Where are we headed?
Question:
I have been reading your web site for some time. I have lots of questions but I will try to limit them to one subject: human reproduction. Every four years abortion is a huge subject, then after the election, it is soon forgotten. There is disagreement about using discarded "test tube" babies for stem cell research. Last week, Oprah had a show about sperm donor fathers and the children that were produced. A few weeks before that, there was a story about a couple whose marriage was annulled because they were brother and sister, adopted at birth. Where are we headed?
Answer:
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse. Because, knowing God, they didn't glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.
"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
"For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.
"Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them" (Romans 1:18-32)
I cited the above passage at length because God described how the Greek society fell into moral ruin. I find far too many parallels in this brief summary of the things that are happening in American society. In the 1950's there was the declaration that God is dead. Though it had been building for years, people became noticeably more demonstrative in their denial of God's existence and their obligations to him.
In the 1960s came free love -- a natural consequence for a society moving away from responsibility to a higher being. When people rebel against rules, the first thing they gravitate toward is unrestricted sex. Eventually, that becomes commonplace and a new generation seeks new ways to rebel. As we moved into the 1970s to the 1990s we had homosexuality come to the forefront. But the acceptance of sin doesn't stop the downward spiral. We are on the edge of seeing the next major step: moral chaos.
We are not the first society to practice abortion, we just refined the practice. The Romans used to just put unwanted babies on a hillside and forget about them. We are certainly not the first society to have men fathering children and then running off from responsibility.
"Truly, this only I have found: That God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes" (Ecclesiastes 7:29). God made us free to choose between right and wrong. He set us on the path of right, but we tend to stray further into sin. The thing is, though God discourages from sin, He doesn't prevent men from going wrong if they insist. "And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (II Thessalonians 2:11-12). That is what you and I are seeing: the result of people who no longer love truth -- people willing to give up truth from temporary pleasures.