Conspiracies seem to be popping up with growing frequency these days, and to be honest, many of them seem quite credible.  But recently I felt cautioned by the Lord to avoid the trap of a “conspiratorial worldview.”  It’s a little nuanced, but let me explain.  

Our worldview is revealed by the way we answer the most foundational questions of life:

• Who is God?   
• Who is man? 
• What’s the problem with the world? 
• How can the world be fixed?  

It’s the third question, “What’s wrong with the world?” that can lead us astray.  Politicians, pundits, and podcasters often identify people and groups as the problem: Palestinians, Israelis, Communists, political parties, secret societies,  globalists, the Deep State, the media, blacks, whites, immigrants, and the list goes on …  It’s a subtle temptation to scapegoat, and begin thinking “If we could just eliminate these people the world would begin to heal.”

To be clear, people and groups can and do complicate our problems, but according to the scriptures these are not at the root.  The real problem with the world is sin: that cursed rebellion and blindness that wars in each of our hearts, including my own.  The writer of Genesis tells us that “sin is crouching at the door.”  *  

To identify groups and people as the problem is to miss the truth and open the door to resentment and blame.  

It’s the easiest thing in the world to fall into subtle anger and bitterness towards others: Racism, political enmities, antisemitism, phobias and bigotries of every sort.  Hostility will never solve our social problems.  It only pollutes and poisons what might have been redemptive.  “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and abuse you.” * Redemption and change will happen only when we embrace the love of Jesus.

Likewise, blame is no less destructive.  It deflects the focus from our own culpability and kicks it into the court of others.  “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” *  The only way forward happens when each of us recognizes our own sin. The problem with the world is not “out there” in others, but rather hiding in my own heart.        

In the worldview of Jesus, (who actually created the world, and knows exactly what the problem is), our task is to differentiate between people and sin: hate the sin and love the sinner.  

* Genesis 4:7
* Matthew 5:44
* Matthew 7:3