Our toxic world

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

– 2 Timothy 1:13

You might have seen news clips on the evening news of men in white protective gear, looking like astronauts preparing a moonwalk with breathing apparatus in place, striving to remove some radioactive substance or pollutant that jeopardizes the public. Chances are you’ve seen the toxic warning signs – three black symbols – against a bright yellow background. Our word toxic comes from a Latin word

toxicum that means “poison.” It was related to the word that ancient Greeks used for a bow and arrow. Today, there are many toxic substances that the ancients have never seen. The word is applied to far more than chemicals that are sprayed in your environment. The adjective toxic can also be applied to religion, to your thinking, to friendships that have gone bad – even to your marriage that is slowly dying.

Far more is polluted today than your water and food. Life has become toxic and when you don’t recognize the symptoms and know how to fight the toxicity of our age, you slowly become a victim.

As surprising as it may seem to you, the Bible has a lot to say about toxicity in our relationships and our faith. Never embracing a “believe whatever you want” or “embrace the God within you” or “do the best you can under the circumstances,” the Bible gives clear direction about what is to be embraced and what is to be rejected. Reject the toxic. Embrace the pure.

Used with permission from Guidelines International Ministries. To learn more about Guidelines and the ministry, send an e-mail to info@guidelines.org. You may also visit www.guidelines.org.