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Making Sense of it All
My Grandson Wesley wrote the following to me on Wednesday:
“Nampa,
The world seems ablaze now more than ever after the Trump assassination attempt. I’ve been
disheartened by all of it. Even in casual conversation, coworkers and acquaintances mention wishing for a different outcome from that day. In my estimation, the moral fabric of the nation appears eroded beyond repair. So many seem to hold such little regard for human life. Just by turning to the left, we’ve gone in circles. Of all that history has taught me, it seems certain that we will get exactly what we deserve. How do you make sense of it all?
– Wes”
Many of you have met Wes. For several years it was his pleasure to play a special piano number for our annual Christmas Eve service. He is a young man now. Wes has gone on to graduate from the U of M and MSU. He has also been accepted to study law at Harvard. Terry has said that sometimes we are given to “bragamonies”. Terry is right.
It occurred to me that Bereans might find both interest and profit in my brief response:
“Wes,
Your old Nampa is a one-finger typer. That is a fact that has an influence on the timeliness of my reply. I say that to attract all possible sympathy and inclination that you may muster to forgive what might otherwise perceived as a sluggish response.
This note will have to do most specifically with the two concerns that I glean from your note:
- The moral fabric seems to be eroded beyond repair
- There seems to be so little regard for life
Either of these concerns might easily blossom to include the entirety of theology and philosophy. I look forward to having that broader conversation. Today I will intentionally focus on your core questions.
- The moral fabric seems to be eroded beyond repair
There is a sense in which you rightly perceive negative trends in the morality of men. However, it should be understood that the morality of men is fixed and does not change this side of the New Birth. What does vary age to age, country to country, and culture to culture is the amount of restraint that God has gracefully placed on that nature. Our country was founded on a biblically based system of morality bequeathed to us through the Protestant Reformation. That moral code was embodied in our laws and assumed by our culture. It may be true that America has never actually been inhabited by a majority holding these views in the true spiritual sense of them, but it is also certainly true that their influence WAS general. In recent decades, through an alliance of forces, we have been gradually influenced to abandon important pieces of that old heritage with the result that, as a generality, our basic nature is less restrained. Perhaps it may be said that our people are actually now often encouraged to indulge their inner darkness. Exactly where we are, as a nation, in the process, I cannot be precise. From my knowledge of history, however, I am confident that no people can continue in moral decline indefinitely. God will judge it! You are steeped in biblical and historical truth such that I am sure you will not doubt this.
That God should show us grace and reverse the trends that are in motion is not to be assumed. From my knowledge of world history, I can only think of one instance where a nation, once enlightened by the gospel but again sliding into darkness, was shown this mercy: England’s decline was arrested through the preaching of Wesley and Whitfield (early 18th century). Their national course was reversed! They were drawn back from the brink of reprobation and ruin to enjoy another two centuries of light and blessing. However, we see in Britain, now, the same signs we note in ourselves. God will not Always strive with men!
- There seems to be so little regard for life
The natural post-Edenic man will have an affinity for death. The relatively recent examples of Germany and Russia will suffice to illustrate the point. Other symptoms attend moral decline: Good will be reckoned as being evil, white will be seen as black, sweet will become sour. We are there! It is thought to be evil by many in our land to spare the unborn child if its’ continued life is inconvenient. It is acceptable – even desirable – that working people be tasked and taxed to support those whose problem is simply that they will not work! Chastity and faithfulness are mocked while every kind of deviancy and debauchery is exalted!
Where then is peace for the concerned soul viewing these things? It is in Christ. Every create thing in this world is ephemeral. There is a universal entropy that grips and wrests the life and substance from all things. Only Christ is eternal. He is the only truth, the only way, the only life. He is the only source for personal forgiveness. Love Him above all things. On that great day, only He and those that have life from Him will stand. Everyone and everything not under the covering of His grace will be consigned to the fire.
– Nampa”
George Moore
Elder Emeritus
