In the first century A.D. there was one school of Christian thought located in Antioch of Syria and it was the center for literal apostolic teaching. It was from Antioch the Apostle Paul set out for each of his missionary journeys.
Over the next century there was a shift, or transition in biblical philosophy. As the apostles died, the strong literal biblical teaching in Antioch began to be rivaled by symbolic and metaphorical teaching in Alexandria, Egypt. Alexandrian teachers claimed there was no literal future resurrection of the body. Thus, even the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ became suspect.
There is a similar transition going on in our own country. Our nation is not necessarily a Christian nation, nor has it ever been, but there were two distinctions throughout our 245-year existence which made us unique from other nations.
1) Our Bible-based form of government and,
2) Our unique Bible-based educational system.
Any remnants of these are in grave jeopardy; or for all intents and purposes are gone.
Both distinctions had principles derived from the Old Testament (Judaeo) and the New Testament (Christian). The Judaeo/Christian foundation of our nation presented a biblical worldview (accepted by religious and non-religious alike) that man is created in God's image and that all life is valuable.
Today our government and our educational system is overrun by secular humanists. Humanism and Christianity are in direct opposition to one another. What a child learns in Sunday School (One hour a week) is decimated, debunked, and destroyed Monday through Friday in the government classroom. Add to this the lack of biblical teaching in many churches and absence of strong biblical teaching by parents in the home and we have the complete recipe for the fall of the United States.
We have become a nation and a church that desires entertainment and relaxation. Like Alexandria and Antioch, we are tottering between two distinct opposing philosophies, The wisdom of God vs. the wisdom of man.
Tottering Between Philosophies
In the first century A.D. there was one school of Christian thought located in Antioch of Syria and it was the center for literal apostolic teaching. It was from Antioch the Apostle Paul set out for each of his missionary journeys.
Over the next century there was a shift, or transition in biblical philosophy. As the apostles died, the strong literal biblical teaching in Antioch began to be rivaled by symbolic and metaphorical teaching in Alexandria, Egypt. Alexandrian teachers claimed there was no literal future resurrection of the body. Thus, even the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ became suspect.
There is a similar transition going on in our own country. Our nation is not necessarily a Christian nation, nor has it ever been, but there were two distinctions throughout our 245-year existence which made us unique from other nations.
1) Our Bible-based form of government and,
2) Our unique Bible-based educational system.
Any remnants of these are in grave jeopardy; or for all intents and purposes are gone.
Both distinctions had principles derived from the Old Testament (Judaeo) and the New Testament (Christian). The Judaeo/Christian foundation of our nation presented a biblical worldview (accepted by religious and non-religious alike) that man is created in God's image and that all life is valuable.
Today our government and our educational system is overrun by secular humanists. Humanism and Christianity are in direct opposition to one another. What a child learns in Sunday School (One hour a week) is decimated, debunked, and destroyed Monday through Friday in the government classroom. Add to this the lack of biblical teaching in many churches and absence of strong biblical teaching by parents in the home and we have the complete recipe for the fall of the United States.
We have become a nation and a church that desires entertainment and relaxation. Like Alexandria and Antioch, we are tottering between two distinct opposing philosophies, The wisdom of God vs. the wisdom of man.
By A.D. 200 Alexandria thought won the day.
~
References:
Ever Reforming - Dispensational Theology and the completion of the Protestant Reformation, Dr. Andy Woods.
You are engaged in The Battle for the Mind, a subtle warfare, Tim LaHaye. Out of print.