By Dennis Edwards
In Psalm 62, David prays against the enemies of God and says they are like “a bowing wall, and a tottering fence.”[Psalms 62:3] What exactly does he mean? A bowing wall is receiving pressure from somewhere that is causing it to buckle and is in danger of collapsing. It is often a foundation wall that is not strong enough to withhold the exterior forces or the weight or height of the building that rests upon it. A tottering fence is ready by the slightest force to give way and fall. But that should not be the state of our faith. For we have a sure or solid foundation in Christ and His resurrection from the dead.[1 Corinthians 15:1-8, John 20:30-31] But, alas, the foundations have been destroyed, and now what shall the righteous do?[Psalms 11:3]
Since the late 1700s the foundations of faith have been attacked and Christianity and its truth denied. Such were the men like James Hutton, and Charles Lyle whose work in geology attacked Moses and got men to doubt the Biblical account and age of the earth. “They did not like to retain God in their knowledge, so God gave them over to a reprobate mind.”[Romans 1:28] “Millions of years” soon became the acceptable interpretation, the scientific interpretation. These men were “willingly ignorant”[2 Peter 3:5-6] of the Biblical creation record and historical Genesis flood. Thus they helped pave the way for Charles Darwin to later present a 19th century rendition of the classical Greek idea that life evolved from the sea spontaneously. Like Solomon had written some 2800 years before, “There is nothing new under the sun.”[Ecclesiastes 1:9]
It was in the same year 1859 in which Darwin published his book that Louis Pasteur scientifically proved that spontaneous generation was impossible. Life comes only from life, not from a primordial soup. However, "true science" would take a back seat to "assumed science." Darwin would fantasize on the possibility of life developing in a warm pond during earth’s early history. 19th century man wanted freedom from the moral constraints of religion. The war against God would continue and false faith and nominal religion would be its springboard.
In politics Karl Marx was writing and wanted to dedicate his book “Das Kapital” to Darwin. But Darwin, coming from the financial elite of that age, felt it not wise to have his name together with that of Marx. Nietzsche with his “God is dead” in theology, along with Germany’s “higher critics,” did their best to destroy confidence in God’s word. Freud began the “science of psychology” based on Darwin’s evolutionary ideology. Together these attacks led to the weakening of the Christian foundation in the minds of the masses. “Had God really said?[Genesis 3:1]
Whereas from the time of Christ, Christianity had influenced and changed the surrounding culture, now atheism was gaining the upper hand and convincing the general public that God was indeed dead and in no need of fearing. In 1962-3 the Supreme Court removed prayer in school which children had traditionally prayed each morning before beginning class. In 1973 the American Supreme Court passed “Roe vs Wade” and opened the door to legalized abortion. Soon other laws originally formed off of Christian and Biblical doctrines were over turned. Man was being freed from the superstitions of the past. Reason was ruling over faith. Indeed the truth that God was dead was at last setting men free!
Thus the foundations of faith in God were destroyed. Faith became obsolete and a thing of the past. Reason and science became the hallmarks of the enlightened man. And yet the call of Nietzsche's “Madman” rings in our ears.
“Whither is God? he cried, I will tell you. We have killed him – you and I. All of us are his murderers. But how did we do this? How could we drink up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon? What were we doing when we unchained the earth from its sun? Whither are we moving? Away from all suns? Are we not plunging continually? Backward, sideward, forward, in all directions? Is there still any up or down? Are we not straying through an infinite nothingness? Do we not feel the breath of empty space? Has it not become colder? Is not night continually closing in on us? Do we not need to light lanterns in the morning?...God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers?...Who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?”[Nietzsche and the Madman, allaboutphilosophy.org, from Gay Science, 1887]
Yes, indeed it is colder and we have lost our moral compass -- God’s word. We and our own ideas and opinions have become our gods. We are left directionless, like a ship on the open sea with no rudder to use to guide us to safety. God’s word asks, “And what shall the righteous do?” Now that we have destroyed the foundations of our faith, now that we don’t believe God’s word is trustworthy, now that we doubt the Christian story and resurrection of Christ. What shall the Christian do? Where do we find moral fibre? Where do we find truth? Is there any right or wrong?
But God’s word encourages us, “If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”[2 Chronicles 7:14] Shall we not turn from the false doctrines of men and back to faith in the Living God? Shall we not turn from the false ideologies of man which have caused us to lose our way and our relationship with the Lord? Shall we not cry unto the Lord for His mercy and truth and light in midst of gross darkness? Or will we continue to grope in darkness and yet believe we are walking in the light? As Christ has said, “If the light that is in us is darkness, how great is that darkness.”[Matthew 6:23]
Our time is short. Our times are in His hands.[Psalm 31:15] Please let us call upon the Lord while he may be found. For darkness shall cover the earth and great darkness the people.[Isaiah 60:2] But God’s light shall shine out upon them that call upon His name and walk in His truth and follow His law of love. Apostle Paul calls us to be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord;[1 Corinthians 15:54] not like a bowing wall or tottering fence. For we have a sure foundation, a precious corner stone, Jesus Christ, the stone of offence. The stone which the builder’s neglected has become the chief corner stone.[1 Peter 2:7-8, Acts 4:11, Ephesians 2:20, Psalms 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, Mark 12:10, Matthew 21:44. Luke 20:17]
Call upon Him and He will answer you. He will be with you in trouble. He will honour you and show you His salvation.[Psalms 91:15-16] He is the strong tower which the righteous run to and are safe.[Proverbs 18:10] Trust in Him. Believe His word and not the vain and proud ramblings and traditions of men. Remember, if you continue in His word, believing it, receiving it, and following its light, you will be His disciple indeed. And ye shall know the truth, not my truth nor your truth, but the truth; and the truth shall make you free![John 8:32] Don't be a bowing wall!
Originally published December 3, 2019
