How True Christians Should Handle Scary News/Trends

 How True Christians Should Handle Scary News/Trends

 

By "true" Christians, I mean those members of the body (church) of Christ who sincerely love God as a result of His having regenerated them unto miraculous spiritual life via the Holy Spirit's application of Christ's blood atonement to their souls.

 

So, the question becomes, "How are these people--excluding all others--to 'handle,' or think about, or respond to truly 'scary' or foreboding news reports and societal (cultural) trends, that are (in fact) dangerous and/or Satanic?"

 

. . . And the answer is, "By faith in the True and Triune God via our blood-bought redemption in The God/Man Jesus Christ our Lord."

 

First of all, it is all right, even acceptable (and "normal") to be at least a bit alarmed at certain cultural or national "developments."  Our God does not expect nor command us to be "stoic," and unfeeling about things that are of real significance, and which are important to us.

 

But our next step is our key one.  At this point, we are to immediately remind ourselves that not only is our Sovereign Triune God totally "in charge" of everything; but that He has also designed everything--be it "good" or "bad"--for His glory and His church's good, (Eph. 3:20-21/Rom. 8:28).  Also, it is very necessary at this initial juncture for us to fortify ourselves in our Lord Jesus Christ; and, in a new and fresh way, to "put Him on," (as per Rom. 13:14a).

 

Then, in prayer, we, the saints of God, are to apply various Scriptural promises and doctrines to ourselves, and to the church (generally).  In this regard, two texts will suffice for us here.  The first is Ps. 121:7-8, which says this: "The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore," (ESV).  And the second is Ps. 112:6-7, which renders these encouraging words: "For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD," (ESV).

 

Finally, it is healthy for us to recognize that we do not "deserve" any of the good and great blessings--(and here, we are referring mostly to "temporal," "this-world" benefits)--that the Lord has kindly given us.  All of them are a result of God's grace, having been effected via the gospel's miraculous work in Christ's church in ages past.  In the United States, for instance, we would point to the First Great Awakening (of the 1730's and 1740's).  Though the residual effects of this marvelous ministry of the Holy Spirit still exist (even in our day)--God has made no guarantee that they will always abide.

 

The point of what we are saying (above), is that, yes, we should be thankful, and we should do all we can to keep the "flame" of grace "alive"--but, at the end of the day, we do not really "deserve" any of this goodness; and it is all in God's hands.

 

Also, it is true, that though God sometimes sends calamities as temporal judgments on sin--He always has a greater (future) goal in mind.  A good text on this subject is Isa. 61:4, which says this: "They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations," (ESV).

 

To mention the serious concerns that are on the hearts and minds of many people in the USA right now, is probably not necessary.  The more important thing for us to do, is to commit ourselves, body and soul, as individuals and as the faithful church, to our great and loving God, in and through our faith in Jesus Christ His Son.

 

Rev. Mark J. Henninger

Treatise #154

12 November 2026

https://theologicaltreatisesinretirement.blogspot.com

https://henningerdevotions.blogspot.com/

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