Watchmen on The Walls

      The Apostle Paul warns that God will deliver those who do not want to acknowledge God over to a reprobate mind (Rom. 1:28).  

      Reprobate minds are minds void of common logic and reasonable judgment.  As one radio commentator asked, “Is there any common sense left in America?”  We find more and more in our society that the blind are attempting to lead the blind.  Jesus teaches us very clearly why we see the transition of the society around us in His conversation with Nicodemus.  “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:19–21).  

      Those who are evil don’t want to see their sins but rather desire to blind themselves so their conscience is not troubled.  The more sin we see in our world, the more people can sin without consciousness of it.  This fact reveals why the world is growing darker and darker and sin is permeating our society.  Men love sin.

        In the October issue of the ToT, the “Watchmen” article revealed how the hatred for Christians is increasing in our world.  The recent event in Houston, Texas, is just another example of this hatred.  The lesbian mayor, Annise Parker, has struck out against the pastors of Houston.  She subpoenaed all the pastors in Houston to hand over their sermons and writings dealing with homosexuality or gender identity.  After major opposition and uprising throughout the country, she amended her subpoena omitting sermons but retained the requirement of all speeches and presentations regarding Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) be subpoenaed.  The subpoenas appear to be in response to HERO, focused on the “Bathroom Bill”.  This bill states that men who feel they are more woman than man, should be able to use the bathroom of their choice.  This way of thinking is absolutely absurd and asinine and is a vivid portrayal of God having given to those who hate truth a reprobate mind.  The more clearly one understands God and His law and the holiness and righteousness of His kingdom, the more ridiculous are the reasonings of carnal men.  The closer a Christian draws to God, the more sin and evil will become exceedingly sinful, for he will see sin as God sees it.  A burden will begin to rise up in his heart and extreme grief over the sin that permeates society.

        The activities in Houston spread rapidly across the country and has produced a great outcry from religious freedom groups.  Even conservative politicians have voiced their disdain of the demands of Annise Parker.  Senator Ted Cruz showed his contempt for the policy in a rally held recently stating, “Caesar has no jurisdiction over the pulpit.”  The great threat to churches is that they can be fined and can lose their tax exemption.  In Houston, most pastors quickly took a stand that they would go to prison before they would give in to the city’s demands.  It’s good to see some ministers bold enough to stand up for God’s law above the laws of the land.  It would be far better for churches to lose their tax exempt status than to lose God’s blessings.

        While this mandate by Houston political leaders will probably be overruled at this time because of the outcry from around the country, it reminds me of other laws that, when first presented, were rejected as unfathomable.  But after a few years they made their way into the American legal system.  Abortion, Legalized marijuana, Adultery, Fornication, Same–sex marriage are just a few issues that only a few years ago would have caused people to rise up in protest, but today are accepted and most think little of it.  Public nudity is becoming popular as more and more skin is exposed by Hollywood stars and models in one’s efforts to out–do another.  And the populous desires to have it so.  Scripture is being fulfilled before our eyes and Jesus’ warnings are coming to pass.  He said, “when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it (His return) is nigh, even at the doors” (Mark 13:29).  Some of the signs Jesus spoke of are seen in what we call “climate change.”  The battle goes on about whether humans are causing this change or not.  The truth is that humans have, because they have sinned and brought God’s judgment upon our land and the world.  It’s not something man can in his wisdom “fix”.  The “fix” is to repent and return to the God of our fathers.  Can this happen?  Yes.  Will it?  Probably not.  Just as it is easier to keep ebola out of our country than it will be to eradicate it once it gets in, so it is much easier to keep sin out of our lives, our homes, our churches, and our country than it is to get it out once it has made its way in.  It is most difficult to eliminate sin once it gains a strong hold in our lives, and the same is true regarding our country.  Unfortunately, sin has moved into our country and we have accepted it as normal.  

      God is the hope for America and the world.  It’s time that all Christians lay aside many of the mundane things that divide us and unite against a common enemy.  Christians are not the enemy, sin is the enemy of the church.  However, sin was dealt a death–blow when Jesus died on the cross bearing man’s sin, freeing man from the bondage of sin.  The supernatural power of the Holy Spirit has been given to every believer so that he can overcome sin in his own personal life, even in this present evil world.  Don’t believe the lies of the devil that would make you believe that we have to sin just because we are living in an evil environment.  Jesus said that although we are in the world, we are “not of the world” (John 17:14,16), and He proclaimed, “be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

        The victory is sure; God will finish the work He has begun and will present to Himself a bride, adorned in garments clean and white.  Let us not be weary in well–doing but press on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of Christ (Phil. 3:14). 

Alfred King