In the 1960s and 70s self-proclaimed “experts" shouted alarm over global cooling. In the 1980s and 90s these experts shouted alarm over global warming. Since then we have been bombarded with claims of “climate change". as if the alarmists do not wish to be pinned down to anything specific anymore. There are those who respond to these proclamations like Chicken Little thinking the sky is falling. Fearful people can be led to make poor choices.

In 2009 former presidential candidate Al Gore announced that in five years the polar ice cap would have melted. This was a little unusual because most prophetic announcements are usually made in a longer time frame and with greater ambiguity because in the past those who proved false for reasons of lying or incompetence would have had no celebrated future. However, this did not happen to Mr. Gore. Indeed a climate had changed, the social climate. There now seemed no longer to be a consequence for declaring that which was false.

In ancient times a priestly class obtained a comfortable and leisurely life from making declarations about future weather that made an agrarian populace feel good. If the weather should actually turn out unfavorable, they would blame the people for having offended the gods and thus be able to have an even greater income. The priests controlled the social climate through their declarations.

Western Civilization was largely influenced by Christianity. One result was an intolerance for that which was false. This climate started to change with Italian humanism and accelerated during the so-called enlightenment. In the 1800s newspapers started to take responsibility for declaring what was true and then colleges were established to provide a new priestly class.

We have had a change in social climate so dramatic that proposals that the police should be abolished or that people entering the country illegally should be rewarded with half a million dollars each are put forth with little objection. One might well ask how we came to such a state of foolishness. The simple answer is that as a people we have rejected truth and embraced that which makes us feel good.

Our social climate has changed and for the worse. Truth is assaulted and lies and foolishness are elevated. The bible tells us that woe is upon those who call good evil and evil good. Civilizations that go down this road weaken themselves for invasion or simply economic and social collapse. As Christians, we may not be able to encourage our fellow citizens to embrace truth. The public forum seems to be fully in the hands of the liars, thieves, perverts, and others of low character.

Peter wrote his first letter to believing Jews in what is now western Turkey. They were most likely refuges from Israel where believers in Jesus as Messiah were not welcome. They were probably discouraged as their expectations of the return of Jesus and the establishment of the earthly kingdom seemed year by year to become less real. Paul also wrote to those who were discouraged in Ephesus (Ephesians 3:13-21).

As our own society so rapidly turns its back on truth and Christ, we might also borrow from the exhortations to those almost 2,000 years ago to remain steadfast and faithful. While the world melts down, we can draw strength from Him who has saved us.