At its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum recently called for “The Great Reset.” Representing many of the world’s most powerful people, the Forum’s founder (Klaus Schwab) says a new movement called “the Fourth Industrial Revolution” will lead to “…a fusion of our physical, our digital and our biological identities.”  

Schwab believes the COVID-19 pandemic “represents a rare but narrow window of opportunity to reflect, reimagine and reset our world to create a healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous future.”  With almost religious zeal, he declares, “nothing will ever return to the ‘broken’ sense of normalcy that prevailed prior to the crisis.”  The aim of the Forum is to deliver us from our “broken normalcy.”

I reference “The Great Reset” to expose the folly of such grand schemes for humanity, and point to the true historic “Reset” in the incarnation of God himself into history.  Jesus declared himself to be “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” of human history (Rev 21:13). 

I write about “The Great Reset” during this Advent season, because Advent is meant to prepare (reset) our hearts to receive Jesus anew as our savior.  This has been a difficult year for many.  There is much uncertainty about the future and hope seems to grow dim for believers.  The subtle voice of the utopians wants to convince us of its solutions, overshadowing Jesus as the Lord of history. 

Men, we all need a new and fresh spiritual reset in light of the present suspicion, reluctance and uncertainty about the future.  But I want to shout about the elites who gather in Davos, “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them” for their arrogance and defiance of the almighty Lord of hosts (Ps. 2:4).

First, in our true reset we can be confident that God has spoken decisively in his Son Jesus. Hebrews 1:2 declares, “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things.”  Paul boldly proclaims, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17). John begins his gospel with these resounding words, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).  “Thank you, Father, for sending your only begotten Son to save us, enabling us to reset.”  

Second, those hoping for a Davos reset need to know that the spiritual kingdom of God is now reigning in the earth, and that Jesus will come back as Lord of Lords, to establish his everlasting kingdom.  In the book of Revelation, John boldly declares that we will remain with Jesus in his kingdom. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Rev 5:10). 

Third, those hopeful about Davos need to know there are multitudes of humble followers of Jesus laboring in his kingdom, under his authority.  This will bring everlasting results. “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matt 28:18-19)

Finally, we all need to remember that we are at war. Our battle is with the powers of darkness.  The struggle will be great.  “But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!  He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short” (Rev. 12:12).  But Paul tells us Jesus “disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col. 2:15).

Civil unrest in America has been increasing.  As a nation, we hold our collective breath, hoping it will not escalate into civil war.  Personally, I lament the deep anger towards people of faith being accused of “hate speech.”  To express our views is seen as “violence.”  What gives rise to such disconcerting reactions?

I found insight from a two-part essay in Public Discourse, by Carl Trueman, discussing the rise of “Psychological Man.”  Trueman writes, “The notions that human flourishing is found primarily in an inner sense of wellbeing, that authenticity is found by being able to act outwardly as one feels inwardly, and that who we are is largely a matter of personal choice not external imposition have become common intuitions that lie at the heart of our society’s many ills.” 

However, the gospel story is one of looking up and out to a loving creator God, who has rescued us in Christ and filled us with his Spirit, so that we might flourish in Christ. We receive personhood as a gift bestowed by loving heavenly Father, who deeply desires relationship with us.  This is still the “Good News” for our fragmented age.

In Trueman’s words, “The  Expressive Individual” or “Psychological Man” is a “psychological construction.” It is a denial of reality. “We think of ourselves in terms of our inner convictions, our feelings.”  We then “interpret the purpose and meaning of our lives in line with” this view of self.  “Thus, the church, family and nation can be viewed as potential hindrances to personal authenticity.”  For example, a woman can still really be a man. 

This shift in personal consciousness now views language as oppression, while regarding traditional social virtues as political vices. Oppression is characterized as “making people feel bad about themselves, less than fully human or preventing them from being outwardly that which they are inwardly.”  Victims now need protection from moral values. 

Trueman helps makes sense of our cultural confusion.  Our speech as Bible-believing men can be viewed as hate speech.  Words become “speech-acts,” seen as instruments of violence because they cause psychological injury.  Think of the “snowflakes” who need a “safe space.” 

Policing language then becomes necessary.  Declaring the “Good News” is viewed not as virtuous, but as a vice.  “A society built on the notion of radical individual autonomy,” observes Trueman, “where the policing of language by the authorities becomes a vital part of the social contract” will mean that “individual freedom perversely comes to require political authoritarianism.” 

Human flourishing is now found in sexual satisfaction since the freedom of the inner self is shaped by our sexual desires. Sex becomes a matter of identity, rather than an activity.  “Sex is something you are, not merely something you do.”  Culture is seen as repressing our sexual instincts.  “The psychological self thus becomes central to the political struggle as do sex and sexuality.”

Trueman envisions a two-fold response:  First, we need to see the depth of the problem.  We need to explain the world to the church.  Second, we cannot underestimate the depth of the changes taking place.  Trueman’s advice: “….only by modeling true community, oriented toward the transcendent, can the church show a rapidly destabilizing world of expressive individuals that there is something greater, more solid, and more lasting than the immediate satisfaction of personal desires.”

My advice: 1) Know who you are in Christ, 2) Be wise and loving in your speech, 3) Know that speech is going to get more contested, 4) Build on the solid foundation of Jesus,  5) Find a group of like-minded men.