We live in a Democracy……..a country based on the principle that “all men are created equal”. This is a noble idea. There are cultures where this principle does not exist. The most notable culture that operates under a rigid class system is India. Though legally ended in the 50’s, this caste system persists in India and elsewhere. The top level is the Brahmins. The bottom level is the Dahlits…….the untouchables. In a rigid caste system, you are born into a class. There is absolutely nothing that you can do to rise above your station.

The echoes of caste mentality ring down into our American culture. A recent movie, Young Washington, deals with George Washington and his struggle to overcome the British peerage system. Slavery was an accepted part of our culture for a century. It’s stepchild, racism still persists.

The idea that you can be held back by a label that you were assigned at birth offends us. Racist is one of the most damaging slurs that you can apply to another American. Our politicians regularly use it in an attempt to silence anyone who disagrees with them.

And yet.

We live in a universe that is divided into two “castes”. We are born into a caste that we cannot rise above…….no matter how we try. The two castes?

Mankind and God……the Trinity.

How we respond to this reality defines us. How we respond to this reality divides us into two distinct groups……groups that cannot agree on many of the key issues that our culture faces. Even more importantly, how we respond to this reality determines our destiny.

The two groups?

Secular humanism……..and deism……..in my case Christianity.

As a Christian, I accept that there is an entity that operates on an entirely different level……..God. No matter what I do, I will always be a man. I will never be God. I am a second-class citizen of the universe. I accept this reality with humility. I honor and worship a God who operates on a plane that I will never rise up to…….a God who makes the rules: love God…..love each other. I accept the reality that God is in charge and that I am not. I don’t get to “second guess” God.

The secular humanist is so offended by this reality that they deny the existence of a superior being…….a higher power. They deny the existence of a higher “spiritual” plane. They limit their reality to a world where we are all “created equal”……..a world governed by the laws of science. A side effect of this world view is that they get to make the rules…….they are in charge.

Both groups cannot be right.

So…….who is wrong?

There either is a higher “spiritual” plane that is run by God……or…..mankind is the highest plane. What is the evidence?

Mankind does a lot of good. But we also do a lot that is bad:

Drugs

Recreational sex

Untruths

War

Hate

Slavery

Every one of us does things that are just wrong……every day. In our hearts, we know this. The very concept of “right” is clear evidence that our culture is wrong. And we are wrong along with it.

The secular humanist acknowledges this and sets a threshold of “good enough”. The problem is that we typically set this bar just below the level of “goodness” that we operate on. We give ourselves permission to do wrong things……just not too many. We pat ourselves on the back and tell ourselves that we are “good people”. And this is true……..halfway.

The Christian sets the bar much higher. The Christian uses God’s bar of right and wrong. And we fail…….again and again. We strive for a goal that we cannot reach…….without help…….without supernatural help.

To sum it up:

We live in a temporal world of right, wrong, and unattainable perfection. We can either strive for perfection with the supernatural help of God.

Or.

We can deny God and settle for “good enough” on our own.

We can be second class citizens of this broken culture with the hope of one day living with our creator in a perfect world.

Or

We can be the rulers of this imperfect culture……and have nobody to blame but ourselves.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God explaining the difference, Isaiah 55: 8-9, ESV