Rom. 1:21 ~ 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. Vs. 32… Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
The Apostle Paul’s words to the Romans deserve pause and consideration for us
today.
We live
amidst a culture of corruption in America. We see it in the area of core
values, world views and our national moral compass. The futility and darkness
of our culture is apparent in so many areas that it is difficult for me to
address just one or two as examples. But let’s take the Biblical view of
sexuality and marriage. The Biblical view is clear that man and woman are
designed distinctly differently, yet are designed by God to come together in
marriage to become a union. God considered this union to be His design and
plan. We find no latitude in
scripture to endorse or advocate for same sex marriage and, until
recent years, there was no latitude in our culture for such endorsement or
advocacy. However, same sex unions and lifestyles are not only accepted but
endorsed, advocated and even celebrated.
What were
Paul’s words? … ‘they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of
those who practice them’. Approval comes in the form of
politically correct cultural rules, new laws defining ‘hate speech’ and
marriage, and government and corporate policies reflecting the same approvals
and endorsements. We see this in
hundreds of examples in our nation, but let me briefly list a few; an attorney
in Virginia is being disciplined for articulating his belief in the Biblical
definition of marriage, a newspaper
editor in Iowa being fired for writing a personal blog describing his Biblical
view of marriage, an Army Colonel describing the American Family Association as
a ‘hate group’ for its Biblical view of marriage, and a high school in California banning
Chick-fil-A sandwiches because Chick-fil-A’s founder (now deceased) once said
his view of marriage was between a man and a woman. So we see governmental,
corporate, and media policy embracing the new normal; same sex unions and
lifestyles are embraced and Biblical worldviews are excluded and even punished!
Dr. Albert
Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, recently stated in
a speech that America has experienced a ‘cultural reversal’. He defined a
cultural reversal as when that which was condemned is now
celebrated and those who refuse to celebrate it are now condemned. His words are a precise expression of where
we find ourselves in this nation on many issues, including the one described
above.
So, is the
Biblical perspective lost in America? No, it is clarified. It stands in stark
contrast to the emerging culture. Those of us who embrace the Kingdom of God
also embrace its fundamental truths and principles. Living out those truths and
principles bring clarity to the Kingdom perspective of living. Embracing them
also brings attention and forms of persecution from the culture. So how do we
move forward with Kingdom clarity in our culture?
We do the
following:
·
We
are alert for and resist the enemy and his strategies.
·
We
pray in the spirit on all occasions.
·
We
speak truth in love…love is not always ‘nice’ and agreeable.
·
We
speak with clarity…ambiguity and gray language does not help!
·
We
live what we speak…actions reflect Kingdom character and commitment.
·
We
bless those who curse us.
Move forward
with the Kingdom of God as your focus, your substance, and your provision every
day. We focus on what Jesus did for us and
for them as scripture says, ‘Consider
Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow
weary and lose heart. (Heb. 12:3)
2 comments:
Amen, Harvey. Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil. Today's inaction by the Supreme Court of these United States adds emphasis to your message. Thank you for standing firm. "Love is not always nice and agreeable" is so very true.
Thanks Kathleen! I wrote this blog last weekend, before the Supreme's announcement today. We all stand as lights amid the darkness!
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