As a society, the United States is in uncharted territory. The rational thought of the English Enlightenment brought about some of the loftiest moral rhetoric we have seen since before the Dark Ages. Men named Madison, Franklin, Jefferson, and Washington, gave us ideals that still guide our country today. Phrases like:
- “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union.1”
- “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,1”
- “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof2”
And if you will grant me a little liberty;
- “the Divine word is equally binding upon all, so all lie under an equal obligation to be bound by it, and it alone; and not by any human interpretation of it;3”-Thomas Campbell (1809).
How far we have fallen! You can argue with hours online about who is responsible for our slide into the abyss of post-post modernism. Bu there is no doubt we are slightly less educated in this 250th year of our country’s existence.
In the church and the world at large, sin has taken its toll. There was a time when drunkenness, sexual relationships outside of marriage, lying, stealing, and an entire list of lusts of the flesh were never flaunted openly without severe damage being done to someone’s reputation and livelihood.
The reason God is so concerned with sin in his people is because it brings corrosion and death. Continuous drug and alcohol use leads to public embarrassment, legal consequences, and a break with Christian parents and friends who are commanded by God not to quarter enemy morality or give it any space in our lives. Paul tells us, we may not engage in the sins of chapter one and verses 28-32 nor comfort the sinful, “they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”-Romans 1:32.
If a thief is loose in a local church, there is no trust and people will accuse, deny, and threaten each other without cause. Sin is the cause and, “a little leaven leavens the whole lump.”-I Corinthians 5:6.
Adultery, “Increases the traitors among mankind.””-Proverbs 23:28.
Lying makes God’s list of things he hates twice! “a lying tongue…a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.”-Proverbs 6:16-19.
The world around us denies that anything is ever right or wrong. Everybody gets to hold an opinion on any issue. If you think, 2 + 2 = 4 and your neighbor is relentless in his declaration that 2 + 2 = 5, today’s generation will just declare both answers correct and shame anyone who would dare judge any answer to be wrong.
This way of thinking leads people to deny the existence of sin. If nothing is sin, then there is no shame. I heard a song this weekend with these lyrics, “So what we get drunk? So what we smoke weed? We’re just having fun. We don’t care who sees.” Mom, dad, friends, elders, school teachers, they don’t care who sees. This all reminds me of Israel in the time of the prophet Malachi, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them…Where is the God of justice?”-Malachi 2:17.
That is a lie and liars have a special place in eternity for themselves, “as for the cowardly…and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,”-Revelation 21:8. Lord strengthen us by your Spirit and help us to seek your truth.
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