Tuesday, August 14, 2018

“The Root of the Fruits”


"The Root of the Fruits"
   
    The decline of Western culture should trouble us and break our hearts.  Scripturally influenced standards, traditions, perspectives, and practices that founded and sustained our culture for centuries have been cast aside, based on turning away from the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible.

   "Even as 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, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful, who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" (Romans 1:28-32).

    We would be more disturbed, however, if we were not seeing the aforementioned fruits.  The Apostle Paul revealed that God Himself gives people over to such expressions of unbelief when they reject Him and His truth.  He doesn'determine the sins, of course, but rather allows the wicked to go their own way and practice that which brings momentary pleasure in themselves and others.  Abandoned standards, traditions, perspectives, and practices therefore confirm the truth of God's Word.  This does not make it less disturbing to see such flight into darkness.  It does, however, explain the unholy source of what we presently see, namely, the rejection of God and His Word. The recognition sharpens our focus and prayerful attention on the root of our culture's demise.  This enables us to share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ not merely as an exercise in changing behaviors, but in leading people to faith in the One who changes both heart and behavior.

    "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).  People and cultures do not dance away scot free from the determination to reject God and His truth.  Consequences ensue, consequences used by the Lord to bring people to their senses.  Thus, we maintain proper concern when we see people embracing the sins that lead to the wages of death.  Again, however, we realize that God Himself gives people over to the bearing of such fruit when they turn away from Christ and the Truth.  Thus, we rejoice in the confirmation of His Word, even as we mourn our generation's rebellion.  And, we look for opportunities to share the Gospel with people ravaged by the darkness of the day, but redeemable by the Light of the Ancient of days.

"This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil."
(John 3:19)
"The Light shineth in darkness."
(John 1:5)

Weekly Memory Verse
   Search the Scripture, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Me."
(John 5:39)

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