Wordpoint
Part 9
“Today’s Young Adults Are the ‘Me’ Generation Obsessed with Things Like Consciousness Expansion and Self-Awareness. They Form the New Narcissism. The Cult of ‘I’ Has Taken Hold with the Strength and Impetus of A New Religion.”
Many pens have been placed upon many papers in the exercise of expressing the facets and dimensions of sin for the various periods and segments of society. The entrance of sin, the “eiserchomai,” as delineated by the apostle in Romans 5:12, has been expressed in the various times and seasons by “footprints of varied sorts.” Sin is indeed, a “coat of many colours” and the tempre of the times ever gathers that accommodation of sin suitable to the measure. The halcyon days of sweet yore realized their own expressions, while times of cruelty and pressure learned of that unmasking which revealed that entrance of sin in the rougher measures.
Our quotation coming from the thoughts of the American author Tom Wolfe, surely indicates that measure of the entrance which forms the betrayal of the nature of these closing-up days. Narcissism is the foul budding flower, and the “sickly hue” of self-love has spread itself in the most unfortunate of measures. The believer marks the significance of this tragedy as delineated against the background of Scripture. In referring to knowledge concerning “the last days,” the Holy Spirit through the pen of Paul catalogues the crimes of the sins which shall occupy the principal positions, through the lens of the pivot-point, “men shall be lovers of their own selves” (2 Timothy 3:1, 2). “Self-lovers,” as it were, cradling themselves in the trinity-basket of, “Me, Myself and I.” He who bears intelligence as to the moral nature of these “latter times” (1 Timothy 4:1) cannot fail but to be struck by the prevalence of this expression of evil in nigh every quarter and range of society. Tom Wolfe was quite right in his own way of bearing reference to this as the “strength and impetus of a new religion.”
The unfortunancy and betrayal has not been lost to the men of this world. The account has been called in. ’Twas Hubbard who remarked, “It is a curious fact that of all the illusions that beset mankind none is quite so curious as that tendency to suppose that we are mentally and morally superior to those who differ from us in opinion.” It was the opinion of Lumsden: “There’s only one thing that can keep growing without nourishment—the human ego.” Ego! ’tis a vain swelling thing indeed! And the exercise of the uncontrolled ego is ever in the expression of greed. Much truth is gathered in the word of McLaughlin: “We’re all born brave, trusting and greedy, and most of us remain greedy.” Of a poetic vein did Berry express it: “The bird of paradise alights only upon the hand that does not grasp.” These are but few of the thoughts as to that which manifests its own guilty evidence upon these sorrowful scenes. Flaunted egos, restive of any control, have cashiered their debits upon the situations and affairs of the times. Media upon all levels bear constant witness of man’s manifold cruelty to man because of the interior cruelty to his personal nature.
The believer, however, gathers the serious thought as to the nature of the peril by the transference of these elements upon the spiritual setting where matters of eternal consequence are involved. Modern man’s separation from God (note the declarative of Isaiah 59:2) has practically expressed itself not alone in the societal of separation of his fellowman but of deeper texture, the singular of separation from himself. Consequent loneliness would thus seek to conquer itself by the spinning of the selfly cocoon, man making himself the all-consuming center in the pitiful attempt to ignore and evade the sure consequences of his guilt. But alas! the poor exercises of modern man down along the thousand-and-one avenues of amusement bears its own evidence of quandry and loss.
Ego would coldly dismiss aught of that which would not minister to self-interest, whatever be the texture of outward excuse. The sights would be narrow, centered alone upon that tarnished trinity of Me, Myself and I. Yet it is at this quivering point that the believer may enter with the witness of that Other and Higher Reality which would minister the most satisfactory portion for heart and life. Modern man is best served by that Precious One Who “pleased not Himself” (Romans 15:3), but “made Himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:7). Surrender must play the dominant role, else eternal satisfaction can never be the expected portion. Ego but starves upon the miasma of these scenes. “Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21) alone furnishes the proper ground. Narcissism can know alone of the bitter fruit and finale. “Self-awareness” must reclaim the spiritual picture, and redirect the course of the path of repentance. Self-love must be lost in that higher love for that Precious One, “Who gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).