Is humanism the same as today’s progressive movement?

Q: I struggle with living in the Christian world and still being part of the whole world. Is humanism the same as today’s progressive movement? — P.H.

A: Humanism is the worship of man. It has taken on the form of religion; glorifying self and taking God out of His rightful place. This has always been prevalent in the world and is called by many different names.

A London magazine carried a story that said, “No more subtle enemy has ever faced the Christian church than this one which dethrones her God and replaces Him with His [creation].” Young people today may not know who Julian Huxley was, but he said that if humanism is to acquire a wider appeal, it must become a religion.

And so it has. Humanism has become for many a polite name for a vocal and aggressive movement against God’s truth to advance its own brand of social influence. Humanism is not new; it emerged in the Garden of Eden. It is the yielding to Satan’s first temptation of Adam and Eve. He told them they could be gods (see Genesis 3:5).

Mankind continually rejects the revelation of the Bible concerning the true and living God, substituting gods of its own making. Many intellectuals have come to believe that the human mind can understand everything eventually. This is nothing but total rebellion towards God and Satan is behind it all. The underlying principle of all the devil’s tactics is deception.

The Bible warns, “The devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him” (1 Peter 5:8-9). The Lord will help us stand strong in the face of deception if we will stay in the Word of God and pray that He will give us discerning minds. The important thing for all of Christ’s followers is to live “in Christ” as the Bible teaches.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

©2021 Billy Graham Literary Trust. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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