Gibbons, in his well respected work entitled, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, lists 7 reasons he contends were the major culprits resulting in the fall of the greatest of the ancient empires. The seven reasons listed are:
- The divorce rate rose.
- Taxes got higher
- More public money was spent for welfare.
- The craving for greater pleasure and leisure increased.
- Sports appeared to get more exciting, more brutal.
- The building of gigantic armaments continued.
- Religion was thought by many to be on the decay.
Now, it doesn’t take a genius to see the parallels of the ancient society with our day and time. And this is a pretty strong indicator of the present state of our society as well.
If Gibbon’s list fails to impress, how about comparing the pagans of Paul’s day with our society. Paul said, in describing that society in Romans 1,
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” (vss 28-32).
Once again, the parallels are obvious, and show that we live in a society that has forgotten God, and as such is in extreme danger of His judgment. We, of course, do not know the when of judgment, as God works in His way, and His time. However, we do know that He indeed works in the affairs of men, and this nation exists solely at His discretion. Paul stated in Acts 17:26, “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.”
As a nation, we must repent, and remember God again. To refuse is to doom ourselves to the same end as that suffered by Rome, Babylon, Assyria, and Egypt.
As the people of God, we must be about our Father’s business. The only cure is the gospel of Christ. The changing power of that glorious word is what transforms man, and brings him to a right standing with his creator. Are you preaching the gospel to a lost and dying society?
