Theory of Devolution: - The further a society distances itself from God the greater the moral underpinnings of that society continue to erode and unravel. Once God has been fully removed and the society has completely devolved, moral anarchy ensues.
We are not there yet but with each passing day we continue down this road. God is not just marginalized but openly mocked. Now before my brethren get their self-righteousness in an uproar we must realize the contribution of the church to this devolution. We were supposed to be a shining city on a hill. We were supposed to be the oasis in this vast desert of a world. Instead they turn on TBN and see nothing but parasites feeding off their own. Christians sold out for money and prosperity in the very world they need to be saved from. Or they see cultural relevance within the seeker friendly nonsense. If they cannot see a true and authentic difference between the church and the world why would they want what we claim to have? Or they see the angry judgmentalism that makes up so much of modern Christendom. The idiots from Westboro Baptist are only the fringe of what a lot of Christianity has become. A petulant members only club that has turned their collective noses up to the world and sees their sin as the cause of all problems. Forgetting of course about our own sin. Forgetting of course about how none are righteous. Entire books have been written recently asserting that unless our country turns back to God we are in for judgment. Let me explain why this is nonsense. First of all -- we are all in for judgment, regardless. The only thing that will save you from this judgment is the blood of Jesus Christ. Not your church participation, ministry efforts, or good deeds. Secondly, this country never was right with God to begin with. It was never a theocratic nation and only a poor understanding of United States history would lead one to believe differently. Lastly, the people you are complaining about are unsaved beloved! The Bible says the things of God are utter foolishness to them! The notion that a society in the middle of devolution, committed to ascending to the heavens to supplant a God they do not believe in, is going to suddenly turn to Him is ludicrous. God may not want any to perish, but perish many will. The church needs to get about the business of the Kingdom and stop erecting their own versions of the Tower of Babel. Eternal lives are at stake. Preach the Gospel. Stop massaging it. Stop disguising it. Stop watering it down. Preach it and let people decide if they want to continue devolving in their enlightenment.
I believe God has shown us examples in His Word regarding devolved societies:
The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. And the LORD said, "I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing--all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them." But Noah found favor with the LORD. -- Genesis 6: 5-8 (NLT)
Lot reached the village just as the sun was rising over the horizon. Then the LORD rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation. -- Genesis 19: 23-25 (NLT)
Or one can look at the account of Jonah and see that Nineveh had to seriously repent to avoid the wrath of God. Even though they did, they eventually fell back into the godless ways and were wiped out. Even the chosen people were not without judgment. The ten northern tribes known as Israel never had one king that served God and eventually they would be judged and scattered by the Assyrian Empire. Judah would be taken into Babylonian captivity for 70 years. Read the Prophets and you will see them constantly warning God's people of their continued moving away from God. Their continued devolution. You may look at this world and wonder about time but realize America is less than 250 years old. It is a drop in the temporal bucket. The Roman Empire lasted over 600 years by comparison.
I am not anti science. I am anti arrogance. I believe that if you can measure something and observe it, then you are fit to draw conclusions from it and refer to it as fact. But do not expound theoretically, refer to it as factual knowledge, and then dismiss anyone who has the temerity to believe something else as being intellectually inferior or ignorant. Whenever I see things like I saw this morning, the gleeful mocking of the existence of God, I reflect back to the key verse and ask -- who is this that darkens the counsel of God? Then I realize that it is who I was before God knocked me off my high horse. It was who you were. It is who our unsaved family and friends are now. They need to see Christ in me and in the church. They need love not judgment. They need the Gospel not parlor tricks. Because only God can save them from the continuing downward spiral of devolution. Only God can save them from their own enlightenment.
Reverend Anthony Wade -- April 18, 2013
