By: Gary L. Hutchens
The previous article discussed the state of many people who live ungodly lifestyles and continually suffer for their bad choices. The question posed was, why don’t they turn to God and find a better way? The answer offered was, God is not in their thoughts, His will for their lives is not even a consideration in their minds!
Some might think I’m being harsh in making such an assessment. I’m just being brutally honest. The Psalmist wrote of this reality long ago: “The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.” (Ps. 10:4).
When a person consistently suppresses thinking about God’s will for his life, he eventually becomes conditioned to not think about God at all. The natural result is a life characterized by sinfulness. The longer a person lives an ungodly life, the more pronounced becomes his wickedness. Wickedness is becoming more and more the character of our culture. One is reminded of God’s description of mankind in the days of Noah: “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5).
One example of our cultural behavior that exemplifies the reality of this assessment is the fast growing rate of cohabitation. Not very long ago a couple living together without being married were said to be shackin’ up. It was widely recognized as a disgraceful and immoral relationship. In our present culture it is about as common as getting married. Couples meet, start having sexual relations and decide to move in together to make it more convenient. Often, they break up and move on to another similar relationship. Many will have children, without benefit of getting married. They say they’re committed to each other, but they’re not committed enough to get married.
Do such couples consider God’s will on the matter? Not even a thought; God is not in their minds.
Another example is our cultural thinking on homosexuality. In very recent years the practice of homosexuality was seen as abnormal and immoral. In today’s culture the gay lifestyle, as it’s now called, is not only accepted, it is praised and defended as being normal and wholesome and good. Anyone who disagrees is accused of being prejudiced and full of hate and often faces an avalanche of intimidation tactics to punish and shut him up. A purposeful gay agenda has been extremely successful in immersing the entertainment industry with a pro-gay message. Recent legislation has legalized marriage between same sex couples and sanctions their adopting children.
God’s will? Not a consideration! Cannot allow appealing to the very source of morality to cloud society’s thinking on moral issues.
A third example is the rise of violence. In our culture today evil abounds. How can people commonly kill other people in such numbers, not on battlefields but in the streets of our cities? How can the drug culture be so powerful, permeating every segment of our society? How can the pornography industry thrive? How can such evil and wickedness flourish? More and more in our cultural mindset, God is absent! When God is not in the picture, evil naturally fills the vacuum. Why don’t people turn to God and find a better way? Because God is not in their minds. His will is not in their thoughts. We’re already reaping the consequences, and the consequences will get worse…
When a person consistently suppresses thinking about God’s will for his life, he eventually becomes conditioned to not think about God at all. The natural result is a life characterized by sinfulness. The longer a person lives an ungodly life, the more pronounced becomes his wickedness. Wickedness is becoming more and more the character of our culture. One is reminded of God’s description of mankind in the days of Noah: “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5).
One example of our cultural behavior that exemplifies the reality of this assessment is the fast growing rate of cohabitation. Not very long ago a couple living together without being married were said to be shackin’ up. It was widely recognized as a disgraceful and immoral relationship. In our present culture it is about as common as getting married. Couples meet, start having sexual relations and decide to move in together to make it more convenient. Often, they break up and move on to another similar relationship. Many will have children, without benefit of getting married. They say they’re committed to each other, but they’re not committed enough to get married.
Do such couples consider God’s will on the matter? Not even a thought; God is not in their minds.
Another example is our cultural thinking on homosexuality. In very recent years the practice of homosexuality was seen as abnormal and immoral. In today’s culture the gay lifestyle, as it’s now called, is not only accepted, it is praised and defended as being normal and wholesome and good. Anyone who disagrees is accused of being prejudiced and full of hate and often faces an avalanche of intimidation tactics to punish and shut him up. A purposeful gay agenda has been extremely successful in immersing the entertainment industry with a pro-gay message. Recent legislation has legalized marriage between same sex couples and sanctions their adopting children.
God’s will? Not a consideration! Cannot allow appealing to the very source of morality to cloud society’s thinking on moral issues.
A third example is the rise of violence. In our culture today evil abounds. How can people commonly kill other people in such numbers, not on battlefields but in the streets of our cities? How can the drug culture be so powerful, permeating every segment of our society? How can the pornography industry thrive? How can such evil and wickedness flourish? More and more in our cultural mindset, God is absent! When God is not in the picture, evil naturally fills the vacuum. Why don’t people turn to God and find a better way? Because God is not in their minds. His will is not in their thoughts. We’re already reaping the consequences, and the consequences will get worse…