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     In the last article we cited Jesus presentation of a list of sins prefaced by their origin “For out of the heart proceed....” (Matthew 15:19).  The origin of all sin is from within each individual.  Thus each of us has a choice whether to sin or not to sin, or more starkly stated when Jesus drew the line in the sand, “He who is not with Me is against Me,....” (Matthew 12:30).  There is no middle ground with God, you are either for or against God!  Likewise there is no middle ground with sin — support it or refrain and abstain from it!

     That mankind has proven itself to be a miserable failure by supporting sin rather than God and His righteousness is recorded in history — the oldest most reliable history — the Bible.  The selfish conduct of Adam and Eve highlights humanity’s weakness.  The Old Testament is repetitive about this fact.

     Even though, the nation of ancient Israel had the supreme blessing of a special covenant with God, guiding every aspect of their lives (Exodus to Deuteronomy), the people preferred their own sinful way until it destroyed their nation (evident by the Assyrian and Babylonian wars, removing 90% of the survivors from their land [2 Kings 17; 25; Jeremiah 39; 52]).  If there is one short statement which sums up Israel’s centuries long attitude it is “...everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25; 1100BC).  The Israelites were “...stubborn rebels, walking as slanderers...” (Jeremiah 6:28).  God declared, “... they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck.  They did worse than their fathers” (Jeremiah 7:26; 600 BC).  Today, this same attitude is the prevalent defacto U.S. state religion called Secular Humanism.  So it is not new, but rather the propensity of human beings.

     At times the prophets focused their message upon the justice system, specifically the judges, who were corrupt (e.g., Isaiah 1:23; 29:21; Amos 2:6; 5:12).  Most of Israel’s & Judah’s kings were corrupt, leading the people into the depths of idolatry and depravity.  For example, King Manasseh who seduced Judah “...to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel” (2 Kings 21:9).  He even, installed booths in God’s temple for homosexual activity as worship (2 Kings 23:7).  We ask, “Where were the high priest and the judges to stop this descent into depravity?”

     Today, we ask the same question as the US Supreme court went even a step further than ancient Israel, sanctifying homosexual marriage.  May God be merciful as He chastises the US!  But where do you stand?  Are you for God or against Him?  Your eternal destiny depends on that decision.

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