Living in a politheistic society

What is a Polytheistic Society?

A polytheistic society is one in which people worship multiple gods and goddesses. In our modern world, we face a similar landscape; we have different religions, a multitude of denominations, and the rise of atheism and witchcraft. In such a society, religious faith becomes confused. Everyone believes they are right, and the mantra becomes "live and let live." People say, "You have your truth, and I have mine," even when those "truths" are in direct contradiction to one another.

How does this impact Christians?

Many Christians become paralyzed. They are fearful of confronting others in their errors because they might be labeled as "extremists." As a result, many become overly "open-minded," accepting and even celebrating every particular belief system. The result is ecumenism—everyone coming together in a fragile "religious harmony" while holding beliefs that are completely incompatible.

Accepting everyone's beliefs as equally valid is not love; it is cowardice. God has not called us to cowardice. Truth exists, and we must preach what is right. While we must respect every single person as a creature of God, we must also actively work to promote the truth of God as it is found in the Bible. We must boldly state that belief systems which deny Christ are false. We must preach against the lack of love in the hearts of many Christians, and we must promote Jesus Christ as the only Savior.

In a polytheistic society, we must be bold. We must confront the lies in our own hearts, the lies in our own belief systems, and the lies of society. The world wants us to be passive concerning our convictions, but we must be valiant for the truth.

If you believe in the Truth of God, preach it and proclaim it; in doing so, your own faith will strengthen. Do not wait until you "know enough" to stand for God. Preach what you know now, and as you do, the Holy Spirit will guide you into further truth.

Finding freedom from society

 Society Will Enslave You

Society will enslave you—not necessarily on purpose. It isn't as if there is someone sitting behind a desk plotting to shackle the masses; while such people may exist, that is not what I am speaking about here. I am speaking about how the very nature of human society inevitably enslaves us.

How Does Society Enslave? Human beings are social creatures, and in order to live in harmony, we create social norms. We define what is acceptable and what is not. There is nothing inherently wrong with norms that facilitate peace, but enslavement begins when society starts to define the very meaning of life for everyone as a whole.

For example, a society will teach young women a specific standard of beauty. It might say a truly beautiful woman must have a stretched neck, a narrow waist, or a curved figure. Automatically, any woman who does not fit that image feels worthless or inferior. As a result, many will spend their lives searching for ways to match that standard. Conversely, the woman who does fit the image may become arrogant, feeling superior to her peers.

Similarly, a society will teach young men that they are only "men" if they fight in wars, seduce many women, or possess a high net worth and a fancy car. Societies invent all sorts of metrics to compare people, making some feel superior and others inferior. Life becomes a struggle to impress others at the expense of our peace and mental health. As long as we are chasing goals established by society, we will suffer from inner, mental, and spiritual struggles.

 The way to break free is to first recognize that God made you unique. He gave you a specific body type for a reason, and you are beautiful just the way He created you. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on implants to be "beautiful." Accept yourself as God made you.

Interestingly, God promotes uniqueness while society demands uniformity. Society wants everyone to look and behave the same while merely proclaiming to be different. You must break free from this "conformity mindset."

 Break free from bondage by refusing to let society determine what "success" looks like for you. As long as there is no evil involved, success should be an individual pursuit. For one person, success may be a large house, a spouse, and two children. For another, it could be a small cabin in the country. For one, it may mean a million dollars; for another, simply having enough for today. Do not let society define your worth by comparing you to others.

True success is living out God’s specific calling for your life. Abraham was rich, David was a king, Elijah was poor, and John the Baptist lived in the wilderness. Yet all of these men were successful because they lived within the will of God. Can you imagine the grief John the Baptist would have felt if he had complained to God about his poverty? If he had compared his life to the riches of Solomon, he would have been miserable. But he was not, because he was exactly where he was called to be.

 Society enslaves us by making us believe success is found only by chasing what everyone else is chasing. In the United States, it is often money; in other cultures, it may be military glory or the size of one's family. These narrow definitions are often nonsense.

With the help of the Lord, define your own path. Let success be a personal definition between you and your Creator. Society’s standards are ever-changing, but God's purpose for you is steadfast. You will find greater joy in following the unique path He has set for you than in the "bundling together" society attempts to force upon us. Set your own path, define your own success, and break free.

Life's purpose

A life without purpose is a living death. In our time, many are living without direction, and as a result, life can be deeply painful. Depression is rampant where there is no purpose. Life without a mission deteriorates into a search for pleasure and a desire to numb the self with all manner of drugs and distractions. You can tell that for many people in America, life lacks a clear aim because it is so often focused on escaping reality.

Is making money life’s purpose? No. While money is needed to facilitate life in this world, it cannot be the ultimate reason for our existence. Purpose is much more than a paycheck.

What is Purpose? When we speak of purpose, we are talking about the fundamental reason for something's existence. We were not created and brought into this world simply to accumulate wealth. There are primitive societies that do not use money at all, yet their members often live with a clearer sense of purpose and joy than those in wealthy Western nations.

When looking for a purpose, we must look at the long term. How will my actions in this life contribute to the world 100 years from now, or in the eternal world to come? A true purpose is one that has a lasting impact.

 Serving others brings more joy than living for oneself. In every area of life, service is the true goal. Marriage is about serving your spouse; work is about serving your employer; and a business is about serving the community.

While many people get married for selfish reasons—to be served by another—or work and start businesses solely to make a profit, these self-serving motives will eventually leave them empty and broken. Life is truly about service: uplifting others and bringing value to their lives.

 It is a fundamental shift in thinking that brings true joy. Imagine waking up in the morning and thinking: How can I make the life of someone else better today? How can I contribute to the betterment of humanity? When you achieve the goal of bringing relief and peace to someone else, the joy you feel is worth more than billions of dollars.

Death is certain, but you decide your legacy. What impact do you want to make in this world? How do you want people to remember you? Do you want to be remembered as a selfish individual whom people are relieved to see gone, or as a great loss to humanity because of the positive impact you made?

 If you want to truly start enjoying life, begin to focus less on yourself and more on serving others. Focus less on how much money you can make and more on how you can use your blessings for the benefit of others. A self-centered life that demands to be the center of the world is a "living death" that will never find satisfaction. But a life focused on service is a purposeful life.

The Lord has blessed us—not so that we may hoard those blessings, but so that we may use them to be a blessing to others. The purpose of life is service to God and to our fellow man, for it is in service that we find life’s highest joy.

The love of money 💵: A corrupting influence

 The Bible says, "The love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Timothy 6:10). Yet, if you were to walk around and ask most people, "Do you love money?" the answer would be no. Especially in a Christian setting, the response would be a definite "no," but reality often tells a different story.

What does it truly mean for a person or a society to love money? It doesn't mean you go around professing your affection for it. America is a capitalistic society—an economic system where private individuals and organizations own the means of production, and the market determines prices and distribution. The primary characteristic of this system is the drive for profit.

 In America, life is often centered on the chase. When acquiring money becomes the ultimate goal, both the society and the individual become corrupted. This is the true "love of money": when the acquisition of wealth becomes your highest priority. It is seen when the thing that moves you—or stresses you—the most in the morning is your finances. It is seen when the majority of your prayers are focused solely on money and the lack thereof.

 When money becomes the goal of life, quality inevitably declines.

• Education: It becomes a for-profit business rather than a tool for character development. Colleges focus on student acquisition, and students choose majors based on potential salary rather than a calling to learn or serve.

• Healthcare: When medicine is profit-driven, the focus shifts toward "pushing drugs" and billing insurance for multiple visits rather than focusing on genuine cures and prevention.

• The Church: Even the pulpit is not immune. As churches lose sight of the Gospel, they focus on membership numbers. The quality of the message decreases as the desire for tithes and offerings increases. Preaching the hard truth can alienate people, and alienating people means fewer donations.

 As the love of money takes hold, societal cohesion diminishes. Relationships suffer as men and women become consumed by their careers, neglecting their internal and interpersonal development. We become "professionals" in our fields but remain ignorant of how to maintain a marriage or raise children. Spouses and children are neglected because "time is money," and we feel we cannot afford to spend time on things that don't yield a financial return.

This pursuit reduces human beings to a near-animal state—where comfort, food, and material things become the highest goals, while spiritual, mental, and emotional growth are ignored.

 There is a famous quote: "Money is a good servant, but a terrible master." Do not let money be your driving force. It is perfectly fine to have money, but we must learn to live below our means and be content with what we have. Do not fall into the trap of needing more money to buy more "stuff," which then requires you to work even harder to maintain that lifestyle.

In America, we say, "Time is money." This reveals our misplaced priorities. Time is not money; time is probationary time given to us by God to choose whom we will serve.

If you want a life of higher quality, do not let money dominate it. Put God first, followed by your family and your service to humanity. Prioritize personal and spiritual growth over the acquisition of "pieces of paper." Remember, it is the love of money—not money itself—that is the root of all evil.