People who believe the Bible aren’t conspiracy theorists. It’s not a theory—there really is a conspiracy. Hang tight now!
First, the term “conspiracy theory.” David Coady, a lecturer in philosophy at the University of Tasmania, in an article entitled “Conspiracy Theory as Heresy,” makes the following observation: “Although the term ‘conspiracy theory’ lacks any fixed definition,…its function, like that of the word ‘heresy’ in medieval Europe, is to stigmatise [sic] people with beliefs which conflict with…orthodox beliefs.”
He continues: “People do conspire. That is, they engage in secretive collective behavior which is illegal or morally questionable. Conspiracies are common in all societies throughout history, and have always been particularly common in politics.…Since people conspire, there can’t be anything wrong with believing they conspire, hence there can’t be anything wrong with believing conspiracy theories.…Conspiracy theories, like scientific theories,…are sometimes true, sometimes false.”
So with that misunderstanding in our rear-view mirror—that people who see a conspiracy are prima facie assumed to be irrational and wrong—let’s look at the mother of all conspiracies.
Here it is in black and white. John says, “We know that…the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” (1 Jn 5:19)
One reason God sent His Holy Spirit into the world was to convince the riders on this runaway orb “of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” (Jn 16:11) In other words, we’re born into the world following a loser. The devil is already done for.
The Psalmist describes the idiocy of puny humans fighting against God: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.’ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh.” (See Ps 2:1-4)
In fact, Paul explains, we were all in on this conspiracy: “You once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” (Eph 2:2)
Not seeing the conspiracy for what it is will be deadly. A Pretender has swindled the rule of the planet from its rightful King, taking our world on a one-way ride to perdition.
Why don’t more people see this and switch sides before it’s too late? Because their “minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” (2 Cor 4:4) His favorite tactic in the West? Amusements. A-muse simply means “not to think.”
How can we break free? Stop fighting against God’s Word. Agree with Him when He says we’re the rebels Christ died to save. Agree that we can’t save ourselves; we need a Champion. Then accept His terms—unconditional surrender.
Those who give in to His awesome love will immediately discover that God “has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col 1:13-14)
Come join Heaven’s counter-insurgency, spreading faith and love. Faith makes all things possible; love makes all things beautiful. And that’s worth fighting for.
Religion Page article by Jabe Nicholson first published in the Commercial Dispatch on Sunday, Jan 30, 2022.