December 2006
No. 252
WHAT HAS CORRUPTED TODAY’S YOUTH?
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WHAT
HAS CORRUPTED TODAY’S YOUTH?
PARENTS
In this series of articles, we looked at
possible factors that have contributed to the corruption of today’s youth. In
this article we will conclude the series and take a look at what is the most
influential factor in a child’s life: parents.
There
is nothing more influential in a child’s life than a parent, or lack thereof.
The lifestyles of many famous people mentioned in the previous articles stem
from a lack of loving parents. With an absence of parents, this individual was
often led to trouble. Without the financial support of parents, this individual
may have been led to stealing or drug dealing. This individual lacking strong
parental guidance may have developed no respect for authority or elders.
Somebody raised in an unstable household may have fathered or given birth to
several illegitimate children. This lifestyle is the lifestyle often glorified
by society and famous people. Today’s youth often admires these people and
their lifestyle and may even desire it.
When
a parent is setting examples, it is not always the things they do; it is often
the things they don’t do. Parents cannot lead only by words and telling
children how to live. Children remember the actions their parents do, and to a
child, actions speak louder than words. Children are extremely attentive and
will most certainly know when a parent says one thing yet does another. It may
even be said that if a parent sets proper examples consistently for their
children, when it is time for the children to leave home, the children will know
how to live. The parent’s examples should speak for themselves, and a child
should know how they are expected to live. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will
not depart from it.” (Pro. 22:6)
Parents must teach children the Bible at
home from their youth up. Ephesians 6:4 tells us this: “And, ye fathers,
provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord.” Children must be raised in a Christian atmosphere
and in the Church. Parents must make it a point to get their children to Church services.
If a parent easily finds excuses or small “illnesses” to not attend Church
services, you better believe their child is picking up on it and may develop
that habit themselves.
One
of the most troubling things commonly associated with many youths today is the
blatant disregard for authority and elders. In school when a teacher would reprimand
a student, I often heard the student reply to the teacher “Don’t even start
that with me.” Or “Don’t you talk to me like that.” This troubled me and
I would wonder where these youths developed the idea that they had the right to
speak like that to an elder. It soon dawned on me that these youths believed
they were special, and they likely received the idea from their parents. Parents
cannot let their children think they are special. Today, many parents tell their
children to not let anyone talk to them in certain ways or tell them what to do.
The parents tell their children if the children are treated wrong, then the
parents will take care of the ordeal. This has led to parents blindly supporting
their children in confrontations. Anyone in education today will tell you that
many parents no longer support the teacher; they support their child no matter
the situation. “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him
chasteneth him betimes.” (Pro. 13:24).
Out of all the factors we have viewed,
parents is
the only one that has direct influence from the moment a child is born. The
influence and availability of the other factors are often decided by the
parents. Not everything is left up to the parents. “Children, obey your
parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is
the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou
mayest live long on the earth.” (Eph 6:1-3). However, a youth’s
attitude, decision making, and lifestyle is influenced by nurture. Parents have
the most influence on a youth.
BEN
APOLOGIA
QUESTION: In
Romans 1:18, Paul tells us that the wrath of God is “revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men”. The statement seems
to indicate that God is presently revealing His wrath. Is this correct? If so,
in what way is His wrath being revealed at the present time?
ANSWER: One of the great shortcomings of
the present religious culture is the failure to acknowledge the wrath of God. We
live in a day and age where many are content to simply speak of God’s love and
largely ignore the passages of scripture that warn of His wrath. This trend is
not in keeping with the example of apostolic preaching in which the wrath of God
was given a great deal of attention.
While we know and are certainly
appreciative of the truth concerning the love, mercy, and grace of God, we must
never fall victim to Satan’s deception that the traits of love, mercy, and
grace, are in opposition to wrath. Since the beginning Satan has been telling
the lie that no matter what we do we will not suffer the consequences.
This same message is being heralded from
pulpits all across
America
. We are told that God desires our salvation (which He does), He will forgive us
(which He will), and He will bestow upon us His mercy (which He has) through His
Son Jesus Christ. However, what is not being heralded is that if we do not
accept the salvation offered we will incur His wrath.
The failure to preach the love, grace, and
mercy of God against the backdrop of God’s wrath amounts to teaching the
message that we have the license to sin without consequence. Go ahead sin, God
loves you. Go ahead sin, God is merciful. Go ahead sin, God is full of grace. Or
Satan put it, “Go ahead disobey, you will not surely die.”
If one examines the sermons recorded in the
book of Acts one will be confronted with the difference between the common
message of our time and the true message of the gospel. In most cases the
sermons began with the true condition of mankind as being sinful. This was
followed with statements concerning the righteous judgment of God against sin
and those who love it. This message in most instances was enough to elicit a
response from those who heard it. Men cried out, “What shall we do?” or
“What must I do to be saved?” It was at this point that the love, grace, and
mercy of God were mentioned. Those who inquired were pointed to the cross and
told that it was here that God chose to pour out His wrath for those who would
accept the one on the cross and the salvation found in Him! They were also
reminded that if they chose to reject this substitution they would suffer fully
the wrath of God.
This brings is to the question at hand. Is
the wrath of God only the punishment of our sins at the Day of Judgment or is
His wrath somehow evident even now? As the inquiry points out, the passage in
Romans is saying that His wrath is even now being revealed. Is God giving us a
foretaste of His wrath in this life? If He is, then how is He expressing this
righteous indignation to us in this present age? These questions are answered in
Romans 1:18-32. This passage is too large to include here so we encourage our
readers to examine the passage in its entirety.
Romans 1:18 states,
“For the
wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of
God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.”
From this
passage of scripture we gain two important truths. First, it is the truth that
God is presently revealing His wrath. This is so in every generation. We need to
realize that the wrath of God is not something that is only to be discovered in
the last day. The Bible does teach of a future day of wrath, which is commonly
referred to as Judgment Day, but we need to understand that God gives a
foretaste of His wrath that is ever present with us even before that Day.
The second truth is
why God gives a foretaste of His wrath unto people. He does so because men
stifle His truth. This is what the writer meant when he refers to suppressing
the truth of God in unrighteousness. God desires that all men be saved by coming
to the knowledge of the truth. However, due to the sin in our hearts, we are
deceived. Rather than embracing His truth and coming to the Light of His way, we
remain in a darkened state and not only reject His truth but also make every
effort to suppress it.
We suppress and reject
God’s truth when we justify our unrighteous deeds and seek to follow our
ungodly passions. We spurn God and His truth when we ignore those things of God
that are manifest in us and the creation around us. God has revealed to us so
many things concerning Himself that we are without excuse. Yet we still continue
in our unbelief.
Another
reason God manifests His wrath is that we are ungrateful and foolish. Note verse
21.
“…because,
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.”
In following Paul’s thoughts in this
passage we see that men
are
not grateful even though they know God. Failing to be thankful in all things is also a
failure to glorify Him as God. The latter is man’s entire reason for being. To fail
here is to fail in our purpose for existing.
When we are foolish and unthankful we become people who are guided not by
God’s truth but by our own reason and intellect. How ironic. We who are blind,
with darkened hearts and futile imaginations are trying to find solutions to our
existence here on earth and to guide our own steps. Certainly we profess wisdom
but are truly fools.
This is evident in our own society. All
around us we have erected our idols to replace the one true God. We have adopted
the doctrine of secular humanism (no higher power than man), we have become
lovers of material possessions, and walk in such a way that we feed and fulfill
every desire of the flesh.
No wonder God is angry! No wonder His wrath
is kindled! When we cease to be thankful to God and when we began to esteem the
created things over the Creator, His wrath is justified. This will all be
manifest in the last day with the fiery end promised to this world.
But how is God’s wrath evident now? In
order to understand how the wrath of God is manifest in the present we turn the
attention of the reader to the action that God takes in response to our
suppression and rejection of Him and His truth. He simply gives us up to follow
our own way. Three times Paul brings our attention to this action of God. Please
note verse 24, 26, and 28.
“Therefore God also gave them up
to uncleanness…” V. 24
“For this reason God gave them up
to vile passions…” V. 26
“And even as they did not like to retain
God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind…”
V. 28
The Greek word for “gave them up” is
paradidomi. It means simply leaving man to follow his own way. There is no fire
from heaven, no lightning bolts, no thunder, just letting man follow his own
desires and vile passions. It is herein that we find the wrath of God currently
revealed.
The result of being given up is to be
filled with all unrighteousness. Note verses Romans 28 and 29 in their entirety.
“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…”
The verse continues mentioning the
manifestation of such unrighteousness like wickedness, envy, murder and the
like. All of these are the result of man being allowed to follow the desires of
His own heart, the passion of His own lusts. And yet we continue on, increasing
in our own sinfulness.
The wrath of God is clearly seen in that as
we follow the dictates of our own hearts, we reap what we sow. The promises of
sin are lies. We buy in to the idea that sin is fun, that sin is going to give
us what we need, but the truth is that it always takes us where we do not want
to go, keeps us longer than we want to be kept, and does to us what we do not
want to happen.
Herein is found the foretaste of God’s
wrath. Suffering the consequences of sin here in this life is painful. Just
imagine what it will be like to suffer them for all eternity!
Sam Dick
Cave City
,
KY
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES
1.
According
to Genesis, what was the first thing God said?
2.
What
was the name of Ruth’s first husband?
3.
Where
were Joseph, Mary, and Jesus when king Herod died?
4.
What
associate of Paul’s nearly died of an illness and then was sent to
Philippi
?
5.
In
Revelation, which of the seven seals revealed the souls of the martyrs?
ANSWERS NEXT MONTH . . .
and
remember last month’s questions?
1.
How
old was Moses when his mother put him in a basket and hid him among the reeds on
the
Nile
? THREE MONTHS (Exo. 2:2-3)
2.
Psalm
10 asks God to do what to the wicked man?
BREAK HIS ARM ( Ps. 10:15)
3.
What
was Amos’ occupation? HERDSMAN
(Amos 1:1)
4.
The
Jews attempted to stone Jesus for saying that He preceded whom?
ABRAHAM (John 8:58-59)
5.
In
Galatians, Paul said that not even Titus was compelled to what?
BE CIRCUMCISED (Gal. 2:3)
GOSPEL
MEETINGS
|
Dates |
Location |
Speaker |
| Dec. 1-3, 2006 |
Mt. Carmel Road Congregation
Gay, GA |
Kevin Mills
Newnan, GA |
| Dec. 4-8, 2006 |
Camellia City Congregation
Greenville, AL |
Various
speakers from
Owens Road Congregation
Prattville, AL |
THE
HARVESTER is a monthly publication intended to encourage all men
everywhere to become laborers into God’s harvest (Luke 10:2). This paper is
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