This Age of Enlightenment Wallows in Darkness

This Age of Enlightenment Wallows in Darkness - By Gene Lawley - https://www.raptureready.com/2018/10/06/age-enlightenment-wallows-darkness-gene-lawley/

 

We are being told directly and indirectly that this is "the age of enlightenment" where the freedom of expression is not bound by "old folksy traditions" and outdated standards of morality based on a nonexistent deity who would limit our rights to be what we want to be.

 

Like the Dead Sea, where waters of a once pristine river find their way to a pool of detestable, lifeless corruption, this darkness seems to point its way from all directions ultimately into a cesspool of sexual immorality that is condemned by the God of Holy Scripture. The sexual revolution that is a constant reminder in current events tells us that homosexuality is good and wholesome, and everyone should embrace it as normal, even to be included in its practice. Gender identity is no longer readily recognized by the apparent physical condition of a person, but parents are to let the child decide what "he or she" wants to be. Or, should I say, what "they" want to be?

 

School boards across the nation are struggling with bathroom rights for "trans-genders" and dress codes that allow girls to have more physical exposure, if they want to; and boys can wear makeup, if they want to. On the other hand, if the enticing appeal of a female results in a male's active attention, as she evidently desires, he is charged with "sexual harassment" or rape, if it goes that far.

 

But what does God say about this sexual confusion and its ultimate end? There can be no misinterpretation of Romans 1:18-32:

 

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 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.

 

"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.

 

"For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

 

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased 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-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

 

The previous discussion in no way has exhausted full coverage of the topic, for it seems to be the root of most, if not all, of the "enlightenments" our modern culture would have us believe we now have embraced.

 

Related to that is the gigantic fight to hold onto the right of abortion as a woman's choice. It is "pro-choice" or "pro-life" that is the issue in elections. One of the elements of darkness that is overshadowing the issue is this: If the 60 million or more abortions since Roe V. Wade in 1973 had not been performed, those people would have been working and paying into the dwindling Social Security fund so that it would not be facing looming bankruptcy. It is absurd to hang onto an excuse that the woman's health was at risk for every one of them. It is more obvious that it is merely a manner of birth control, in most cases. (Do you see how that issue dovetails into the sexual revolution trend?)

 

It is also interesting how well this elimination of 60 million or more, just in America, fits into the intention of the New World Order proponents to effect the reduction of the world's population to a billion or less individuals in order to better control them. That is, if their plans come to pass.

 

Solomon wrote, in Proverbs 9:10, "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and in Proverbs 8:13, "Fear of the Lord is to hate evil." The indictment of the Psalmist in Psalm 36:1: "Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all."

 

John says, "...God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil" (John 3:19). Isaiah labeled his generation of Israelites as those who "call evil good and good evil" (Isaiah 5:20), and there has been no improvement over all the generations of the world's people ever since. Look at the evidence in this time in America. Intent on lawlessness seems to be like a shroud of darkness upon the land.

 

In the political scenario today, the left-those self-acclaimed intellectuals who have thought themselves wise, as mentioned in the quotation from Romans 1:18-32 above-are desperately seeking to destroy President Trump and reverse his policies that have turned the nation around from the destruction obviously planned. Whether or not they are knowingly intending such actions is not a reason to excuse their behavior, for it seems to be the basic theory of the leftists.

 

They say they want to impeach Trump on anything that will work without impacting them directly, then raise taxes on all people, and cancel the provisions that have returned factories and opened up the economy to the United States. That would result in many more people without jobs and sending them back to food stamps and welfare. But they hope to get their votes for such "benefits."

 

Let's be clear on this: Donald Trump is not a man of God, but it is apparent he is God's man for this hour! If there is any reality of what is right and what is wrong in the whole world today, his opposition is vividly displaying those contrasting ideologies in their collective embrace of all that is unlawful and without moral integrity. It is as Jesus described the opposition to His offer in John 10:10:

 

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

 

But do not respond to this quote that I am saying everything of President Trump's changes of direction for the nation are holy and righteous. Just as with an individual, repentance at the national level is not instant and without struggle.

 

The condemnation from the Psalms and in Romans 3:18 is that "there is no fear of God before their eyes." In the prophet Ezekiel's account of the anger of God upon the Israelites and His promise of a resulting judgment, he ends the many declarations from the Lord with these words: "Thus shall they know that I am the Lord God!" Ours is a culture that has written God out of its consideration as a viable entity, yet He is Sovereign of the Universe, the Creator, as Psalm 90:2 says:

 

"Before the mountains were brought forth or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God!"

 

The Scripture says in Psalm 75:6-8 that God sets one up and puts down another for the purpose of his judgment to come. Jesus prophesied that he would come to take His own to be with Him as the Day of the Lord begins with its judgments. In Luke 17:26-37 He says it will be a time of a surging economy and social well-being, not in a distressed, grinding down economy such as that of the Obama administration and that of the stated intention of the Hillary Clinton reign.

 

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life" (John 8:12).

 

When the Rapture occurs and Jesus comes for His own "as a thief in the night" and in the "twinkling of an eye," the promise to believers is that written in 1 Thessalonians 5:4:

 

"But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief."