By Dr. Larry Banta
One of the most destructive forces in our culture is passivity: sitting back as a spectator, not participating, not doing our part.
God has a problem with passivity. If we fail to feed ourselves spiritually and live according to what the Word tells us, we soon find ourselves drifting into dangerous passivity. We no longer care about the things of God but become more involved in ourselves, our own lives, our passions, our desires.
Speaking to one of the seven churches in the book of Revelation, Jesus says:
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” – Revelation 3:15,16
The second law of thermodynamics states basically that everything tends toward chaos. So, if you don’t do anything, things don’t just sit there, they get worse. If you fail to take care of your house or car, it soon will start to fall apart. By our actions we can reverse the chaos. Alternatively, by inaction we can let it proceed. This is true in our spiritual life as well.
Cain was the first to partake of the poison of passivity. He likely knew what sacrifice he needed to offer to please God, but in his passivity, he brought only grain. He could have traded some grain for a lamb from his brother and all would have been well.
Genesis 4:6,7: “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”
God explained that he just needed to do right or watch out! Sin is waiting to take over.
Passivity works like a poison, slowly and persistently drawing us into a state of apathy, not really caring, not really desiring to make a change or put energy into ourselves or our lives, leaving ourselves open for sin to take over. As we read on in Genesis 4, we see – just as God had said – sin took over and Cain killed Abel.
Passivity leads to chaos in our lives. One can simply live life as a spectator and not really notice what dangers are lurking. We can see the poison in the workplace, in the church, and especially in the family. We fail to live up to Christian standards at work, succumbing to the bad jokes and foul language, half-completed jobs, doing just enough to get by and get paid.
In the church we sit enjoying the worship as though it was a show for our benefit, being critical of the “performance” if not up to our standard. Jobs and opportunities to serve come up, but those are for the other folks.
We sit by while the schools raise our children according to their secular standards. We come home from work to head straight to the TV or game room to entertain ourselves, while the children come home and go to their rooms and engage in social media and games that are teaching them the ways of the world. The family dinner table is avoided in favor of each person grabbing something and heading back to the entertainment. No communication, no teaching, no training, no involvement, no family devotion time. We then wonder what happened, why they turned out as they did.
It is so easy, especially in our culture – the wealthiest in the world – to let the world begin to remold and overtake us. If we allow the poison of passivity to take a foothold in our lives, then gradually we move away from God.
It may start with
Doubting God. We then are easily
Diverted to the ways of the world then
Deception starts to creep in. Before you are even aware of it, you are being
Deployed by the enemy! Used for his purpose. Soon he is done with you and will
Destroy you.
1 Peter 5:8: Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
In accepting Christ as our Savior, we also accept Him as Lord. Master. Boss. If He is Lord, we are servants. We must accept the responsibility that goes with putting on Christ. Maybe we did not realize we were entering a battle. We are to be transformed into what God wanted us to be. We were not to lie dormant absorbing all the benefits of salvation only. Transformation is active involvement and change as described in Romans, starting in chapter 12 and then through the rest of the book. It is something that we are about for our entire lives. We are either transforming, moving forward, growing, becoming more like Jesus, or conforming to the ways of the world. Passivity is not neutral but falling into the ways of the world, moving away from God.
Romans 12:1-2: I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
When we have been poisoned, we call Poison Control. We have our spiritual poison control as well. Starting from the basics, I John 1:9,10 states: But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts (NLT).
Confess and repent. Repenting is changing our minds, turning around, not just confessing and going about our lives the same way. Our next step is to fix our eyes on Jesus. Get back into his Word. Start praying. Get back to church. There are so many good Bible-believing churches that can help you be restored. Then put on the armor and get to work (Ephesians 6:14-18).
Ephesians 6:12: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Rejecting the poison of passivity and accepting the Lordship of Jesus will transform your life and even those around you.
Our journey with Christ can be fulfilling if we choose to stay close, keep on top of our faith, staying strong on the foundation of His Word and working out our faith, doing what God has in mind for us. We can do well and share in the blessings, maintaining joy and enthusiasm.
Ephesians 2:10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Dr. Larry Banta is an author of several books, a retired psychiatrist, and a former missionary. He served in India, Mexico and Kenya. He and his wife, Evelyn, a counselor, travel together to provide consultation and training in various international locations.
