BE FAITHFUL IN THIS DECLINING, SINFUL WORLD!
BE FAITHFUL IN THIS DECLINING, SINFUL WORLD!
If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the Lord your God— the Lord will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. He will bring on you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. The Lord will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. —Deuteronomy 28:58-61
The nation of Israel was warned what would happen if they did not live according to God’s Word. There would be consequences. As you read through the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy, the consequences include so many areas of life. But whether Israel or any other nation, God is the one in control and we are not. If a nation does not want to be obedient to His Word, then they too can suffer consequences. As a matter of fact, when another nation, Rome, was ruling, this is what was written—
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another… Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones… Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.” —Romans 1:21-24, 26, 28
This is serious! God is serious! Sinful, wicked disobedience will bring consequences. This passage from Romans chapter 1 is fearful. A person or a nation at some point crosses the line and God acts by either bringing judgments on a people or nation or by God giving them over to their own ways. Either way He decides, it is a downward spiral.
It is very concerning when we ponder the present situation in the U.S. It really appears that God is giving the nation over to its futile thinking, foolish darkened hearts, degrading sexual perverseness. Oh, brother and sister, let us get the message of the gospel out to people and encourage them to call on Jesus. Governments do not save, they degenerate. Yes, and God works through governments to carry out His purposes (Romans 13:1-7). His purposes will be accomplished. The work He has given us, brother and sister, has not changed. Persevere in this race that He has marked out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus! (Hebrews 12:1-2).
So, we who are in the world, but not of the world, let us be faithfully following Jesus. May we be obedient to His Word by the power of His Holy Spirit and in the authority of His Son. Yes, Dear Father, may this be so— all for Your Honor and glory.