The Parchment 3-Dec-00: The King Is Glad!

When we look at the changing morality of our country, we can reflect on what Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:13: “But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” A sin begins being promoted on a very small scale and grows, deceiving people into acceptance until it gains the popularity of the majority. Finally, politicians see a great benefit in it. Next, the news media promote it until the politicians make it law. Finally, the denominational world embraces it to make it right, saying God did not really mean it was a sin.

I will use abortion as an example. Mind you, this is just one example. As far back as the mid 1960s, we heard it would be cheaper to pay for legalized abortion than to pay welfare for children born out of wedlock. This message weighs heavy today in arguments behind the scene for abortion. The outward cry is personal rights. The second benefit in man’s mind is the control of population growth. This is prevalent in countries that are becoming overcrowded.

This attitude reminds me of a statement of Charles Dickens’s character, Ebenezer Scrooge. When told that many poor die due to exposure each winter, he said, “Let them die and reduce the surplus population.”

Hosea 7:3 states, “The king is glad in their wickedness.” Any sin that enriches the government coffers makes the rulers happy. Why does the state government not want to change the legal limit on drunk driving? Money! Why did tobacco go so long without attention? Money! Now the government has found new ways of getting money back from the tobacco companies. Why do states embrace legalized gambling such as riverboat casinos or the lottery? Money! Why do governments approve of homosexuals? It's another means of population control. We could continue the list, but this is just a sample of the glad king.

As Christians, we need to keep the right perspective on issues and stay away from the attitudes of the world and not let them influence us. These should have no influence on the belief and practices of the Lord’s people. Returning to 2 Timothy 3, Paul states in verse 14: “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.”