53.   

*      Despite much ‘religiosity’ and ‘ churchianity ‘ up

                              to the mid 1880s, this message survived and  

                              underpinned  western civilization.

*    Then Charles Darwin made atheism respectable and the

    incredible notion that the universe ‘ just happened ’ was

    born . His  ‘survival of the fittest ‘ theory found expression in

    the Nazi race superiority doctrine.

       Great news for those who want an excuse  to throw off

    moral restraints. Not so good for those who get in their

    way. Like the victims of Nazism and Communism etc.

*      Due to compromising with these forces, much

    Institutional  western Christianity is becoming    

    increasingly irrelevant and it opponents more militant.

         Therefore Western civilization, increasingly relativist1c and  

   nihilistic, is  like a ship adrift without  compass, chart or anchor.    

   To a degree,  the blame lies  with followers of Christ, who have

   failed to be His good news that Jesus is  the way the truth 

   and the  life.   

*   So Christians urgently need to return to the relationship with  

   Jesus He  intended them to have, where, like the first Christians,

   they ‘ turned the ( pagan ) world upside down’. Being inspired by     

   God’s love  and empowered by His indwelling Holy Spirit. And 

   being passionate channels of God’s love in the  eternal seeking

   and saving of His lost children. In short, that they find complete

   fulfillment  in   doing all God wants them to do, namely, loving   

   Him  with all their heart,  soul, mind and  strength and their  

   neighbours as themselves.