Embracing Depravity

Print

Dear Friends

When writing to the church at Rome, the apostle Paul made an extraordinary observation concerning how a society blessed by God could lose all contact with it’s moral compass. His words declare that if God's people ever decided to abandon Him and His wisdom, they would find themselves actually embracing depravity as virtue. Notice Paul’s words.

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man…Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator…For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly… And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. (Ro. 1:21-28)

Today, the United States is acting out the fulfillment of these ominous words. What was once a nation that viewed sexual depravity as morally abhorrent, now sees it as an acceptable part of our culture. Today pornography saturates the internet while promiscuity is showcased in movies, songs and television. However, nothing more graphically demonstrates society's attitude shift than our contemporary views regarding homosexuality. And believe it or not, the rise in its acceptance began with a rejection of the true God in our national conscience and knowledge.

Perhaps the greatest single decision effecting America and its culture today was rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1962. In this decision, the court determined that the Union Free School District in Hyde Park, New York had violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution because it facilitated the following prayer at the beginning of each school day.

"Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country." (Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421).

In a very real sense this decision reversed nearly two centuries of legislative and judicial pronouncements, not to mention several longstanding traditions that have played a significant role in American life since the founding of our nation. So appalling was the court’s ruling that Representative Frank Becker of North Carolina called it “the most tragic decision in the history of the United States.” Senator Sam Ervin likened it to the “segregation of God” from society.

Since Engle v Vitale, numerous rulings by our nation’s highest court have affirmed that any expression of faith by children attending public schools now poses a imminent threat to our liberties and as such is a violation of our most sacred legal document, the Constitution. For example, in 1963 the High Court prohibited the reciting of the “Lord’s Prayer” or the reading of Bible passages in public schools. In 1980 it banned the posting of the Ten Commandments. In 1985 it forbade "daily moments of silence" if during these moments students were invited to pray. Furthermore, in yet another attempt to protect our children from the potential dangers of faith, the High Court saw fit to outlaw prayers led by members of the clergy at public school graduation ceremonies. This particular piece of judicial wisdom was handed down in1992.

Tragically, America's war against God and the Bible is not limited to our schools. Today there is a full assault on all public expressions of faith, especially Christianity. Whether it is attempts to remove "One nation under God" in the pledge of allegiance or "In God we Trust" on our currency, this nation now expresses its contempt for the true God, with impunity. It has even criminalized the displaying of the Ten Commandments in our courts. It is now undeniable that America has declared WAR on faith and the momentum is intensifying. However, the most dramatic shift in our legal pronouncements is not only what our courts oppose, but what they now defend.

Less than a generation after Engle v Vitale our courts have become the great antagonists of Christianity and the Bible while at the same time the great advocates of a host of ills, not the least of which is sodomy. Because of a relentless and well calculated movement to blur the moral lines concerning what constitutes normal sexual behavior, homosexuality has now won the tacit acceptance of an entire civilization. Today, gay and lesbian lifestyles are viewed as just another part of man’s expression of love. Our schools now proclaim homosexuality is the moral equivalent of traditional relationships. Libraries carry books proclaiming that two mommies or two daddies are just as normal as "traditional parents." Businesses now require sensitivity training in order to maintain the self esteem of people regarded as DEVIATES just a few years ago. Even opponents of “gay rights” legislation speak with great deference when addressing those who practice this lifestyle.

Today the latest fight in this cultural "jihad" is being waged over the legalization of "same sex marriage." Sadly, without the enduring moral voice of the scriptures our nation is left to navigate its own moral path--one that Paul spoke about so very long ago.

The Bible and Homosexuality

It is easy to see why the defenders of same sex marriage would wage a relentless war on Christianity and its influence on American values. Quite frankly, the Bible speaks with great force concerning this practice, and its words are not charitable. In truth homosexuality is identified in the scriptures as an egregious act and God Himself has a profound contempt for it. Consider how God’s Great Moral Voice thunders out His indictment against this perversion. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul called homosexuals “lawless and disobedient” (1Tim.1:10). Additionally, Moses declared that their sacrifices were not acceptable to God (Dt.23:17-18). In the Old Testament the penalty for such behavior was death (Lev.20:13). In the New Testament the pronouncement is even worse. When writing to the church at Corinth, Paul included homosexuals among those who would not enter into God’s Kingdom (1Cor.6:9). The scriptures proclaim without apology that sodomy is an obscene act. It is a crime against both God and nature.

This is not to suggest that homosexuality is a sin that is beyond God’s power to forgive. Quite frankly He is fully capable of extending His mercy to those who genuinely repent of this and a host of other evils. But God is not mocked (Ga. 6:7). The repentance must be genuine and the change must be REAL. Regrettably, America has decided to take a different path—one that embraces moral depravity as a right that deserves to be protected while at the same time shuns real faith as the expression of fanatics. Nothing more graphically illustrates this point than how society accepts and even embraces those who threaten the most sacred institution in history

An Assault on Marriage

The movement to allow same-sex marriage achieved its first, albeit temporary success in 1993. At that time the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that the restriction of marriage to opposite-sex couples was unconstitutional. In response to this decision the state constitution was amended to allow the legislature to preserve the restriction. However, this case opened the door for others and the battle lines were drawn.

In an attempt to preserve the traditional definition of marriage, Alaska amended its constitution in 1998, defining marriage as between one man and one woman. In another reaction to the Hawaii case, the federal Defense of Marriage Act (1996) provided that no state can be compelled to recognize a same-sex marriage from another state. It also defined marriage for federal-law purposes as opposite-sex. The majority of the states also passed their own "marriage protection acts." In November 2004, eleven more U.S. states amended their constitutions to prohibit same-sex marriage.

At first glance it would appear that traditional moral values were carrying the day in this legislative war. But the battle is far from over and looks can be deceiving.

The Battle Rages On

In 1999 the Supreme Court of Vermont ruled that the state must extend to same- sex couples the same benefits that married couples receive. Then in 2000 its legislature created the status of "civil union" to fulfill the courts mandate. Connecticut adopted a similar civil union law in 2005.

Meanwhile, as America was fighting over the constitutionality of Gay marriages, Europe and other international communities were racing towards full recognition of homosexual unions. In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to open civil marriage to same-sex couples. (Belgium became the second in 2003.) In 2002 through 2004, courts in six Canadian provinces held that the opposite-sex definition of marriage was contrary to Canada's Charter of Rights, and in 2005 federal legislation extended same-sex marriage to all of Canada. Same-sex marriage was also legalized in Spain in 2005 by statute, and in South Africa on December 1st 2005 by court decision (with effect delayed for twelve months to allow for legislative action).

Back to the USA

In November 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that excluding same-sex couples from the benefits of civil marriage violated the state constitution, and in February 2004 that court further held that a "civil union" law would not be sufficient. On May 17, 2004 Massachusetts became the first state in the United States where same-sex marriage is legal. A constitutional amendment to reverse the Supreme Judicial Court's decision has been given initial approval by the legislature. The soonest it could be voted on by the people is November 2006.

Although the vast majority of American’s have been numbed by the cares of life, a real disaster is brewing in numerous courts and legislative chambers across this land. The fact that this issue is even being discussed at all speaks volumes about our moral compass and what this country has lost since it declared God a threat to our freedom.

Respectfully,

Blow the Trumpet