In part 1 of this series I referenced Edward Gibbon’s book in which he writes about the fall of the Roman Empire. In his book he explains why that great empire totally disappeared from the part of the world it once ruled. According to Gibbon, the two main reasons for the kingdom’s demise were the loss of civic virtue and the loss of individual morality. Truth be known, the loss of those two characteristics is the primary cause of the fall of any individual or group, whether great or small. This truth is in effect everywhere and at all times. In Gibbons words, the laws of morality are as unchanging as the laws of mathematics and physics. America’s first president agreed with Gibbon. In His Farwell Address to the nation George Washington stated: “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”
Gibbon and Washington, along with most all people having intelligence and integrity, agree that more than military power and industrial knowhow are required in order for a nation to succeed over an extended period of time. Also needed are high morals and pure religion. And yet most politicians and educators today reject this truth. They tell us that things of the spirit, if they exist at all, have little if any effect on the success or failure of a nation or an individual.
America has been in a state of moral decline for several generations. However, there was a period when her decline took a giant leap forward. The downward slope toward the moral sewer in which she is rapidly approaching suddenly grew steeper during the 1960’s when the “love generation” came on the scene and led the nation into the moral free-fall in which she continues to this day. The nation’s moral dive affected not only the general population, but also her highest offices. During that time a justice on the United States Supreme Court noted publicly that it was impossible to define morality. To him and so many others, morality was whatever one wants it to be at any given time and under any given circumstance. Such reasoning even has a name; it is called “Situational Ethics.” Interpretation: what is ethical depends on what one wants to be right, at that time and in that situation. For those whose hearts are in the past, that supreme court judge’s statement continues to send a shock throughout the system. Equally shocking is the national mindset that continues to reflect his statement. For those of my generation (I am 83), morality was measured by how closely one’s life mirrors the teachings of the Holy Bible. Or as the Apostle John would have stated it: ONE’S MORALITY SHOULD BE DETERMINED BY WHETHER OR NOT ONE OBEYED GOD’S LAWS, STATUTES AND JUDGMENTS WHICH ARE SUMMARIZED IN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Early on in America’s short history the United States, along with the world’s other so-called “Christian nations,” were what is commonly characterized as religious. Of course they all had their share of sinners of every sort. But generally speaking, the people held themselves up as believers in and keepers of God’s Law. They also held their national and state leaders to high moral standards centered in the Ten Commandments. Throughout the original colonies in order to see public office one had to be a Christian. Their national church observances reflected the Biblical ethos. Such holidays as Christmas and Easter were forbidden due to their pagan origins. The same was true for the Sunday Sabbath.
It was a different time. The common belief was that only if the majority of citizens were God-fearing, obedient and faithful to the Biblical Standard could a nation survive. It was also recognized that many of the nation’s people believed themselves to be spiritually, and in some cases, biologically, one with the children of Israel. For this reason the Bible was normally found among the pilgrim’s family possessions. Generally speaking, the people obeyed the Ten Commandments and taught their children to obey them. It was commonly believed that national greatness depended on high ethical and moral behavior. Read Who and Where is Israel Today? Key word–Today.
Though the Biblical standard was not the rule in every situation, most Americans patterned their lives to some degree after the teachings of the prophets and apostles. This strong family structure generally produced virtuous children who grew up to be good fathers, mothers, teachers, ministers, judges, workers and political leaders. Of course, there were those who did not fit that mold. Let us not forget that even Jesus had a traitorous thief among His 12 disciples; and that at one point He had at least 82 ministering disciples, 70 of whom eventually left Him and went back into the world. Read Luke 10:1-10 and its corresponding passage–John 6:59-71.
It was only later in the life of the greatly blessed nation that Satan convinced the vast majority of her citizens to abandon the fourth commandment, which made everything else they did in God’s name irrelevant. As God said to Moses in Exodus 31, obedience to His 7th day Sabbath commandment was THE sign that identified His true followers and distinguished them from all other religious groups (vss 12-18). Due to Satan’s influence, the people began to slip away from the Lord and to view His Holy Scriptures with doubt. They obviously did not accept what the Apostle James wrote in 2:10: TO BREAK ONE OF THE COMMANDMENTS WAS TO BREAK ALL OF THEM. This makes one guilty of iniquity (Lawlessness). Jesus warned that He would cast such a sinner away from Him on the Day of Judgment (Mat. 7:21-23/ 15:9). He is the Lord; He changes not.” “He is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
Once having stepped onto that slippery Satanic slope, the church’s moral decline was established and her eventual total apostasy (separation from God) was set on automatic. At various times there would sweep across the nation what came to be known as “Great Awakenings” as God moved miraculously in an attempt to turn people back to Him, which they did in large numbers. But inevitably Satan would regain control of his people, the fire would go out and Satan would direct them back to the darkness from which they momentarily had escaped. Read about those spiritual movements using the key word–Awakening. In my youth and early adult days my denomination scheduled two “revivals” each year–one in the spiring and one in the fall. As with the Great Awakenings, spiritual fire would spring up, last a month or so, then it was back to business as usual, meaning lightless, powerless churchiness. In today’s world there is no fire, ever, anywhere–only the usual deadness that is characteristic of a dead religion, of which so-called Christianity is a global leader. Read the four Gospels and the Book of Acts to see how she should be operating. As I have stated before, a change is coming when the Lord’s miracle-working power will be witnessed globally. This “Great Awakening” will make its predecessors and the Book of Acts pale by comparison. Read The Gun, the Miracle and the Message. Key word–Gun.
Because God’s true saints are extremely scarce, only individually and out of the public eye do we see a move of God throughout the world today. In many areas they number only one or two in a county, if that many. It is for this reason that Jesus promised that where two or three true saints come together in His name, He would be there. God’s people operate outside of the public eye because they are despised by the other 99% of the church community. As a result, the American version of Christianity is as dead as her god (Satan) is alive. And because the nation always follows the lead of the church, my beloved nation is rushing headlong toward the pit where her god awaits with open arms. In order to help his victims who are spiritually walking his religious path that leads to his final embrace, he has established shelters–way stations known as churches which are operated by his false prophets assure them that all is well using sweet lies concerning their spiritual lives. My job is to reach as many church people as will hear His Truth, believe it and walk it. Please pray for this ministry. Having literally dozens of ways to spread his religious darkness, Satan has deceived millions (Rev. 12:9). Read Christ’s warning about this in Matthew 24: 3,4. L.J.
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