The Christian Parallax

Q: What is the Christian parallax?

A: It is the plight of the Christian way of life; a deficiency in the secular worldview which the faith-bassed community must endeavor.

par•al•lax \ˈpa-rə-ˌlaks\ noun
[Middle French parallaxe, from Greek parallaxis, from parallassein to change, from para– + allassein to change, from allos other] 1580: the apparent displacement or the difference in apparent direction of an object as seen from two different points, not on a straight line with the object especially: the angular difference in direction of a celestial body as measured from two points on the earth’s orbit. – Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).

We see this in Psalm twelve, at its end.

Psalm 12:title–8 (ESV)
TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO THE SHEMINITH. A PSALM OF DAVID.
1 Save, O LORD, for the godly one, is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
2 Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart, they speak.
3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts,
4 those who say, “With our tongue, we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?”
5“Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
6 The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.
7 You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever.
8 On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

This is expounded upon greatly in the book of John:

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 3:18–20.

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The grim reality of the Christian way of life, his/her paradoxical plight is that when the truth is revealed at regeneration the outside world is now at odds with how he/she perceives everything. This is why American Christianity and politics are so difficult to co-exist and compromise. What the Christians see in the world and what all others see, is different. This is the conundrum. Although society thinks they are debating issues such as abortion, homosexuality, transgender issues, divorce, crime, social justice, etc… When, in fact, it all boils down to one thing: the abdication of sin, and therefore the denial of God.

Unfortunately, Christians tend to forget about this parallax when they debate issues, vote, or engage in cultural issues. More often than not, we tend to forego our worldview on these issues and give over our theological prerogatives to secular values and moorings. This is problematic and creates debacles in our homes and churches. Nowhere was this more apparent than the COVID-19 lockdowns. Regrettably, most churches put aside scripture and followed societal fear. This turned out to be a grave mistake and America is forever changed because of it.

When times get tough, and persecution of the saints comes (which it will), it would be wise to remember the Christian parallax. The world hates God, we stand with God, which is the definition of righteousness, therefore the world will hate us. This is to be expected and scripture warns us of it.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 15:18–19.