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.Romans 1:21, 22
The Lord Jesus Christ taught that living with full awareness of God’s all-seeing Presence was to be a priority: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..”(Matthew 6:33). The first of all commandments to man is,“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30). Everything follows from this first supreme fact: the reality of God’s existence. The Bible speaks everywhere of God, Maker of the world and everything in it, LORD of heaven and earth, with absolute authority over all His creation. This is as true today as it ever was. The foundation stone of Biblical revelation is in the first line: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1).
The majority of human beings live as though God does not exist. Many dismiss all religious teachings that present an Almighty Supreme Being. To many the existence of God is of no importance. Rejecting the certainties of Bible revelation, the faith of many around them, the persistence of religion and perennial philosophies that take Deity for granted, they become futile in their thoughts. In the opening chapter of his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul wrote that men “suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” And against the claims of agnostics, Paul asserts that “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.” (Romans 1:19,20).
We respect the analyses and recommendations of sociologists, psychologists, economists, social engineers, politicians, community and human rights workers and others who are genuinely concerned about the state of our societies, They work tirelessly to turn persons from crime and anti-societal behavior. However, the Christian and Biblical position is that rejection of the God of the Bible and of Jesus Christ, incarnate God, is directly responsible for the overwhelming problems of our world. Without obedience of the God of the Bible and related love and respect of fellow human beings, the horrendous state of every society in this world will only grow worse. As is obvious. World-wide panic grows today as everyone, in all corners of the globe, becomes more alarmed by rising crime, terrorist violence in cities, gang warfare in which innocent passersby die, endemic racisms. Added to this, a rampant flood of immorality and corruption makes itself more accessible than ever before, given the great advances in technology and availability of personal devices. Even while many bemoan the state of affairs, the majority take the situation as the modern state of things which must be largely accepted. However, we yearn for solutions to the worst of the violence and corruption, the seeming ineffectiveness of governments and police forces.
The Bible’s position is clear. God exists, He has revealed Himself to His creation, He has not been silent. He has spoken by prophets, apostles and His faithful church. He has spoken uniquely to the world by Jesus Christ, “the Word become flesh,” the One by Whom “all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth.” Of Christ it is written that God “has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31). These are amazing revelations. The challenging question to all is, “are they true?” How we answer decides how we live.
The God of the Bible calls humanity to know Him and obey Him. The whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments. Man’s rebellion against God is responsible for the state of affairs, the chaos of this planet, throughout history. This is the world and life view of the historic Biblical Christian faith. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life,” (Galatians 6:7,8).
Not that it is impossible, but the Bible does not give much hope that we will see nation-wide repentances. The prophecies of the last days of time promise that in spite of great trouble, men “blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds” (Revelation 16:11). Under the great judgements of God in the last days of human history, “the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.” (Revelation 9:20, 21).
Because the world is not going to get better – it is a doomed place – it is individuals who must seek and find their Creator. In the midst of the overwhelming corruption, hatred, social divisions, crimes of all kinds – individual persons must cry out to God for mercy and salvation. This is a personal responsibility. The truth of ultimate reality, our utter need of God our Creator and Saviour, is set out in the Bible, God’s revealed Word to humanity. In those pages, and through the preaching and teaching of the faithful Bible-believing Church, one meets the Risen Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Through heart-faith by which lives are changed, one finds the means to cope with the trouble and confusion as well as personal difficulties and personal failure. We belong to God and only when we live as He commands, will we know how we are to prepare to exist in this sin-filled world, and eventually enter His presence.
Jesus Christ will return one day as Judge of all humanity. He taught of His return and gave warnings concerning preparation for death, judgement, eternity: “Watch therefore, for you do now know what hour your Lord is coming…Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:42, 44). Death, sudden or through illness, or through crime, is now an ever-present reality. The return of Christ, mocked as it is and ridiculed, is also certain. We must be ready for these. Indeed, we must, urgently, Seek now our Creator and Savior. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. What is promised is a Judgement Day with Christ Jesus as Judge. What is promised to believers is a “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13).