Now I may get myself in trouble here but I think something needs to be said.
Our society today is really pushing hard for this 'woke' doctrine. And it is a doctrine - I looked it up. Wikipedia describes it this way:
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the essence of teachings in a given branch of knowledge or in a belief system.
It is being pushed in our schools, in social media, in the work place, on the news! In a world that is constantly pushing everyone to believe the same way - I can't help but turn to the bible to see if this has ever happened before. The instance that comes to mind is in Genesis 11. The tower of Babel. They came together in "one language and one speech."
Genesis 11:1-2 -
"Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and thy dwelt there."
Now some might think that this is redundant - one language and one speech. Isn't that the same thing? No - they had one language yes - but then they all had the same way of thinking. We see in the next verses that God clarifies what that means.
Genesis 11:5-6 -
"But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, 'Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.'"
The people were "one" - of one heart and one mind. They all believed the same thing - and it wasn't the word of God. Ellen White says this:
Patriarchs and Prophets 119 -
"Many of them denied the existence of God and attributed the Flood to the operation of natural causes. Others believed in a Supreme Being, and that it was He who had destroyed the antediluvian world; and their hearts, like that of Cain, rose up in rebellion against Him…The whole undertaking was designed to exalt still further the pride of its projectors and to turn the minds of future generations away from God and lead them into idolatry."
I think that this quote can and should be applied to our time - right now. How many people in the world believe this way? How many don't believe at all? The world that we live in - the society that is ever pressing us to all believe the same way - flies in the face of EVERYTHING that is in the bible and is the foundation for what we believe. Should we, as bible-believing Christians, go along and try to fit in with this 'woke movement"? Should we bring the 'doctrine of woke' and preach it from our pulpits? I say emphatically - NO. Are we to love one another? Yes. Are we respect another's beliefs? Of course. But does that mean that I am to compromise on what the bible says just to make that person or group comfortable? Am I to lose the salvation of my soul - the one the Christ died for - to make them feel good about the decisions that they have make for themselves? Absolutely not.
God tells us what we are supposed to do. Many times in Scripture we are told to 'hold fast' to what we believe. We are told not to worry about what is going on around us - God is the one that is in charge of all - the one who fights for us. One of my favorite times that we are told to 'hold fast' is in Joshua.
Joshua 23:6-11 -
"Therefore be very courageous to keep and do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left hand, and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, but you shall hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day. For the Lord has driven out from before you great and strong nations; but as for you, no one has been able to stand against you to this day. One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you. Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the Lord your God."
Are you on the 'woke' train that this world is offering? Or are you awake to the deceptions of the devil? Just remember that all that remains of Babel is an unfinished tower and empty ruins. Are you wondering around those empty ruins or are you traveling through - not getting distracted - to the beautiful Celestial City that God promises those who 'hold fast' to the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus?
Joshua 24:15 -
"And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."