Secularization

The last decade has shown a remarkable development in Western Europe, namely, the secularization of society. In the first centuries of our history, heathendom had to be conquered; then came the Roman legions followed by missionaries bringing Christianity to our countries. Undoubtedly, these developments led to many blessings for our societal life, too many to list in this short article. The greatest fact is that God here gathered a Church for Himself, and many people were added to His kingdom.

The flourishing times of the church have visibly come to an end. Secularization has progressed already for a long time; it was first seen in the sciences and culture and afterwards in the daily life of all people. We are not standing at the beginning of the secularization movement, but we are close to the final phase. What will the end be? This is not an uncertainty, for the Lord Jesus has said in Revelation 2:5, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come to thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

Is God beginning to remove His candlestick from amongst us? If true conversion does not take place, that will certainly happen no matter what we may say about it. We only have to look at Turkey and North Africa where the church once blossomed. Think also of Scotland where so little remains of the rich revelation of the Bride of Christ. Today, in our country we see the church pushed to the sidelines. Religion must be removed from the public sector. Religion may be practiced as a hobby by a few, but government wants nothing to do with it any more. No official prayers, and we must do away with God’s Word in public places. In this manner the devil has an open field, for he is no longer restrained by “There is written.” Will we ever see a repentance?

Let us consider our own personal lives. Are we faithful in prayer in the morning and the evening and also during the day? Do we bring all of our daily needs to the Lord? Do we live our lives in the light of God’s judgments and eternity? Do we seek the kingdom of God, and does this have the rule over us? What about our church attendance? Is it sloppy, and do we fail to sing along with the congregation? What do we read which is good for our soul?

Let us look a bit closer. How is it with the religion in our families? Are we not also promoting secularization? While false religions become ever more fanatic, and many young Muslims become radicalized, we are going in the other direction. They are radical in their evil theories and practices, but we are wishy-washy in our convictions and the carrying out of the same. It would be good if we became more radical in good biblical practices. Amongst us there is a world conformity and watering down of our beliefs which makes Christianity implausible. Not only are church buildings being broken down, but the convictions of those who have had a Christian upbringing are diminishing. It has become visible in a secularization which has come upon all terrains, and even where there are a few remnants of earlier Christianity, they lack flavor.

World conformity is not only visible outwardly but has much to do with the lack of love toward God and to His will. Because of that there is a turning away from biblical truths wherein the will of God has been revealed. Whereas science and learning in an earlier age turned away from the revelation because of a lack of essential spiritual life, now large numbers of people are sucked along in an ever faster stream against which we have no weapons.

Let us consider our own personal lives. Are we faithful in prayer in the morning and the evening and also during the day? Do we bring all of our daily needs to the Lord? Do we live our lives in the light of God’s judgments and eternity? Do we seek the kingdom of God, and does this have the rule over us? What about our church attendance? Is it sloppy, and do we fail to sing along with the congregation? What do we read which is good for our soul?

It would be good if we would plead with the Lord that He will not remove the candlestick of His Word from among us and pray against the secularization, “Turn Thou us unto Thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old” (Lamentation 5:21).

(Translated from the Church News of the Classis Goes, the Netherlands)

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