Watch Out for the 'A' Word

[HKHaugan]

Watch Out for the ‘A’ Word

“Your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor, you who practice deceit. You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. You love every harmful word. O you deceitful tongue (Ps.52:2-4)!”

The object of this cutting psalm is Doeg the Edomite who, while David was on the run from Saul, informed Saul of David's location to gain Saul's favor. The dynamic of betrayal to gain favor with someone in power is seen throughout history and can be found in any grouping where individuals seek acceptance. You can see it in denominational, corporate, social, national and youth politics. But it also runs its course in almost every human endeavor. Those who are easily compromised with secular values even make their goal known by using coarse language to appear tough.

In a recent pro football game the newly hired young coach of a Western team unleashed an intensely angry tirade at his offensive line. It was filled with a stream of filthy language. It was heard by millions on TV. I heard it. When understandable reactions clogged the phones and blogs, the network responded that it was sorry the language had been recorded by the sensitive field mikes that tend to pick up what they called ‘ambient sound.’ There was no apology for the language, just for the fact that the ‘ambient sound’ was ‘accidentally’ heard. Filthy language is now called ‘ambient sound.’ What’s even worse is the acceptance of what is known as ‘trash talk’; the insulting, biting language players throw at one another on the field of play. Every sports commentator I have seen ‘ambiently’ smiles at the abundance of it encouraging its use by saying ‘ambiently,’ ‘It’s part of the game.’ Ambience! Are you kidding me?

This dynamic of softening evil instead of hardening our resolve against it is just another example of the same dynamic at work throughout our culture. Movies rated PG might as well be R and R might as well be X. We are told at the beginning of movies and TV shows they ‘might’ contain ‘adult situations, adult language and are suitable for adults only.’ We just overlook it, excuse it, while at the same time confuse our kids by teaching them that they should look forward to being adults and act like adults. Who in his right mind really wants to become an adult or be an adult? What we are being conditioned for in our culture is ‘ambient morality.’

One columnist exposed a process that has been used in our culture and in some denominations to make evil behavior acceptable. It’s called ‘systematic desensitization.’ “This technique was first revealed by the now deceased Dr. Joseph Wolpe…a South African psychiatrist….Systematic desensitization involves the imaginary exposure to a feared stimulus while simultaneously applying relaxation. Wolpe came up with the concept now known as desensitization, reasoning that much of our behavior, both good and bad, is learned, and there is, therefore, no reason why it could not be unlearned.” This is a fancy way of repeating the old story of the frog put into gradually heating water. He doesn’t react and dies when it boils. One denomination uses the term ‘listening process’ which really means if we just spend enough time listening to why people sin the way they do we will ‘feel their pain’ and eventually change our moral standards to include their sin.

There is no end to the desensitizing process in our time. We are experiencing the desensitizing of morality, education, spirituality, theology and all the other areas that used to be called disciplines. In fact what we need to see is that desensitizing spirituality leads to desensitizing morality, which in turn undermines every other field of endeavor. It must be seen spiritually for what it is, the devil’s work. As Christians the need to be aware of it and stand against it begins within each of our hearts and the witness we bear around us. Evil is real. Sin is real. The devil is real. The way his spirits operate allows no one the luxury of spiritual relaxation.

For many of us will be approaching the season of Advent (Latin: coming) in which we concentrate on the return of Jesus. It is a season that prepares us for celebrating the coming of Jesus every December 25th. If we are really looking forward to celebrate not only His having come but also His second coming we must realize He is not happy with ‘ambient spirituality’ ‘ambient morality’ ‘ambient worship’ ‘ambient thinking’ nor ‘ambient behavior.’ He has made His position quite clear.

His Cross says it all.

It was not an 'ambient' cross nor was anything He said or did an ambient event. He is the same God yesterday, today and forever. He fulfilled the Law, the moral perfection of His Father and the righteousness that He demanded. He carried our sinful ‘ambience’ to Calvary, shed His blood to cancel sin's power and rose to bring us the spiritual, moral and personal life in Him that has no end. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2Cor.5:21).” Jesus was not an ambient Messiah. He is not an 'ambient' Savior and Lord. He is the pure, holy and perfect image of God in the flesh and He reigns at the right hand of His Father and our Father. He comes personally to the hearts of those who believe in Him to make them great. As we look forward to Christmas whatever we do don’t let Christmas become an ‘ambient’ holiday.