I plan for this to be a multi-part posting. This is the first installment and others will follow as I can get them written.
This past week I've heard a number people talk about how bad things are and how they are only going to get worse. People speculate that America as we know it will never be the same. Others talk about selling everything they own and moving to another country. These, like so many others, felt that the person elected to be president would make or break this country. One was called the messiah by some and the other a maverick, both promising changes. Who we elect for president will NOT fundamentally change the problems we experience in this country or this world. I point you to Romans 1:18-32.
Here we can read the indictment, the judgment, and the result of that judgment. Man has failed to give glory, honor and thanks to God, indictment. Therefore He has "given us up", judgment. The result of that judgment is man's wickedness to the extreme, a problem that cannot be fixed by a president. This is why politics and so many other things must be much less a priority and replaced with the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see, the problem we have is a sin problem which can only be solved by repentance of our sins and putting our trust in Jesus Christ. This is no longer a nation that trusts God. It’s a nation that has turned away from God and has put their trust in man. In effect, what we have done is create an idol, a god to suit ourselves, and turned away from the God of the bible. If you are putting your trust and faith in President elect Obama you will be sadly disappointed. The same is true to those who thought that Senator McCain would do any better. As long as our dependence is on someone other than God we will continue in the direction we are heading and things will only get worse. Our dependence needs to be on the One who gave us life and continues to do so.
Indictment
Judgment
Result of the judgment
God's Wrath on Unrighteousness – Romans 1:18-32 (ESV)
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Lord willing, the next posts will expound further on the text above. Potential titles:
The wrath of God
The Indictment
God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity
God gave them up to dishonorable passions
God gave them up to a debased mind
Now for the good news
2 comments:
Great post, Bill. I've shared many of the same thoughts. We become what we worship.
Remember at the DG conference how Dr. Piper talked about how God uses suffering and trials to expose what and where our treasure is? It has surprised me to see the fear with which many Christians have responded to the Election, exposing what it is that they truly value (I'm guilty too).
Piper said,
"The supreme value and glory and admirableness of Christ is shown most clearly when Christians treasure Christ more than they treasure what they're losing—health, wealth, family, or life."
Here are some good cf. verses for thought.
The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
-Psalm 33:10-12
“No one can serve (Gk. douleuĊ) two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
-Matthew 6:24
For by [Jesus] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through [Jesus] and for [Jesus].
Colossians 1:16,17
[God] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in [Jesus].
Colossians 2:15
P.S. - Here's a title suggestion:
"The State of the Union"
I read about it some days ago in another blog and the main things that you mention here are very similar
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