The following is an excerpt from Pastor John’s forth-coming book Third Millenium Antivirus. It is to be available this fall. Details coming.
The Invisible Crisis
Some time ago I experienced something that has become very common in our time. My computer fell victim to a virus. The hard drive was destroyed by an invisible agent of unknown origin. When it expired before my eyes, my first thought was that I had done something wrong in operating the unit. I soon discovered it was not something I did, but something I had failed to do. I neglected to install an antivirus program. Something critical was missing. So today, in Western society in general, and the United States in particular, something critical for survival is missing. The issue that must be addressed is the actual truth and gravity of the evolving moral and spiritual crisis we are experiencing. To those blinded by the artificial light of the so-called American Dream, whether being enjoyed or longingly pursued, the true nature and depth of the crisis remains invisible.
Viruses Of The Body
The original definition of a virus lends itself to a metaphor which describes many widely accepted culture-shaping and mind-influencing ideas of our time.
Webster defines viruses as:
1. “Any group of ultramicroscopic or sub-microscopic infective agents that cause various diseases…(viruses are) capable of multiplying in connection with living cells…”
2. “That which corrupts or poisons the mind or character; evil or harmful influence.”
The Latin root for “virus” is the word poison. The related term, “virulent,” describes the effect of viruses.
“Extremely injurious; deadly…having the property of ability to breakdown or overcome resistance of the host.”
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Viruses Of The Mind And Spirit
The fixed goal of these infinitesimal bits of death-dealing genetic material is survival by reproduction. They accomplish this goal by finding a welcoming cell having a similar genetic makeup, invading, taking control, replicating themselves, multiplying thousands of times, and spreading throughout their immediate environment until they are stopped by antiviral immune chemicals in the host body or they destroy their host.
The ideological viruses described and decried in this book function much as the deadly physical variety. Death dealing ideas and theories also survive by reproduction.
Finding welcoming minds and hearts, they invade, take control, and shape the worldview of their host. They then replicate, by the words and lifestyles of those thus infected; especially through those in positions of influence, leadership, and authority; including the faithless wings of the Church. To overcome human host defenses, viruses which attack our physical bodies continually mutate their genomes.
Ideological viruses, however, generally maintain a consistent definition. Once we understand their meaning, and what is more important, the presuppositions behind them, their falsity can be plainly exposed in light of God’s revealed truth.
It Is Supernatural
The heart of the spiritual antivirus; the one thing needful to expose and replace virulent false-ideas with the Truth of the Word of the living God, is the promised “fullness” (control) of the Holy Spirit, and the truth of Scripture made alive and effective through individual believers by the living Presence and power of Jesus Christ. Nothing else and nothing less. God’s people must begin living the promised supernatural life, as did the true followers of the risen Christ immediately following the first Christian Pentecost.
The essence of the saint’s experience at that initial baptism in the Holy Spirit, was not the gifts and signs, but as the inspired record clearly states, the miracle of the unseen but felt Presence of their risen Lord; in them and among them.
This is the key element missing in the Church today, and until it’s leaders and people believe it, face it, and repent of the sin that keeps them satisfied with anything less, and everything but, God’s blessing will continue to be withheld and Satan will continue his rampage.