The Pursuance of Novelty -Part 2

Jesus made a startling statement in Luke 17:26 by drawing a parallel between the times that will mark His return, comparing it to the days of Noah. We therefore need to study the days of Noah in order to understand the times we live in today. Our antediluvian ancestors also lived life in the moment, thinking that they were invincible. Jesus describes their carefree and frivolous existence until the day of reckoning came suddenly upon them. To them it seemed sudden, yet there was ample warning given to them to repent and turn to God-Noah witnessed to the wicked generation for 120 years, but his appeals were largely ignored. We face the same dilemma today. When no one seems to be listening to your message, what do you do? Well, Noah kept on preaching regardless!

Sometimes, it seems like the world is looking for something new when the gospel of grace is right in front of us. The gospel is the old, old story that makes new hearts yet many people refuse to surrender and let God change their hearts. Instead, they seek the thrill of chasing after relative truth that evades them like a stealthy phantom that can never be caught! God made us creative beings, but He never intended for us to be so busy chasing a novel existence and getting bored with everything, that we have no time to spend in His presence and learn of Him. Our pursuance of novelty extends even into the arena of Biblical doctrines and truths. We are in grave danger when we think that we have heard it all before, and we go seeking after a message because it seems new and interesting. There will no doubt be many false prophets and false Christs out there, who will use their own private interpretations of the Scriptures to make things sound very different and attract the attention of those who are not grounded on Christ, the Rock. Jesus Himself warned us about this in Matt 24:24.

Satan’s ploy is to use the same old vices and sins to trap us. The Old Testament records for us the tragedies and triumphs of key figures in Bible history and we notice that the same sins that were their downfall, are ours today! Murder, adultery, licentiousness and immorality abounded then like it does now, yet in our pursuit of novelty we have blinded ourselves to the effects of these heinous sins. We have been desensitized to them to the extent that they are a normal feature of the landscape to us. Human beings, despite their God-given intellect, are slow learners. Just like the Israelites who fell into idolatry over and over again, we repeat the insanity of following a pattern of sin that gets us nowhere but we refuse to relinquish our old ways because we are terrified of change and of total surrender to God. Then, to add insult to injury, we claim that reading about the lives of others in the same predicament as ourselves is boring and not necessary! How can a person understand the New Testament without having a strong foundation in the Old Testament? How can someone appreciate the redemptive work of Christ if he does not first understand the origin of sin? Our neglect of the Old Testament is precisely the reason why some Christians cannot reconcile the justice and mercy of God, as revealed through Christ. Our understanding of the Gospel is incomplete without both the Old and New Testaments.



"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." -2 Pet 2:1


 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." -1 John 4:1

The Pursuance of Novelty-Part 1

As human beings made in the image of a creative and powerful God, we have the innate desire to push ourselves to the limits in our search for novel and innovative solutions to the everyday challenges of life. From the electric light bulb to the telephone, the automobile, the computer and supersonic jets that soar across the heavens, our inventions continue to change the landscape of our world as we know it.

Wise king Solomon said in Ecles 1:9 that “there is nothing new under the sun…” Yet, since his time our world has seen the greatest changes in modern technology. Most of the scientists and great intellectuals of our time are alive today! In his time, armies were considered strong if they had iron chariots-today we face the ever increasing threat of nuclear disaster!

However, some things have never changed! The age-old problem of sin hasn’t changed, and despite our best efforts we are powerless against this scourge of satan on our own. Our pursuance of novelty hasn’t changed either; in fact it is one of satan’s prime methods of propagating his end-time deceptions. He knows we are attracted to anything new and exciting, and he takes full advantage of this. In our haste to discover novel truths, we forget the importance of learning the lessons that only history can teach us. The Lord has let us choose our destiny. Since the day our first parents made their first bad decision, we have been painfully writing our history in blood, sweat and tears. What a pitiful waste if we cannot use this opportunity to look back and learn from the mistakes of our past!

Just as the importance of the subject of history is undermined at public schools, so we find that Christians are neglecting their study of the Old Testament scriptures in favour of the New Testament, saying that things have changed! Yet, the sin problem still exists. We face the same adversary as our Old Testament counterparts did, and we serve a God who is the same yesterday, today and forever! (Heb 13:8) Satan doesn’t even NEED to change his tactics because we still fall for them today! Generals and great military strategists study the work of their adversaries and the history of their nations’ battles to predict the course of future endeavours, but we as Christians fail miserably in this respect and we’re fighting a war for our very souls!

The New Testament itself says that ALL scripture is for our correction, reproof and instruction in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). There was once a time when the only scripture people had at their disposal was the Old Testament; if they had neglected to study it, would we have progressed to the extent we have today? 1 Cor 10:11 and Rom 15:4 explain that the Old Testament writings are for our learning and the same lessons will be our test in the times ahead. Just as an apprentice learns his trade from the master craftsman, let us not seek to reinvent the wheel, but let us read and learn from those who have gone before us! In respect of human affairs, there is nothing new under the sun-we know who wins the battle in the end. Therefore, let us stay true to our God!

"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after."-Eccles 1:9-11

"And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."-Eccles 12:12-13

"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."-1 Cor 10:11