27 December 2022
It's not that we want to be socially isolated, but that we cannot avoid it. For this reason, we should prepare for the worst, and trust in the Lord to grant relief in due time. That relief will come; the Covenant gospel will draw people eventually. The burden on us who are called to it now is to ensure it stands firm and fully established. We are the trailblazers.
In so doing, this calls for us to build a solid ground of experience. On the one hand, we know that many have taken variations of this path throughout history. There's a lot we could recover from those who went before us. At the same time, there is much that is unique in our situation historically, and we must forge a fresh path through our own wilderness.
Indeed, I believe that from here on out, to the very end and our Lord's Return, there must of necessity be a growing emphasis on Covenant faith standing in social isolation. I truly believe: When people begin to rebuild civilization after the solar catastrophes, it will be worse than the previous. In general, the Bible prophesies that human society will continue a long decline until The End, and it's not always a steady decline. Rather, it has taken leaps and bounds, and will do so again. Just so, the next round will be far worse than what we have seen so far.
In particular, we need to craft a pattern and structure of thinking that takes full advantage of the context. For example, I have long noted that our best hope for fellowship has been online. The Lord has not seen fit to show us much detail from His plans, but it's obvious to see that the Internet has allowed those of us called to his hard path to find each other. Yet, we know that the easy networking could all evaporate in a moment. Thus, while we take advantage of the fellowship opportunities, a major emphasis must remain preparation for the coming days of isolation, when the Net will cease to be such an accommodation for us.
We need to develop a lore we can share while sharing is possible. And that lore needs to fit us for staying on the path of Covenant faith and conviction when everything in our world seeks to squelch them. We need to learn the ways of sanity in the midst of moral chaos. The task is not to shield ourselves, but to become stronger than the storm, to let it blow through us without doing any damage.
Obviously I'm referring to a transcendent mindset. This is very much a core element in what I refer to as Christian Mysticism. We become otherworldly because our Father calls us to His side, and He resides in the Spirit Realm. We must choose to embrace what many still regard as an insult: We become so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. Whatever "good" can be had in this fallen realm is not worth anything. The only genuine good possible is in another realm.
Whatever fellowship we could have on any other basis is also not worth having, except perhaps as the means to a higher end. We don't become hostile, but remain open and genuinely affable to all. However, the root of our generous nature is not here, only the fruit. Thus, our only true fellowship stands rooted in Eternity. We have a foot in both worlds. We persist here only so that we can connect others to the Eternity we ourselves long to see in person.
Because sin is so deep and pervasive, we cannot avoid being isolated. We need to get comfortable with it.
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