"Sounding The Alarm Over Moral Decline In America And The World"

Posted: 2013-02-27 22:14:25 by: David Nelson

Sounding The Alarm Over Moral Decline In America And The World   By David Nelson    2-6-13

What are the sins of America and the world? What is God’s mind and heart and what is the truth, how are people changing what God says is true and saying the opposite of what He says is acceptable and good?

Satan wants the world to value the opposite things that God values. God wants us to keep our eyes on what He loves and keep valuing the pure things of God and hating evil things.

I am not planning to discuss every sin in our present society but I will give you some important examples, and I’m sure you will be able to think of many other issues. Some of the issues I will talk about are: men’s and women’s roles, the sin (as the Bible states) of a man having sex with another man or a woman having sex with another woman, same sex “marriages”, a woman wanting to be like a man or a man wanting to be like a woman, witches, mediums, and astrology, and anything in our clothes or appearance that speaks of rebellion or lawlessness.

What has gone wrong in our world today? Each of us should take a stand on what is against God and His ways and turn away from the growing evil that is coming before our eyes every day.

Before I begin let me qualify everything I want to say with this, all sins are serious with God (not just the ones I am pointing out). We all are in the same “boat” of sin and we all need His mercy and forgiveness. God loves every person and longs for a close relationship with every person no matter what sin plagues them. He is calling all of us to repent and be saved and to be close to Him. There are other sins not mentioned in this writing that may be more repugnant to the Lord, abortion, pride, bearing false witness, gossiping tongues, etc. But what I will say in this writing is very important and I feel must be said.

Every day our eyes and ears see and hear things that are not of God. There was a man in the Bible named Lot. Every day the things that he saw and heard in the city he lived in vexed his heart (he lived in either Sodom or Gomorrah or in a nearby city in the valley). (II Pet. 2:7,8) He was troubled at what he saw and heard because it was the opposite of what God loves. It was repugnant to Lot’s mind and heart because he saw what God hated too. Today, whether it is through the TV or other means, we see and hear things that shock us and sicken our hearts.

Whether we are 40, 50, 60 or older we may remember a day when there was not as much evil in the world as there is today. Things seem to be getting worse and worse, farther and farther from God’s ways. In the Bible there are at least two instances where things got so bad upon the earth that God destroyed many people. One time was when God sent a flood, during the time of Noah, and the Lord destroyed every person and animal upon the earth except 8 people, and at least two of every animal on Noah’s ark. In another instance in the Bible God destroyed the cities and people of a certain valley which included the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. There was such a stench of evil in God’s nostrils of man’s sins that He could not tolerate it upon the earth any more. (Gen. 6:5,6 and Gen. 13:13 the wickedness of man was great in the earth, God was grieved in His heart, man was exceedingly wicked and sinful) One of the sins that God could not tolerate was Sodomy. Sodomy is known as the sin of a man having sex with another man. (see Gen. 19:4-13 and Lev. 18:22-30, You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. Do not defile yourself (or your land) with any of these things. And so I will visit the lands and nations who have done these things to punish them, and the land will vomit out these inhabitants.)

This writing is to show how repugnant sin is to the Lord and how it should be to us also. The way things were 50 years ago or even 25 years ago it seems there were less blatant, out in the open sin that we could see. Much was hidden so that our eyes could not see it on TV or movies or in the newspapers.

What kind of things do we see today that the Lord has clearly said, “This is wrong, this is sin, if you see it it should vex your heart and spirit as impure as it does God’s heart?”

We should not think that only “old people” are offended, it is just that they have seen a world that had less blatant sin paraded about. “Younger people” may have seen more sin in their shorter lives and may think that the world has always been this way. They may even say, “What is so bad about that?” Even Christians, young or old, can be hardened by the effects of sin that is all around us. But true Christians who have tried to stay close to the Lord whether young or old who have the Spirit of God at work in them should feel in their heart of hearts that something is wrong.

If we become more and more lax about what God values we will more and more lose our way and wander from the truth. If we keep our values close to God’s truth He will keep us strong and deliver us from the errors and lawlessness that is growing. Just like Lot was vexed in his heart daily by the wrong things (sinful things) that he saw and heard and God delivered him and whoever would listen in the cities that God destroyed, God will deliver us too. Some of the people Lot spoke to thought he was joking, they did not take him seriously, they did not accept what he was saying and they were destroyed by God because they did not depart from Sodom and Gomorrah.

Now let’s talk about the issues I mentioned above beginning with the roles of men and women. If we look first just in the natural we see (generally speaking, not true in all instances) that men tend to be taller than women, they are somewhat stronger, they have deeper voices (women have higher voices generally), for a long time men had shorter hair and women longer hair, they each wore different kinds of clothes (so that usually you could tell a man from a woman by the clothes they wore), at least it has been like this in the world for a long time. Also, people have first names that reflect either a boy’s name or a girl’s name. (Remember the song by Johnny Cash “A Boy Named Sue”? The name Sue has not normally been a name parents would name their boy). Just reflect for a moment on our present society when it comes it comes to the example of strength and men normally being stronger than women, women are not on NFL football teams nor do men’s teams play women’s teams professionally in football. Men do not compete with women in professional tennis either. Our society has not come to the place in the area of strength that women are equal to men even though some women may individually be stronger or faster than some men.

Now let’s leave the natural comparisons and look at some Bible verses. Some of these verses may be familiar to you and they are controversial but let us see if we can see more from God’s perspective and think carefully about these things. Also remember, it is not just verses that will convince us how God feels (for we can discuss and debate about these things for a long time) but the Spirit of God (with the Bible verses) will give us wisdom too. The Spirit of the Lord will guide us into all truth. This is the only way that I see younger people, who have seen so much evil in the world, coming to know which evil things around them are wrong. We should know the Bible verses and feel the vexing of the heart of God in His Spirit which is in us. In the Bible it says that it is a dishonor for a man to have long hair and for a woman to have short hair. (I Cor. 11:3-16, specifically verses 6 and 14) Perhaps there is a certain way that women ought to have feminine looking hair and men have masculine looking hair? How is that to be done? However it is done the Spirit of God will show each of us what is right for ourselves and when we see it in others. Also, it is an abomination for a man to wear what pertains to a woman or for a woman to wear what pertains to a man (Deut. 22:5). When we see sinful (against God’s ways) we should turn away our eyes, not accept it, not let it get into our spirit, not think lightly of it, but it should vex us and we should turn away our eyes.

Also, women are not to have spiritual authority over men (I Tim. 2:11-15). There are two reasons given in the Scriptures for this statement, one, because man was created first and then woman, and two, Adam was not deceived (by Satan) but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Women can have prophetic gifts and speak things from God even in church services. When they do we should hear and give heed to what God is saying. I believe women can also share lessons they have learned from God or give testimonies and we can learn great things from both men and women. But it is our responsibility also (for men and women) to weigh what is being said to know if it is from God or not. There were women prophetesses in the Bible (Old and New Testament). But women are not to have authority over men or be official leaders of men without male oversight. Women in history like Joan of Arc may have heard from God and given direction from God like a prophetess but they were not official spiritual leaders without men. Gifted men, I’m sure, in every time period of history and in every culture God has always had available to guide the Church.

Now concerning homosexuals, lesbians, and same sex “marriages”, God, when He destroyed Sodom, Gomorrah, and other cities, hated the sin Sodomy (men having sex with other men), and He did not want to look on it any more. It is the sin of men having sex with men, and women having sex with women that God and we (as His servants) do not accept. (Lev. 18:22, it is an abomination) When you see someone on TV for instance who openly says they are doing that sin, that is when it is appalling to us to want to watch them, listen to them, we are vexed that they are openly sinning and so how can we accept that? It is the sin in their bedrooms that we say is not OK. Some might say that it is private what they do in their homes, but they are openly saying it is OK. What if people were on the public TV saying I kill people but know one has caught me yet and I want to entertain you? Or, I have sex with little children but no one has caught me yet and I want you to like me and listen to what I say? That is no different than saying, I am a man who has sex with other men and I want you to appreciate and like me and listen to me? We are to love all people no matter what they have done, and we can forgive all people as God is willing to forgive us of all sin. But sin is sin and it should bother us if people are sinning, continuing to sin, and proclaiming that it is OK.   

As for same sex “marriages”, men can have close male friends and women can have close female friends but having sex with each other is wrong Scripturally. And two men or two women joined together are not a marriage in God’s eyes. God made male and female to be joined together in marriage, to become one for life (when they decide to marry). The Bible even says that it is not natural for men to have sex with men and women to have sex with women. (Rom. 1:26,27)

Now concerning the things mentioned above and some issues we still have to talk about, it should bother us when we see sin. What I mean by this, in one sense we should not look upon sin. This really is meant in a certain way, for God does not want to look upon sin but of course in one way He does “see” everything. Lot and his wife and his two daughters were not to look back at Sodom and Gomorrah burning (but Lot’s wife did look back and she turned into a pillar of salt). Lot was vexed in his heart when he saw sin. In the New Testament it says that we are not to invite uncleanness into our homes (sometimes meaning heretical teachings and sometimes meaning idols or other ungodly things). We are not to eat with people (claiming to be Christians) with unclean teachings or life styles or “fellowship” with them. (I Cor. 5:9-13, II Cor. 6:14, and Eph. 5:11-12) Please understand, we are to be very loving and compassionate and forgiving. Even Jesus ate with sinners, Gentiles, prostitutes, and criminals to help save them, but we are to pluck them out of the fire and be careful not to be dragged down into their sins. God will show each of us the right balance. But if we see a witch looking into a crystal ball giving someone advice on TV we should not watch. If we see or hear people talking about astrology’s for those born in certain months and them giving advice we should not hear or consider such things, for this is the advice of demons and not God’s voice. (Deut.18:9-14, do not listen to them, do not consult with them, and I Sam. 28:5-7 (Saul seeks advice from a medium)). God is serious about having us stay away from demons and witches led by demons. Please realize that there is a principle here that we must learn from the Spirit of God, this not just legalism accomplished by our own reasoning. The Spirit of God will teach us how to be safe and when we should turn away and run from sin, and when we should face it and defeat it.

In young people (and even people in their 30s and 40s) we are seeing a trend too. Messed up hair (on purpose), holes in clothes (faded or paint splattered) (you can buy them that way), pants on men or boys are hanging down that normally should be pulled up, shoes untied, metal piercings through tongues, lips, noses, ears, tattoos or scars on arms, faces and legs, defiant looks and sneers. God says in His Word you should not pierce your skin or make markings on it. (Lev. 19:28) Mothers say to their sons, please comb your hair, please pull up your pants, please tie your shoes. But the attitude is, “I can do what I want, I will not listen, I will not obey any authority.” It used to be if we saw someone with unkempt hair that they either were from a mental hospital, or someone who doesn’t care or is rebellious. Or maybe you are seriously depressed and you don’t care how you look. There is so much that we see today in people’s appearances that might at first shock us but that we are slowly getting used to “anything goes.” And the more we get used to things that shock us the more that the next thing somebody does must be more bizarre to get noticed. Are people needing to join the parade of “freaky” looking people to be “new” or “cool”? Are we seeing a rebellious youth (looking like rebels) wanting to appear like they defy all authority, I will have no one over me, with unkempt appearance and scowls on their faces. It says in the Scriptures that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. (I Sam. 15:23) Even it says in Deut. 21:18-21 that a stubborn and rebellious son who will not listen to his father and mother though reproved much, that the evil should be put away from the people of Israel by stoning. Satan just loves to make the people of this world the opposite of what pleases God.

Regarding lawlessness, there is a spirit of lawlessness that is increasing in the world. (II Thess. 2:3-12, the falling away comes first, the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, the lawless one will come (antichrist), etc.) Could there be a growing attitude today that you can break any law just don’t get caught? The main thought being laws don’t apply for everyone all the time, you are the judge whether you should do it or not, if it doesn’t hurt anybody it is OK not to obey it. The Bible says there will be a growing lawlessness which means society without laws, do what suits you.

I have tried to make it clear what we should do as true Christians dedicated to following the ways and heart and character of our God and our Lord Jesus Christ. I’m sure we will not become cookie cut copies of each other, but there will be a holiness and purity that we will see in each other that will spring from the guidance of the same Holy Spirit in each of us. God will show us the difference between what is holy and what is common (or unholy), and He will teach us to be holy as He is holy. Our eyes are the gate of the body and we should guard these gates with the seriousness of God and diligence. I hope this writing has helped you and reminded you and given you some direction to keep going on the straight and narrow way with the Lord. Let us fight the good fight and keep going to the end and see Jesus and hear Him say, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter now into the joy of your Lord.”