Confronting the Zeitgeist

Have you heard of the word “zeitgeist?” It is an important word. Zeitgeist refers to a dominate thought, spirit, or attitude of a segment of history. An example of this might be helpful. Take the German Nazi party during WWII. Their zeitgeist was the sin of Aryan supremacy.

What is our zeitgeist? Our age is characterized by a hostility towards external authorities. Whether the authority is God, government, a border wall, or the police, millions of people in the US reject authorities outside of themselves.

This rejection of external authority has led to the acceptance of internal authority. The individual is the authority in our age. We are told to be “true to yourself,” to live “your truth,” to “find yourself,” to do “what makes you happy,” and to “follow your heart.” All of this is code language for self-governance. Who’s the boss? You’re the boss!

The problem with this is that God disapproves of it. The Bible teaches that the human heart is "deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jer 17:9). We are not supposed to look inside for governance. If we do, we will lead ourselves astray. Rather, God wants us to look outside of ourselves for governance—specifically, to Him. The Bible calls us to “trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Prov 3:5).

Be watchful for the zeitgeist. It can and will lead you astray. God tells us to turn to him for governance, not to ourselves.

Pastor Chance