You may want to look at this in a totally different way. We live in a world full of mysticism, deceit, delusion, and lies. It helps to understand where these lies are and how they are being relayed. For instance in “Till We have Faces”, C. S. Lewis is showing us that mankind tries to hide its identity in knowledge and all its extensions (wisdom, logic, imagination). This is basically the Biblical account of the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve gave up their “light” and their “identity” to the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil”. He is right when he says uninspired words (non Biblical accounts ) are a mere spinning of intellectual wheels, “Words become a struggle to express the truth in Christâs face: I know now, Lord why you utter no answer; You yourself are the answer. Before your face, questions die away..â
My favorite line that was quoted is this, “Ultimately the contemporary trend in the world mysticism must be found wanting, both for its logical inconsistencies and for its empty promise of gnosis without kenosis, the gaining of knowledge without the losing of self”… Wow that is powerful! Again we see the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil vs. Godâs Truth. When you really understand Evolution- all it is-is a mystical attempt at explaining what God created! They are saying that everything came from nothing!! The only way to gain Godâs Truth or knowledge is to surrender ones self, repent and admit sin as Orual did (from Lewisâs interpretation of “Metamorphoses” – a Greek Classic). Remove your face from the darkness by finding the Light of purpose and identity in Christ.
Another quote that is magnified by todayâs “evolution” into materialism and mysticism is illustrated when Lewis says, ” I was thinking about imagination and intellect and the unholy muddle of …..undigested scraps of anthroposophy and psychoanalysis jostling with orthodox idealism over a background of good old Kirkian rationalism. Lord what a mess! And all the time…thereâs the danger of falling back into most childish superstitions, or of running into dogmatic materialism to escape them.” Think of all the books, television shows, music, and movies out there….and how man is trying to explain his deepest fears of the unknown (a coming chaos, horror, death, and the super natural). They cannot tackle it because the world is lost in deceit and because any understanding is beyond worldly wisdom and human philosophy!
And of course his most famous line is “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is a megaphone to rouse a deaf world”. Wow – how much more true this is NOW! How blind and deaf this world is! The vast majority are listening to and acting upon many lies and deceit! The irony is that we can look at the world and say that it is sliding into pure darkness, yet the church is also being drawn in for it has been part of it for so long! The lies of evolution is just one example- which has for the most part not been tackled by the seminaries nor most churches. The important thing is to identify these lies.. not being carried along by them, and to expose them for the sake of others. The sad thing is that most churches fight back and will not let the Truth prevail! The church itself is hindering the broadcast of effectual Truth.
The dollar, which is no longer backed by gold but by “goodwill”, shall soon fall victim to this cloud of deceit. The World is fed up with “American exceptionalism” and our version of morality and freedom. The “goodwill” that we exemplify will soon be overrun by practicality and a new morality. Our “goodwill” which is still fairly well anchored in Christian faith, is being squandered by poor leadership and the false image that America has totally lost its way in immorality. By the way the very successful marketing and presentation of this “mystical” philosophy and materialistic pursuit throughout the world by our own media and government is one Big Reason why the world has a false impression of the real heart of America- this includes the image expressed in movies, music, t.v. and in this delusional administrationâs foreign policy. The world sees us as having surrendered to the “gods” of convenience and abortion, the “magic”wealth of gambling and currency manipulation (the banking crisis), the lust of pornography and sexual degradation (the âGreat Satanâ), and the promoters of junk food, junk religion, and junk drink. Russia and China are doing a good job undercutting our “exceptionalism” and in its place presenting themselves as being examples of a new, more stable morality! “Mother Russia” will not legitimize the cults, homosexuality, and other aberrant behavior. China, likewise, is respected for its hard work, skilled engineering, business acumen, economic growth, and hence strong currency. Both are buying large amounts of gold to show the world that their currency is more legit. In contrast the dollar is weighed down by our nationâs extreme debit: the largest the world has ever seen!!! It is this currency war that will soon cause the fall of the dollar and of our economy. No time in history have the signs been so clear. We are seeing economists, Christian leaders, security experts, military leaders, and Congressional leaders all agree that we are at the edge of a major collapse! The Bible says, (I Thes. 5:3), “while people are saying, âpeace and safetyâ, destruction will come on them suddenly…and they will not escape”. Jesus says that many will cry out “Lord, Lord”, but He will say “I do not know you”…..make sure you know Him in your heart!
The Word also warns us that the end times will be like the Days of Noah, “people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark” (Mt. 24:38). Note that Noah lived about 950 years and knew hundreds if not thousands of people through marriage and association, yet despite the fact that he knew God and witnessed to the people for 120 years as he built the Ark, NONE outside his immediate family came to a realization of the Truth! People do not be fooled, it is only “by Grace through Faith that you are saved, and this is a Gift of God, so that on one can boast”, Eph. 2:8. This is not a spurious faith like believing a chair will hold you up…but is a supernatural faith that comes only from God. “Seek Him and you will find Him when you Seek Him with All Your Heart!” Peter says, “they deliberately forget that long ago by Godâs word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed (Evolution cannot accept any of this). By the same Word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly” (2Pet. 3:5-7). Jesus came to redeem us, by paying for our sins on the cross. He says to you and to me “I am the resurrection and the Life, he who believes in me will live even though he dies.” When He ascended into heaven the angel said, why do you look up …the one you see ascend will return in the same way. Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will return to claim his own and bring Truth and Justice to this world. He fulfilled over 700 prophecies and will fulfill all Promises!
P.S. Just returned from a faith journey to NYC with 1st Baptist of Dallas, the amazing choir, and Dr. Jeffress. The choir brought down the house in Carnegie Hall as Dr. Day (a Gospel Singer with a booming voice) and Sandi Patty (and her operatic voice) joined an innovative choir director and talented choir sang to the heavens and hearts of many. Saw the Harbingerâs signs of the times including 4 street evangelists actively spreading the Gospel and a sermon by David Wilkersonâs church warning of a coming storm. Note these interesting secular sites: ronpaulmessage6.com