“Idiotisado”

Years ago, a member of my former church told me how her husband, who’d been a pastor, was anointed and blessed as long as he was faithful to God. The Lord gave him revelation of the scriptures, and he had all sorts of understanding and wisdom. But then, he had an affair with another woman in his church. His ex-wife told me how, in a matter of just two weeks after falling into this sin, he became “idiotisado.”  This is a made-up Spanish word, but it means “idiotized.” He became foolish and darkened because he turned from God.

In an earlier blog, I wrote about Solomon. He too became idiotized when he failed to stay on track with God. He went from all the glory and wisdom and privilege God had given him to worshiping the stupidest of gods, Molech, a bronze statue with a fireplace in his belly. When Molech was heated up by the fire, his worshippers would put their babies into his fiery arms to sacrifice them. This was the degree of depravity and darkness to which they had sunk, and Solomon sank to that level too. Idiotized!

Israel then followed their king to that level of idolatry and idiocy. What did it get them? Defeat at the hand of their enemies, disgrace, poverty, shame. In short, their potential was diminished and they could never be and do all God intended. Thinking they’d have a better life apart from God, they ended up ruining their lives instead! They were idiotized!

Today I read the next chapter, 1 Kings 12, the story of Jeroboam. He was given 10 of the 12 tribes to rule. God promised him the same things He’d promised David and Solomon. What did he do? He was idiotized! Fearing the people would go back to Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, if he let them continue to worship God, he created golden calves and told his people they were their gods! Instead of following God’s orders for the priesthood, he “ordained” whoever he chose to be priests, making things up his own way as he went along. What happened? The very thing he feared came upon him. By not trusting God and resorting to his own devices to make his kingdom secure, he ruined the lives of thousands, and ended up losing what he so desperately had tried to save. He was idiotized!

“There is a way that might seem right to a man (to human beings), but it’s end is the way of death.” (Prov. 14:12) “Whoever tries to save their life will lose it; whoever loses his/her life for the sake of Christ, that is, gives their life over to the Lord, will save it forever.” (Mat. 16:25)

During the early years of the communist revolution, many thought the Soviets would build a utopia. But their way was contrary to God and His ways. What did they create? One of the most oppressive and deadly regimes of all history. Still today, those who turn toward socialism or communism think it’s the way to build a better world, but they have always and only created disastrous societies of oppression, poverty, and misery. I have been to Cuba several times and to Venezuela a couple of times. They are the worst of Latin countries. I have traveled in Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. Their godless governments never produced prosperity or freedom. Those who enthusiastically joined the communist/socialist revolutions ended in disillusionment and darkness. Why? Because these systems run in direct contradiction to the Word of God. The people who try these ways become idiotized. No one can go against the God of the universe and prosper!

Today, there are those who want an Islamic Revolution. They believe God, Allah, wants them to subjugate the entire world to Sharia Law. But they reject Christ as the Son of God, and thus, they reject God. (1 Jn. 2:22, 23) No one comes to God but by Him. He is God’s Way. If you refuse to submit to Christ, you can be as religious as you like, but there is no light within you. You have been idiotised, and all you will produce is death! Claiming to be devoted and religious, you don’t realize you are actually on the side of Antichrist. The proof of this idiotization is the fact these people come from wretched countries, yet they want to bring what they had there to Europe and America, because they think it superior! They cannot see how stupid this is. They are idiotized!

America as a nation has been so privileged and blessed by God. We were a “city on a hill” because of the freedoms and prosperity we enjoyed. And where did all that come from? It flowed naturally from the Judeo-Christian roots and worldview of our founders. Those who lived lives in line with God’s will experienced His blessing. Our constitution was created for a moral people, and it only works where people have a godly worldview.

But today, so many here are “tired” of Christianity. They see it as a burden, anachronistic, a throw-back to times of ignorance. They consider themselves more “enlightened,” more inclusive, more loving. They are sure their new, progressive ways  will produce a better society than the old “Puritanical” ways of “religion.” They will have greater freedom. They will be happier. Our society today has turned from the “ancient paths” of the Lord.

What have these new ways brought us? Broken marriages, children born out of wedlock, and the concept of “wedlock” not even important anymore. Greater levels of poverty, of addiction, of disunity and division. Weakness in the world. Confusion over even the basics such as gender identity. We don’t even know which bathroom to use anymore! In the midst of the growing threat of terrorism, our stupid leaders meet to discuss “important issues” like how to protect the LGBTQ “community” and how to prevent “global climate change.” When terrorism is a growing threat, their idea is to take away our guns and means of self-protection. It’s like the captain of a ship saying because we’re in rough waters, we think the best idea is to take away everyone’s life preserver!

Our society has become “idiotisado”! Idiotized! Claiming to be wise, we have become fools! (Ro. 1:22) Our society has lost the light and is sinking fast into the darkness.

Never has it been more important for those of us who are Christians to stand firm, to recognize the Light we have been given, and to let our light shine! Stand firm, my brothers and sisters! Put on the whole armor of God! Get equipped by learning God’s Word and learning how to defend and present the superiority of Christ to a lost world.

We cannot force anyone to see the light. But as we welcome and walk in that Light, and as we pray for God to use us, we can influence those around us. If enough Christians do this, we could change the whole world. Believe me, it may seem small and insignificant, but it’s the only thing that will work. We, the Church of Jesus Christ, are the only ones who know the answer to the threat of being idiotized! The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom! (Prov. 9:10) And whether or not anyone else follows us, we can be assured that the ways of the Lord are right and good, and will lead us all the way to glory in heaven.