We recall earlier this year, when we were preaching in London, standing in a room in the manse of a London church and looking out at the city. These words welled in our heart: "O London, London, thou who wert exalted unto heaven, how art thou cast down into the pit?"
London, the city of the Puritans, the city of Wesley and of Whitefield, of Huntington and Hart, of Spurgeon and Lloyd-Jones, is now full of all manner of wickedness. But it is not London alone. It is the whole of the United Kingdom.
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
So it proves. We are seeing Roman 1.18-32 fulfilled before our eyes. As the nations that descended from Noah forsook God, so our nation has done the same.
18: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19: Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22: Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23: And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24: Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26: For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29: Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30: Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31: Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
And our American brothers should not be complacent. A wise minister has told us that he sees in America today the United Kingdom fifty years ago. What then shall we do? Let us give God no rest, let us repent of our sins and turn to Him, for He is gracious and will not leave the desolate to mourn.
5 comments:
What does the pastor see in America that reminds him of the U.K. 50 years ago? Do you mean in the church or society as a whole?
It's hard to believe that 50 years ago it was worse in the U.K. than what it is here,most large cities have more violence on the streets than an average day in Baghdad. GOD has turned us over to ourselves!
In the church in particular. What he saw were large congregations (in British terms) but a very shallow, man-centred message in the pulpit and an emphasis on entertainment rather than Bible study in the youth groups. The church appeared healthy, but the pink cheeks were a sign of consumption, not of health.
HH,
I agree with that assessment 100% and the consumption is a fitting illness to describe it.
HH,
And our American brothers should not be complacent. A wise minister has told us that he sees in America today the United Kingdom fifty years ago.
Too many of us Americans are complacent my brother.
I think the larger churches in our area are mainly social gatherings where unregenerate businessmen rub elbows and look religious.
I have already seen a Methodist church sold and converted into a Mosque in Florida. And I think that's a sign of things to come in this nation.
It's already happened here, Rhett. The large churches of 50 years ago in the UK were all too often of the social club type. But while the first generation is used to churchgoing, and the second does it, the third ignores church completely. My parents' generation was the second. My generation were often taken to church, but unless we are Christians, we don't really take our children.
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