Dear Brethren and Co-workers with Christ,
Do we realize how priceless the knowledge is that has been given to us? Consider the fact that you recognize the existence of God. I must assume this, as you are a supporter of this Work. Belief in God is no small matter. It changes the way we think about nearly everything. Knowing of God’s existence opens to us purpose and meaning and gives us hope through times both easy and difficult.
Newsweek magazine reported that the highly respected researcher, author, and academic, George Barna, in conjunction with the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University and Foundations of Freedom, will soon release a poll with some startling conclusions regarding American culture. Note this headline: “Nearly 40 Percent of U.S. Gen Zs, 30 Percent of Young Christians Identify as LGBTQ, Poll Shows.” The survey found that “Among Millennials [those born between 1984 and 2002], 30 percent identify as LGBTQ, more than three times that of the rest of the adult population, and when the researchers broke out the youngest of the group, ages 18-24 (which some call Gen Z), they found 39 percent called themselves LGBTQ.” Only slightly fewer than 30 percent of professing Christian Millennials share this identity.
An important conclusion is that most of those identifying as LGBTQ do not necessarily live that lifestyle. So why do they identify as such? To be LGBTQ today is celebrated in popular culture. It is exalted, praised, “liked” on social media. It’s cool. But, as the article points out, underlying it all is a lack of purpose and meaning in life. Young people are looking for identity, belonging, purpose.
That is why I ask, “Do we realize how priceless the knowledge is that has been given to us?” It is so easy to take for granted what we have—knowledge most citizens of planet Earth lack. We have the knowledge they need. How to get it to them is the difficult part. In general, younger generations have been fed a steady diet of anti-God rhetoric. If there is no God, there can be no life after death, and therefore no grand purpose beyond live for today, only to cease life forever!
And religion is not much better. Who gets truly excited about going to a purposeless heaven where the great reward, we are told, is to stare into the face of God for eternity, the so-called “beatific vision”? As I often refer to it—a celestial drug trip. This is only one idea of heaven. Others think of getting wings and floating on clouds playing harp music forever.
A well-known Peggy Lee song, for those of us old enough to remember, asks the question in the refrain, “Is that all there is, is that all there is?” It then gives the obvious conclusion where there is no overriding purpose in life: “If that’s all there is, my friends, then let’s keep dancing. Let’s break out the booze and have a ball. If that’s all there is.” Did not the Apostle Paul say the same? “If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’” (1 Corinthians 15:32). Sadly, that is the mental state in which this generation finds itself, not only the young, but many older folks as well.
It is the mind of God, as expressed in the Bible, that gives us the roadmap for life and the living hope of a meaningful end to the journey. That is what most of mankind is missing. That is why people get caught up in trendy causes, whether LGBTQ, or vegan diets to save the planet by reducing bovine flatulence. Have they never read how many buffalo once roamed the North American plains and prairies? Apparently not. Schools are more interested in indoctrinating our youth in “woke culture” than teaching natural history.
This generation has, as President Franklin D. Roosevelt said of his generation, “a rendezvous with destiny.” We are rapidly, far more rapidly than many suspect, approaching the climax of the ages. Our world as we know it is coming to an end, but that is not bad news for those of us familiar with biblical prophecy, which is nothing less than history written in advance. As Jesus encourages us, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28). Yes, there is living hope for a better world coming to those who are called, chosen, and faithful (Revelation 17:14).
As Paul explains, “For all who are moved by the Spirit of God are sons of God. The Spirit you have received is not a spirit of slavery leading you back into a life of fear, but a Spirit that makes us sons, enabling us to cry ‘Abba! Father!’ In that cry the Spirit of God joins with our spirit in testifying that we are God’s children; and if children, then, heirs. We are God’s heirs and Christ’s fellow-heirs, if we share his sufferings now in order to share his splendour hereafter” (Romans 8:14-17, New English Bible). Wow! Children of God and joint heirs with Christ! What an amazing plan God has in mind for us (Romans 11:33-36).
Jesus’ parables of the minas (Luke 19:11-27) and talents (Matthew 25:14-30) reveal a reward leading to an eternal life of productivity. It will begin with us aiding the returned Christ in bringing peace to this earth, to give all people everywhere a hope beyond a short, physical existence. But what about those who are not yet called—those who survive the turmoil ahead in our immediate future? There are many scriptures describing that world to come. Isaiah 35 comes to mind, and our booklet The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like? gives much detail from the pages of the Bible about that wonderful time.
And our booklet What Is the Meaning of Life? points to scriptures given to enlighten us as to why we are here and what is our great potential. Dear members and co-workers, these are priceless truths for which we ought to be thankful every day. They give us a reason to get up each morning. They are truths the world does not have at this time. Only those who understand them are able to give this hope to a troubled world. Most will reject what we have to say, but we must say it—and some will respond.
Thank you, faithful members and co-workers, for your part in bringing hope to a confused, dying world. More and more people are being exposed to these precious truths. Our offices around the world are excited about the number of individuals requesting our Bible Study Course. Our Tomorrow’s World magazine subscriptions are at their highest level ever and continue to rise, despite a renewal program that drops those who may have lost interest. The magazine remains free, of course, but we do want to know that someone wants it. We want a large readership more than a large subscribership, though we prefer both!
Our work in the French and Spanish languages is growing rapidly. We also have a presence in the Dutch, Afrikaans, and Portuguese languages, and we just started producing Tomorrow’s World voice-over telecasts to upload to our German website. We are striving to get the good news to India, China, and throughout Africa. And just today I received notice that our Canadian-produced Viewpoint series will be doubling immediately from a new video every two weeks to a new video every week. This series is intended to reach a younger and more secularly minded audience. You can access these Viewpoints in English at YouTube.com/TomorrowsWorldViewpoint or in French at YouTube.com/PointDeVueDuMondeDeDemain. Also, please check out our updated Living Church of God website at lcg.org to access articles, Bible studies, and other materials that are not available at our Tomorrow’s World website.
None of these efforts would be possible without your prayers and financial support. Thank you seems so inadequate, but we do genuinely thank you from the heart!
Sincerely, in Christ’s service,
Gerald E. Weston