"Reaping the Whirlwind"
Any born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ not disturbed by our generation's spiritual and moral rush to oblivion is likely not watching or listening closely to reports of the ongoing wickedness and madness. Allow me to suggest, however, that a greater cause for disturbance would present itself to our hearts and minds if we were not seeing such calamity.
"Because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient (proper)" (Romans 1:28).
When human beings choose to reject the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word, God allows us to go our own way, do our own thing, and experience the inevitable consequences of our freely chosen foolishness - "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The case can be made that we have seen such a turning away from Truth by Western culture in the last 50 years. This is not to say that previous generations were always guided by Scripture and faithfulness to Judeo-Christian principles. Far from it. However, in times past, the United States and European countries undoubtedly existed under a pervasive influence of God's Light that He withdrew because of the cultural determination to rebel and not "retain God in their knowledge". Thus, just as the Bible declares, we presently live in a generation that can no longer use its mind to make sane and rational determinations and decisions. The wickedness and insanity thus confirms the Scriptural truth regarding the consequences of rebellion. "They have sown the wind and they shall reap the whirlwind" (Hosea 8:7).
In simple terms, the problem primarily lies in the root rather than the fruit. Again, the Bible plainly states that turning away from God and His Truth leads to theological, philosophical, cultural, behavioral, political, social, and moral ruin. Thus, if we were not seeing the sad declension, we would left with a far more disturbing uncertainty about the truth of Scripture. As it is, we are seeing exactly what we would expect in nations that turn away from God and Truth. Troubling and heartbreaking? Absolutely. But not nearly as much as if we witnessed our culture rebel against the Lord without consequences.
"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure."
(Psalm 2:1-5).
Weekly Memory Verse
Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men.
(Psalm 9:20)
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