The Color of Darkness
I was about 20 years old, a junior in college at MO State University (then SW MO State). I was taking a sociology class and one assignment was to attend a showing of a documentary about Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich. It was in a large theater, and I sat toward the back in the dark auditorium. As they played the black and white film, which showed scenes of the rallies Hitler held in Nuremberg, I was transfixed by the images. Thousands lifting their arm and hand as they gave the “Heil Hitler!” while he rode into the stadium. The cheers as he pounded the podium and spoke in his loud and emphatic German language. The Nazi swastikas hanging ominously in the background. Sieg heil! (hail victory)!
And victory almost came for this evil empire. How did what appeared to be such an obvious political error happen to an entire country? The answer is not simple, a complicated maze of thinking that has roots in the previous war (WW1) when the German people felt unfairly oppressed with restrictions after the war and looked for a hero to restore their pride. Hitler became that hero. But it was much more than that. As I sat and watched the stark images in black and white during the documentary, it presented a picture that was very unattractive. But thinking about it later I realized, these scenes in real life did not play out in black and white. They played out in the normal colors of life, a kaleidoscope of blue skies, pastel green fields, amber dresses, yellow finches, and the ever-present red background of the black swastika on their flag. The evil was hidden among the swirls of color.
The apostle Paul tells us the devil is a subtle enemy disguising himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), to lure us into his lair. He uses ordinary things of life to tempt us. As our country moves more and more toward an anti-Christian stance, seeking salvation by political means, justifying their selfish ambitions and pursuits with the call of “freedom,” wanting to live life for pleasure and the all-important goal of “happiness,” the values of the Bible are pushed to the side as an antiquated thing of the past, no longer meaningful. Things are not so black and white, and we become confused by the colors of darkness.
To correct this trend, we cannot start with secular culture. They have sold out to these new and attractive values that pursue hedonism as a new form of righteousness. They are living according to their values, give them credit for that. The problem, and the beginning of a solution, is with the people of God who make up the church. We are the ones who so often do not live up to our proclaimed values. We say we believe the Bible, the teaching of Jesus and his apostles, but then must admit we don’t really know the Bible, nor the teachings of Jesus. We live in an age of biblical illiteracy. An age when “all you’ve got to do is say a little prayer and invite Jesus into your heart and you’ll be saved.” And then what? Is that really how salvation works? Is the call of Jesus to “say a little prayer”? That’s not what I find. Jesus calls us to discipleship. “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… teaching them to obey” Jesus said. We are saved by grace through faith, but it must be faith that follows.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer died in a Nazi concentration camp toward the end of WW2. He had tried to wake up the German church to the deception of Hitler and his henchmen. The color of darkness blinded them, and they failed to hear his message. He talked about “cheap grace” that “believes” yet does not follow, does not act. The demons have such belief (James 2:19). Whether Christians can save the U.S. from destruction, I don’t know, but I do know this: we can help save ourselves and others if we make our discipleship real. If we act in obedience to the one that we call Lord. A worthy pursuit in 2025.
Cross Point: They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers (Acts 2:42). Make every effort to supplement faith… (2 Peter 1:4,5). For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness (2 Samuel 22:29). Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).
Check out Rick’s Blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com
And victory almost came for this evil empire. How did what appeared to be such an obvious political error happen to an entire country? The answer is not simple, a complicated maze of thinking that has roots in the previous war (WW1) when the German people felt unfairly oppressed with restrictions after the war and looked for a hero to restore their pride. Hitler became that hero. But it was much more than that. As I sat and watched the stark images in black and white during the documentary, it presented a picture that was very unattractive. But thinking about it later I realized, these scenes in real life did not play out in black and white. They played out in the normal colors of life, a kaleidoscope of blue skies, pastel green fields, amber dresses, yellow finches, and the ever-present red background of the black swastika on their flag. The evil was hidden among the swirls of color.
The apostle Paul tells us the devil is a subtle enemy disguising himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), to lure us into his lair. He uses ordinary things of life to tempt us. As our country moves more and more toward an anti-Christian stance, seeking salvation by political means, justifying their selfish ambitions and pursuits with the call of “freedom,” wanting to live life for pleasure and the all-important goal of “happiness,” the values of the Bible are pushed to the side as an antiquated thing of the past, no longer meaningful. Things are not so black and white, and we become confused by the colors of darkness.
To correct this trend, we cannot start with secular culture. They have sold out to these new and attractive values that pursue hedonism as a new form of righteousness. They are living according to their values, give them credit for that. The problem, and the beginning of a solution, is with the people of God who make up the church. We are the ones who so often do not live up to our proclaimed values. We say we believe the Bible, the teaching of Jesus and his apostles, but then must admit we don’t really know the Bible, nor the teachings of Jesus. We live in an age of biblical illiteracy. An age when “all you’ve got to do is say a little prayer and invite Jesus into your heart and you’ll be saved.” And then what? Is that really how salvation works? Is the call of Jesus to “say a little prayer”? That’s not what I find. Jesus calls us to discipleship. “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… teaching them to obey” Jesus said. We are saved by grace through faith, but it must be faith that follows.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer died in a Nazi concentration camp toward the end of WW2. He had tried to wake up the German church to the deception of Hitler and his henchmen. The color of darkness blinded them, and they failed to hear his message. He talked about “cheap grace” that “believes” yet does not follow, does not act. The demons have such belief (James 2:19). Whether Christians can save the U.S. from destruction, I don’t know, but I do know this: we can help save ourselves and others if we make our discipleship real. If we act in obedience to the one that we call Lord. A worthy pursuit in 2025.
Cross Point: They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers (Acts 2:42). Make every effort to supplement faith… (2 Peter 1:4,5). For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness (2 Samuel 22:29). Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).
Check out Rick’s Blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com
Posted in Cross Points