Deliver me, O LORD,
from evil men;
preserve me from
violent men,
who plan evil things
in their hearts;
they continually gather
together for war....
I know that the LORD
will maintain the cause
of the afflicted,
and justice for the poor.
Psalm 140:1-3;12
King David cried out to God for salvation from his enemies knowing that they were plotting in their hearts to destroy him. Evil men desire to battle with those who are devoted to God, the God of the Bible not just any god of the nations. This is Satan and his hordes purpose, that is, to destroy God's people and to bring shame upon them by causing them to devise things that are not Scriptural. Authentic Biblical Christians have the promise of God that He will fight for their cause and bring justice to them, not only in heaven on the Last Day, but now in the present. Satan does not have a need to kill a Christian, although this is done, but this is done by those who have a theology that leads them to do such a horrendous act, but to cause by influence men to not follow the Bible and to cause them to be devoted, not to God, rather to what they can do for Him. Many people who call themselves Christian have God and His Son as comrades and not as God, and all they have deep inside is a hope of heaven, and salvation without having the assurance that they are new creatures. True Authentic Biblical Christians are already in heaven, even while they are here on earth, and this is not by proxy, they are literally there, but until Jesus comes to take His family home with Him they have work to do. This work finds as its impetus their devotion to God and not to what work they do.
Man is not this way for they have shown throughout history that they do not follow God and refuse those who bring to them the Gospel, the Good News that sin has been destroyed. Man needs more than themselves, more than just an understanding, they need God to enable them, to draw them, and this God did before the foundation of the world (Romans 8:28-29; 1Peter 1:1-2; Ephesians 4:1). What atrocities we cans see in history are also the same conditions we live in today. An examination of those nations that are considered to be civilized cannot hide from the truth about them, it is to be seen in them the fallen nature of humanity. Yes, it is true that in those more civilized nations Christianity has enable the bar of morality to be set high, more so in nations that are pagan. Christianity does influence a nation, the people of that nation, to have an improved character, and even the comforts of society, even giving special attendance to those who are poor and weak, as seen by the world when Christians are the ones showing God's love, and the blessing that come by being devoted to God and following what Scripture teaches. Yet, even with this Christian influence, with the higher morality of a nation so influence we can see that this nation is depraved as their examples have shown.
When the nature of man is compared with Christian influence it is all the more apparent that the depravity of those nations is all the more revealed. The laws of nations are designed to restrain the forces of human nature but when those laws are set aside then all that occurs is that there is is hideous and atrocious crimes that are perpetuated, even shamelessly upon man, even in the daylight. It is not hidden; just look upon the Muslim nations with their theology that allows for such hideous exercises of fallen human nature.
It is hard to understand why people are so bent to destroy and remove the Bible from society for the Bible's teaching is superior, and its teaching on morality is superior and is the base for most laws in regard to human nature even when those making the laws do not admit it to be so. The Scripture is clear on the this: man will give an account as to how they lived in this life (Revelation 20:12-13). We may look "down our noses" on those nations that are not as advanced as ours, but when we examine human nature we find that all nations, all people exhibit the characteristics of fallen nature, and when people become prosperous their hearts become harden, they find that they desire unlimited power and that power is abused, bad habits are formed, and virtue fly's out the window, hard work is replaced by laziness. Let me ask: if all immigrants that have come to this nation illegally were gathered up and sent back to their countries, would legal citizens do the work that those immigrants were doing, such things, as picking lettuce, weeding crops, packing fruit, mowing lawns, or cleaning houses? I think not if I can use the present condition of legal citizens that are abusing the welfare system, or are receiving additional money by the lawmakers extending the benefits so that people would have money. Drugs, alcohol misuse, and the misuse of marijuana calling it medicine, and the need for self aggrandizement by being entertained or having a "kegger" party where those attending get drunk. How about those kids that roam the malls with money that parents give freely to them, for those kids do little around the house, they like so many are nothing more than "freeloaders" and the money the receive is not earned by them, it is the money of those people who are working. Some of those who can be placed in this category of "freeloaders" will admit to others that they are "moral" but they do not practice what they preach. It seems that they would accept the negative consequences of vice, but they won't take advantage of living a life of Christian obedience.
Look at our children, that is those children of parents that attend Church, even to call themselves Christian. The one word that is seldom used in these homes is "NO!" Why be baffled that these children do not remain in the Church, that they get caught up in the vices of this world. They rebel against their parents, those who are teaching them the words of the Bible, their attitude becomes just like the world. Is it possible that their parents are nothing more than cultural Christians? What example do the children see? Maybe it is the old saying: "Do what I say, and not what I do!"
The gloves are off, the blinders are removed, it is time that we take a honest look at our lives and whether or not we are devoted to God. If not then how can anyone expect changes for the better? Where lies your commitment? These are questions for us all, and we must decide who is God in our lives, a friend, yes, we have a friend in Jesus, but this friend will not pull us out of our sin, and will allow the consequences of our sin to have it way with us. The good thing to remember that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can endure, but how will you know what is temptation if you do not know the word of God and are not applying His word in your life.
God loves us so much that He did not leave us destitute, we have His word for our lives. Our salvation for all of His elect is sure, but some will make it into heaven with smoke on their clothes. Would it not be better to have God say: "And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in very little, have authority over ten cities" (Luke 19:17).
And He said to them, "You
are those who justify
yourselves before men,
but God knows your
hearts. For what is highly
esteemed among men
is an abomination in the
sight of God.
Luke 16:15
Be Glad; God Is Ruler
Richard L. Crumb
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