Something remarkable
happened since my last blog post (part 1 of this series). At the University of
California-Berkeley another riot erupted. This time it was a “protest” in
regards to a gay conservative speaker from England. Not just did the students
destroy property and try to burn everything down (as they always seem to do
these days. It is quite the “in” thing), but there were reports of a
conservative woman being assaulted, and another Trump supporter was thrown to
the ground. The latter escaped, but the “protesters” grabbed his pro-Trump hat
and set it on fire. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if he didn’t escape.
Would he have been a human torch? The amazing part about this “protest” was in regards
to what it was over. Typically most secular colleges these days lean towards
the left. They are for homosexuality and immigration. This is common knowledge.
If you don’t believe me and need facts then just put on a “Make America Great
Again” shirt, grab a Bible, and go down to your local University and try to discuss
with the local students why we need borders and need to eliminate abortion and
see what happens. However the speaker was both gay and foreign. So why the
uproar? Because whereas they are liberal, he is a conservative. They torched,
destroyed, and beat down their fellow man in a rage because they almost had
someone speak at their campus who simply thought different than they do. This
is a scene that has become almost daily news since the election almost three
months ago. Why the hate? Why the divide? Why the complete disregard for
humanity and sanity? Why has mankind (particularly in America as of late)
become unrestrained savages? It seems as though all of this is over politics. However,
you may recall, I ended my last blog post by saying “this isn’t about politics”.
So what is it about?
In June of 2015 the Supreme Court
legalized gay marriage across the board. Nobody could deny the rights of
marriage to same sex couples any longer. Many Americans celebrated this
victory. I remember reading that one of the most searched topics from that day
online was Romans 1. I don’t remember the exact details. Could it have been
non-believers searching in order to see whether God’s Word does in fact condemn
this sin? Could it have been Christians seeking ammunition for their argument
now that they were going to be vilified? No matter who it was we know that a
great deal of people recognized that Romans 1 has something to say about it.
Paul’s epistle to Rome was written
to a church that he had never set foot in, which explains why it is such a
theological masterpiece. In Chapter 1 he goes into great detail about the
sinful state of man and God’s wrath. “For
the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18). But what wrath are we
speaking of here? It is the wrath of stepping away… of turning away from man
who has rejected and turned away from God. When Paul writes “Therefore God also gave them up… (v.24), For
this reason God gave them up… (v.26), God gave them over… (v.28)” he is
basically saying that because mankind wants nothing to do with God, then God
gives them what they want. He walks away. In context it looks like this:
Because what may be known of God is
manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly
seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and
Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they
did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their
thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they
became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made
like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
(vv. 19-23).
What the apostle is saying is that
mankind knows of God through natural revelation, as well as an inward knowledge
of a “higher power”. This is why man has followed religion since the beginning
of time. This is why as far back as the Old Testament times there was paganism.
Man knew of a god, they just didn’t know Who was God. This is illustrated in
Acts 17 when Paul addresses the philosophers at Athens: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for
as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even
found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD…” (Acts 17:22-23).
The men of Athens certainly knew of a god.
However, in America and the world
over, mankind has rejected God. Mankind has fallen in lust with darkness and
thus has suppressed the inner and outer knowledge of any higher power or god. To
them religion is for the weak and foolish. As our above passage in Romans
states, they believe that they know better than God. They believe that they
know right from wrong better than God and His Word. In doing so they believe
that truth is not absolute, but whatever you perceive it to be. This is known
as moral relativism. This thought pattern crates a new god. But instead of it
being birds, animals, and creeping things it becomes something else… MAN.
Man is now the new god. He knows
what is best. He knows what is true, right, and wrong. And the standard is not
set by any law, but by each individual. But is this why we are in the state
that we are in? Paul goes on to state “Therefore
God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor
their bodies among themselves, who
exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature
rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” (Romans 1: 24-25).
In turning away from man and giving them what they want, God’s moral compass
within man decays rapidly. This is why our society is going into a tailspin at
breakneck speeds. Man follows the lusts of his heart and when left unrestrained
to his own vices, man can do some seriously vile things. Things that are
morally grotesque and unnatural, yet so beautiful and natural in his own eyes.
Things that are even harmful to those around him. Yet who are we to condemn man
for him pleasing his own flesh as his selfish desires consume him like cancer?
After all, he knows best. Billions of different little “gods”, with their own different
views, with their own different ways, and with a desire for everyone else to
see it his/her way.
We shouldn’t
be shocked when there is an explosion on the six o’ clock news…
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