Living in Babylon
We Are Living in Babylon, not Jerusalem
[This is the first of several articles that I will be publishing on this theme.]
As a Christian leader, I have had the privilege of working with people in and from many different nations. I have worked with church leaders and marketplace leaders. I enjoy learning the customs and cultures of various peoples, and I seek to embrace those customs and cultures as I am working with people. Obviously, I have learned that all nations and people groups are different. Some differences are more obvious, while other differences are quite subtle. However, discerning the differences makes all the difference in our leadership effectiveness.
All leadership is contextually determined. Understanding our leadership context is essential if we want to have any influence at all. What works in one context may be completely ineffective in another context. What is acceptable in one context may be completely offensive in another context. We cannot quickly change our context, but we can change our leadership to work within our context. For example, if I am giving constructive feedback to someone in the US, then I would speak to the person directly and openly. If I am giving constructive feedback to someone in parts of Asia, then I would give that feedback more indirectly so that the person does not lose face.
Navigating the Challenge
Navigating the subtle differences in our leadership contexts presents the greatest challenges for leaders. I have seen this consistently over the past two decades in London. I often tell people that I speak two languages fluently — "English" and "American". (People in England tend to laugh while people in America tend to look confused.) Because of my London context and my connections in both the UK and the US, I most frequently interact with four distinct leadership contexts, each with their own subtle variations — London, England, Scotland, and the US. Although the people in each of these contexts generally speak some form of English, each context has subtle but substantial differences for that determine fruitful leadership.
London has a unique, cosmopolitan micro-culture that differs from the rest of England. When we first visited the US after moving to London, Americans would often say: "Wow! You live in London! What do you think of English culture?" I would always reply, "I don't know; I live in London." (People in England tend to laugh while people in America tend to look confused.) After moving to London, very quickly I learned that I had to adjust my leadership style when I did anything in England outside of London. The contexts were subtly but significantly different.
I also have some close connections in Scotland. Scottish Presbyterians are quite different from London cosmopolitans. Preaching and teaching in Scotland requires a different approach than preaching and teaching in London. Of course, leading in the US requires yet another style of leadership. Although the cultural similarities among London, England, Scotland, and the US are considerable, the cultural differences are considerable as well, subtly determining the effectiveness of our leadership in each context. We cannot expect the context to adjust for us. To lead effectively, we must adjust to the context.
Failing to recognise the subtle cultural differences not only can derail our leadership but it also can cause serious problems for us as leaders. Let me give a quick example from this week's headlines. Scotland has just instituted a Hate Crime law that makes misgendering a transgender person a possible criminal offence. In England and London, many employers require their employees to address transgender people according to their chosen gender. In the US, the debate continues concerning this issue. This means that if I was leading in Scotland and referred to a transgender woman has "he", then I could be fined and put in jail. If I do this in England, then I could be fired. If I do this in the US, then I could be applauded or hated, but I would likely face no further consequences. Of course, this is just one of the more obvious contextual differences that could affect our leadership tremendously.
I mention all this because from a Christian perspective we are now living in the greatest cultural shift (especially in the West) in our lifetimes. Many Christian leaders have failed to perceive and discern this shift, with dire consequences. Some leaders have unconsciously embraced the shift, leading to compromise and complacency. Other leaders have been living in denial, refusing to recognise that a shift has occurred and assuming that they could do the same things in the same ways that they have always done them. Still other leaders, recognising that something massive was happening, have sought to hold back the flood of social change by raging at the stormy wind and waves and assuming they could use worldly means of combat to bring light into the darkness. Of course, this never works.
Although various people have recognised the shift and used several ways to describe what has happened, I think a biblical framework is most helpful for us as Christian leaders. So, this is how I would express the societal shift:
We are living in Babylon, not Jerusalem.
Since the 1960s, British and American societies have been living through a subtle, yet profound shift in our cultural milieu.[1] Various poets and prophets have sought to alert us to the shift but, for the most part, we have failed to listen. Over the past two decades, the significance of this shift has become increasingly unavoidable, as a mighty leviathan rising from the ocean. Even so, many Christians and churches have failed to recognise the magnitude of what has happened and the implications for how we must now live as Christians and churches.
We simply cannot do life and leadership in “Babylon” as we did life and leadership in “Jerusalem”. The two contexts are wildly different, operating according to different customs and laws. Attempting to live and lead in Babylon as we did in Jerusalem may even become immensely dangerous. In Jerusalem, preaching on the street corners about sin might win you a few converts. In Babylon, preaching on the street corners about sin might win you a few convictions and some jail time. In Jerusalem, urging your employees to work hard because you are paying them well might lead to greater productivity. In Babylon, urging your employees to work hard because you are paying them well might lead to "quiet quitting", accusations of bullying, or being sued for constructive dismissal. In Jerusalem, an older adult correcting a teenager on the street for bad behaviour might lead to a peaceful change in behaviour. In Babylon, an older adult correcting a teenager on the street might lead to violence against the adult or even murder. In Jerusalem, churches cooperating with the government might lead to the government embracing Christian values. In Babylon, churches cooperating with the government often leads to churches making moral and spiritual compromises that weaken their worship and ministry.
Jerusalem vs Babylon
As Christians, we must understand the new reality of Babylon and how to live fruitfully and faithfully as Christians within that new reality. Thankfully, both Old and New Testaments in the Bible provide examples of faithful living in Babylon. The Bible gives us many insights into how we can live for Jesus in an alien world. The Jews taken into Babylonian Captivity — into Exile — wrestled with the same kinds of issues with which churches and Christian leaders today must wrestle. In Babylon, Christians must be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves, for we really are living as sheep in the midst of wolves (see Matthew 10:16).
We need to begin by understanding what we mean by "Jerusalem" and by "Babylon".[2] Obviously, we are not talking about the actual Jerusalem or the actual Babylon as depicted in the Bible. Although our present reality might lead to the Harlot Babylon of Revelation 17-18, thankfully we are not yet there. But certainly, our present reality shares many similarities with both biblical Babylons.
Jerusalem — or "Israel", as I may sometimes refer to it — is a society that actively favours and promotes authentic Christian beliefs, values, and perspectives, and expects people living in that society to do so as well, whether or not they are Christians. Historic Judeo-Christian values and perspectives shape the sociocultural system of Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, the society itself favours Christianity, respects Judaism, and tolerates other religions. People tend to esteem Christian leaders and Christian churches in Jerusalem as valued parts of society, who make an essential positive contribution to the world. Governments in Jerusalem allow Christians to have tremendous influence in society. In Jerusalem, not everyone is a Christian, but the unspoken assumption is that everyone would be open to becoming a Christian eventually — it is just a matter of time. The economic system of Jerusalem is a form of capitalism governed by honesty, fairness, property rights, and other biblical values. Jerusalem's social institutions, whether sacred or secular, are founded on Christian values and a Christian vision for humanity. Jerusalem gives Christians and churches a privileged place that often leads to complacency and compromise.
Jerusalem & Christendom
At this point, we need to distinguish "Jerusalem" from "Christendom". Although the two concepts overlap somewhat, Christendom has some distinctives. Christendom involves the direct connection between “church” and “state”. Christendom had its roots in the conversion of Emperor Constantine and his Edict of Milan in 313 CE. Emperor Theodosius I made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire with the Edict of Thessalonica in 380. From that time, Christianity generally flourished in the Roman Empire. After the dissolution of the Roman Empire, the concept arose of Europe as one large church-state, with an ecclesiastical hierarchy and a secular governmental hierarchy, each having their own responsibilities for the spiritual and temporal needs of the people.[3] These two hierarchies were connected and complementary. This was identified as Christendom.[4]
Although church and state were supposed to cooperate, for much of Christendom the two were often in conflict with one another. Across the entire history of Christendom, frequently neither the church nor the state embraced or embodied genuinely Christian values or behaviours. At no point could one say that either the church or the state was perfectly “Christian”. With the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, Christendom began to wane, but it also persisted. The Protestant Reformation represented a challenge to Christendom in many places, which is one reason it was opposed so vigorously. Although echoes of Christendom may still exist in various places around the world today, the concept itself has diminished somewhat.
Historically, the concept of "Jerusalem" perhaps began with the Protestant Reformation — although predecessors existed more than a hundred years earlier in various places around Europe. We can see the concept of Jerusalem emerging in people like John Calvin in Geneva and John Knox in Scotland. The Puritans took the idea with them on the Mayflower to settle in the New World in the 1600s. The Moravians were building a “Jerusalem” in Herrnhut, Germany, in the early 1700s. The Missions movements of the 1800s in the United States and United Kingdom were often seen as sending the missionaries out of their "Jerusalem" to take the gospel to the uttermost parts of the world. One might argue that the concept of "Jerusalem" reached its zenith in the 1950s, particularly in the United States where "in God we trust", by unanimous resolution of the US House and the Senate, became the national motto of the country in 1956. Of course, we could not reasonably assert that immigrants to the US, or US governments, always sought to establish a Jerusalem, as greed, liberty, and glory motivated many – if not most – US settlers and governments. Certainly, one could not argue that the US was a “Christendom” (although the word may have applied to the UK at various times).[5] The framers of the US Constitution explicitly disconnected the “church” from the “state”, although they always expected the “church” to influence the “state” in positive ways.
Babylon
We would describe "Babylon" as a society that passively, if not actively, rejects authentic Christian beliefs, values, and perspectives, and expects everyone to submit to Babylon's ever-changing alternatives. Babylon is attractive and seductive, promising freedom and pleasure. Babylon is also demonically inspired and energized. Spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (see Ephesians 6:12, for example) seek to control Babylon society. Babylon operates with an empire spirit that seeks to subvert and control all people and organisations in the society. What Babylon cannot control, it often seeks to destroy.
Babylon seeks to impose its beliefs, values and perspectives on the seven different areas of society — government, education, business, family, media, sports & arts, and religion. As a sociocultural system, Babylon is hostile to the Gospel and promotes many lifestyles and activities antithetical to Christian practice. Babylon always seeks to portray these lifestyles and activities as something good and beneficial when, according to the Bible, they are destructive and harmful. Babylon is also a counterfeit multicultural movement, claiming to respect all cultures but seeking to impose its own values on all cultures. It takes the same approach to religions, allowing people to practice whatever religion they want privately as long as it does not intrude into public life or challenge Babylon's values.
The economic system of Babylon resembles capitalism, but it is not capitalism, historically understood. Instead, it is a pseudo-capitalism that promotes consumerism and materialism. Babylon’s economy operates on the basis of unequal weights and measures (e.g. Proverbs 20:10). It is an economic system where few get excessively rich at the expense of many. Instead of producing prosperity for all, Babylon's economic system generates wealth at the expense of people, often producing serfs and slaves instead of promoting well-being for all. In Babylon's economic system which mimicks capitalism, the new economic "lords" control the lives of the masses. Ultimately, Babylon's economy promotes the worship of Mammon, promising wealth and happiness but delivering neither to the vast majority of people.
When describing Babylon, we do face a challenge. It is easy to hit a bullseye if we shoot an arrow into a wall and then draw the target around where the arrow lands. It is easy to find a boogeyman if you are looking for a boogeyman. In briefly describing Babylon above, I have not gone into any depth whatsoever. I have painted with broad strokes. As social media has shown, we can easily pick and choose various bits to describe anything and then call it what we want. So, it is legitimate to ask whether there are any biblical standards by which we can discern “Babylon”.
Discerning Babylon
In Revelation 9, John saw a vision of people living in the End Times. Although not stated explicitly, these people are living in the world Babylon culture later described more fully in Revelation. Although the people experienced significant judgments, they
did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Rev. 9:20-21 ESV)
John begins by identifying two issues people living in Babylon have: they do not repent of the works of their hands, and they do not repent of their idolatry. Their failure to repent suggests that they had become deadened to their sinfulness. People disregarded their sins, perhaps believing that there was nothing wrong with them in the first place. Their ignorance of their sin does not excuse their sin. Yet, even when they experience severe consequences because of their personal sin and their idolatry, they fail to repent and be saved.
The people first refuse to repent from the sinful works of their hands. In recent years, I have noticed a repeated theme on various crime TV shows. The person might be a serial killer. The person might be a serial adulterer. The person may have just stolen the life savings of many people. However, when confronted by someone about their behaviour these people say, “But I am a good person”. At that point, I tend to yell at the TV: “No, you’re not”. It is so frequent that it has become quite comical. At the same time, this ability for people to come face-to-face with their own evil and still believe they are a “good person” explains what John is seeing here.
Next, the people refuse to repent from their idolatry. The idolatry of people in Babylon is often quite subtle. It is more than simply worshipping a false God. From a Christian perspective, an “idol” is anything other than God from which people seek their identity, significance, security, or acceptance. If I base my identity on my sexuality, then I have made my sexuality an idol. If I look to my position in government to feel that I am important (significant), then my position is an idol. If I believe I am secure because of my wealth, then my wealth is an idol. If I think I want to become an influencer so that people will accept and affirm me, then my influencing becomes an idol. Babylon does not oppose anyone’s idolatry – it may even support that idolatry – as long as people embrace the values of Babylon.
In addition to their personal sins and idolatry, John identifies four sin clusters[6] that would increase and multiply in Babylon: murder, sorcery, sexual immorality, and theft. According to John, people would not only commit sins in each of these areas, but they would also refuse to repent of their sins in each of these areas. To discern whether our assessment concerning Babylon is correct, we might examine these four sin clusters to determine whether they have been, in fact, increasing over the past two decades. I will limit myself to one or two observations in each sin cluster.
The first sin cluster identified by John is “murder”. Murder involves the unlawful, willful killing of another human being. One statistic regarding murder would be mass shootings. In the US, mass shootings have risen from an average of 1 per year in the 1980s, through a steady increase in the 1990s and 2000s, to an average of 10 per year from 2018-2023 (including a low of 2 during the Pandemic).[7] Knife crime in London has increased each year since the pandemic, with many people being killed or brutally injured.[8] Whilst statistics like these can be variable from year to year, they do show an increase in the murder sin cluster.
The murder sin cluster is not limited to actual physical killing. Jesus expanded the definition of “murder” in the Sermon on the Mount to include unrestrained anger, personal abuse (such as insults and ad hominem attacks), and labelling people derogatorily. Even a casual glance at social media reveals the increase of online hate speech, leading to many difficult consequences, including suicide. Recent years has seen the increase of “cancel culture”, where people seek to end the careers or livelihoods of those expressing “unacceptable” views (based on the prevailing culture). According to Jesus, expressing hate speech and cancelling people is the moral equivalent of murder.
The second sin cluster is called “sorcery”, but to understand what this means we need to consider the Greek. The Greek word translated as “sorcery” is pharmakon, from which we get the English word “pharmacy”. The “sorcery” sin cluster is not talking about magic or witchcraft, or other things often associated with that. The sorcery sin cluster refers to sins and issues involving illegal drugs or drug abuse. Certainly, the use of illegal drugs and drug abuse is increasing. In the past two decades, around 30 countries have decriminalized illegal drugs to some extent. This includes 17 US states that have some form of decriminalization. Many other places are considering it.[9] Cocaine smuggling into Europe has increased substantially, with a record 303 tons of cocaine seized in Europe in 2021.[10] In the US, the years of life lost due to opioid toxicity increased more than 300% between 2011 and 2021.[11] These statistics only relate to illegal drug use or drug abuse. We have not even considered the problems around the increase in the use of legal, prescribed drugs.
The third sin cluster John mentions is “sexual immorality” – any sexual activity outside the boundaries of the Bible. It is suggested that 87% of men 18-35 in the US watch pornography at least weekly.[12] The value of the porn industry is about $97 billion globally and includes 25% of all search engine requests.[13] Sex outside marriage is common and expected, with those preferring to wait until marriage seen as abnormal. New words related to sexual relationships have emerged into common usage, including “bondage”, “throuples”, and “polyamory”. The varieties of sexual immorality have exploded in Western societies.
The fourth sin cluster according to John is “thefts”. Shoplifting is just one of many examples of how thefts are increasing. In 2023, there were around 45,000 incidents of shoplifting each day across the UK. The cost of shoplifting theft doubled in 2023 and has almost trebled since 2017.[14] In the US, major retailers have closed stores due to the prevalence of shoplifting. Shoplifting is not the only theft on the increase. Car thefts have increased as much as 19%. Burglaries have increased as well, with an average of one house being burgled every 165 seconds.[15]
Clearly, all four sin clusters we would expect to see in Babylon – murder, drug abuse, sexual immorality, and theft – have been increasing for many years, at least in the US and the UK. Of course, these sin clusters have always been in our societies. What makes these stand out at the moment is the increase in these sin clusters and the lack of repentance – or a sense of shame – because of these sins. We see the widespread failure to acknowledge these areas of sin as “sin”. Many people even boast of their online hate speech, their drug use, their sexual exploits, or their shoplifting prowess. When we lived in Jerusalem, people would at least hide their sins in these areas and feel ashamed when discovered. In Babylon, these sins have become a point of pride or a declaration of “freedom” for many.
Babylon’s Seduction
At this point, we might feel like those passing through the gates of Dante’s hell: “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here”. We might wonder why people embrace Babylon even as so much sin and evil abounds in Babylon. Babylon is very seductive. Babylon promises prosperity and pleasure to everyone that embraces Babylon. Even if some people do not experience Babylon’s prosperity or pleasure, people will hold on to the hope of prosperity and pleasure in the future. Because of this, people allow Babylon to influence every aspect of human society (see Revelation 17:9). People accept Babylon because Babylon is the source of amazing prosperity and technological advances that sweep across the world.
People embrace Babylon because Babylon promises to bring tremendous prosperity and wealth to the nations of the world who unite with Babylon (see Revelation 18:3). Businesses will grow rich because of the power of “luxurious living”. People who live on the earth will enjoy the pleasures and wealth of Babylon, becoming drunk with it (see Revelation 17:2). Babylon will lift many nations of the world out of poverty (as is happening around the world). Babylon gives these nations power and influence in the world economic system, which in turn allows their leaders to remain in power. Babylon seeks to direct and control the world economic system to ensure that all nations conform. But with this conformity comes wealth and prosperity.
People also embrace Babylon because Babylon produces the development of many incredible technologies. Obviously, John would not have seen some modern developments such as computers, smart phones, the internet, and AI. However, implications of technology occur throughout Revelation, including chapter 18. We see ships, music and various instruments, crafts, and factories. Some of the other passages in Revelation suggest amazing technologies, such as the “image of the beast” and the “mark of the beast” (Revelation 13:14,17). Many technological advances of the past 20 years make these prophecies possible today. People accept Babylon because of the advantages she brings.
Of course, these benefits of Babylon have a terrible cost. The prosperity and technology of Babylon come at the cost of human souls bound in various forms of slavery.[16] Babylon demands the allegiance and cooperation of world leaders, affecting their nations. And Babylon seeks to punish the leaders that do not comply. Babylon will be drunk on the blood of the saints. Terrible persecutions will emerge because of Babylon. Babylon itself will make war on Jesus and his people (see Revelation 17:6,14).
In this article, I have simply presented an overview of my assertion that we are living in Babylon, not Jerusalem. Although I could present much more evidence that we are living in Babylon, doing so would take me beyond the scope of why I’m writing. I suspect that those who have eyes to see will see based on what I have said so far. Others might refuse to see no matter how much evidence I present. Still others might disagree with me completely, which is their prerogative, and I do not feel inclined to argue or debate the point.
However, if I am right about living in Babylon, not Jerusalem, then it will make all the difference in how we lead as Christians. It will make all the difference in the strategies we choose and the outcomes we expect. It will make all the difference for our churches and how they develop.
In the other articles of this series, I will consider how we as Christians might live fruitfully and faithfully in Babylon. I will offer some suggestions about how to lead effectively in Babylon. I do not believe that we will change Babylon back to Jerusalem in my lifetime. After all, the Jews were in exile for 70 years. Although I believe a new great awakening is coming, I do not think the new great awakening will convert Babylon back into Jerusalem, like some Mr. Hyde reverting to Dr. Jekyll. Although we might long for Jerusalem again, we are living in Babylon.
Although things may seem dark and difficult for those who remain faithful to Jesus Christ, I am hopeful. Although we may now be living in Babylon, God is still working in and through the Church of Jesus Christ. Jesus will have a victorious Bride who has made herself ready (see Revelation 19:7-8). Jesus continues to reign as King of kings. We will see amazing things even while we live in Babylon. However, we must remain faithful.
[1] Although the perspectives in this series apply more broadly around the world, I am writing primarily from a British and American perspective. I will generally confine myself to examples from these contexts. I say that with apologies to readers elsewhere in the world.
[2] After this point, I will not generally use quotation marks around the names Babylon and Jerusalem.
[3] See https://www.britannica.com/event/Middle-Ages#ref908220, accessed 2024-2-29.
[4] I accept that there are a variety of definitions for “Christendom”, including one that simply means all Christians and churches everywhere. Some understand “Christendom” as anywhere today that has a state-sponsored or supported church, such as England and Germany.
[5] I am obviously painting with broad historical strokes and making several assertions with which some might disagree. However, space does not allow a fuller historical review and hopefully the point is evident.
[6] A “sin cluster” is a group of various sins related to a common theme or singular sin. For example, the sin cluster of “pride” might include arrogance, haughtiness, prejudice, bigotry, selfishness, and narcissism, among others.
[7] https://www.statista.com/statistics/811487/number-of-mass-shootings-in-the-us/, accessed 2024-3-13.
[8] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-67863910, accessed 2024-3-13.
[9] The US state of Oregon has just reversed its laws and recriminalized illegal drug use. Decriminalizing drugs led to increased drug abuse, not the anticipated decrease.
[10] https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/european-drug-report/2023/cocaine_en, accessed 2024-3-14.
[11] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2807054#:~:text=Findings%20In%20this%20cross%2Dsectional,attributable%20to%20unintentional%20opioid%20toxicity, accessed 2024-3-14.
[12] https://www.statista.com/chart/16959/share-of-the-internet-that-is-porn/, accessed 2024-3-14.
[13] https://gitnux.org/pornography-industry-statistics/#:~:text=Pornography%20is%20a%20multi%2Dbillion,14%20billion%20in%20annual%20revenue, accessed 2024-3-14.
[14] Daniel, Woolfson, “Retail in crisis as violence towards staff descends into ‘lawlessness’”, in The Telegraph, 14 February 2024.
[15] https://www.cladcodecking.co.uk/blog/post/uk-burglary-statistics#:~:text=HOW%20MANY%20HOME%20BURGLARIES%20OCCUR,being%20burgled%20every%20165%20seconds!, accessed 2024-3-14.
[16] Around 50 million people are in slavery today. https://www.antislavery.org/slavery-today/modern-slavery/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw48-vBhBbEiwAzqrZVFi7Ojd7Ln19FDaM74oGPd7wnjX-8ZWSLBz2vXB90LIQXEurVYQuKhoC03kQAvD_BwE, accessed 2024-3-15.