A Biblical Request to “Wake Up The Woke”

I recently published a short-form post playing on the words “woke” and “wake” with a desire to open minds beyond the human challenges we face here on earth. To look beyond the natural, which has a clear endpoint at death, toward the supernatural, which is eternal. 

The day it came out, I received a thoughtful response from a long-time atheist reader as follows…

Climate Change is Real.. but…

Of course he makes a valid point. From a Biblical Christian perspective, we have been given stewardship responsibilities by God to take care of the earth, and I have made that point before (here). However, since Adam and Eve sinned and were banned from Eden, man has always had earthly challenges. Today, in America, we hear constantly about White nationalism, transgender discrimination, systemic racism, homelessness, crime, gun violence, illegal immigration, fears around China, artificial intelligence, Russia, UFO’s, and the like. And yes, of course, the growing long-term impact of climate change is an important concern (see post). But, as Biblical Christians, what should our priorities be? 

My evangelistic intent was much deeper. 

In the original post, “The Bible Sadly Predicts many of the Woke will not Wake up in Time” (see post) I tried to subtly suggest these worldly problems can intentionally (Mark 4:19a) distract mankind from our eternal destiny. Ultimately, each of us has an earthly end-date, and according to God, Christians (at the Rapture)  and the world as a whole also have an end-point. I concluded the post with the plea, 

“Please wake up to your eternal, rather than earthly, life and follow Christ through faith, as both your Savior and your Lord. To do so means rejecting mankind’s version of truth and focusing on God’s revealed Word.”

Woke vs. Wake – Going Deeper

To the reader/responder I offered the observation that there is a deeper point in play than God having “no hands but our hands” to save the planet. He can do whatever He wants, with or without our help. After all, we and the rest of the universe, are His creation. Perhaps more germane are two more obvious Christian theological points. First, we are immortal beings and our citizenship is in Heaven, not earth (Phil. 3:20). Yes, we are to be caretakers of the earth, but are merely “passing through“. Second, the Bible makes clear that God has an endpoint to this world, one of His choosing, and a timetable we can neither predict or impact.

My play on words (woke and wake) was intended to speak more to the importance of a relationship with God (being awake) than a myopic focus on climate change among other more earthly matters (woke). In that sense, the comment my responder made was very much on track when he suggested my focus was not “down here in the real world”, since there truly is more eternal significance in conducting our lives in view of the “New Earth” to come (Rev. 21:1). I would contend that being “in touch with reality” has more to do with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in the supernatural realm than it does with the challenges we face in the natural realm. 

John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”