, or violated by today's culture-makers.
The evidence of the shaking of our foundations suggests that pastors and teachers have not ministered the whole counsel of God for taking every thought captive to Jesus. Worldly thinkers and philosophers have redefined social, cultural, spiritual, and psychological foundations according to the lies of pagan thinking. We to whom the Word has been entrusted have not spoken clearly, consistently, or with powerful effects to stop this eroding and shaking of our foundations. Is it that we do not know the Word as we should, so that our understanding of it and its power is weak and childish? Or have we simply chosen to ignore the strong winds of false doctrine which have been blowing across our world for more than two centuries?
The world in all its facets and components is shaken and moved from God’s purpose and design when our ministry of the Word falls short of bringing the whole counsel of God to bear on all of life.
In this psalm, God is holding court with those "gods" - judges, elders, prophets, pastors, theologians, and the like - to whom He has entrusted His Word (cf. Jn. 10.34, 35). He is not pleased with what He sees. They don't know the Word as they should, and they don't understand it as God intends. As a result, the foundations of life are unstable, and earth is moving out from under their feet.
When those who are entrusted with the Word of do not know or understand it as they should, so that they shed no light on the paths of life, then things fall apart and all the ancient landmarks are moved. The state of our culture is Exhibit 1 here. The foundations of Western culture were laid with the cement of Scripture and a Biblical worldview. But those foundations are being swiftly eroded, all of life is being re-erected on sandy soil, and the souls of people are being ignored, denied, or violated by today's culture-makers.
The evidence of the shaking of our foundations suggests that pastors and teachers have not ministered the whole counsel of God for taking every thought captive to Jesus. Worldly thinkers and philosophers have redefined social, cultural, spiritual, and psychological foundations according to the lies of pagan thinking. We to whom the Word has been entrusted have not spoken clearly, consistently, or with powerful effects to stop this eroding and shaking of our foundations. Is it that we do not know the Word as we should, so that our understanding of it and its power is weak and childish? Or have we simply chosen to ignore the strong winds of false doctrine which have been blowing across our world for more than two centuries?
The world in all its facets and components is shaken and moved from God’s purpose and design when our ministry of the Word falls short of bringing the whole counsel of God to bear on all of life.