QuickThoughts: Enduring In A Godless Culture

Christian, do not lose heart as you see the world increasingly rejoicing in evil.

Remember this comforting truth: God is not surprised. He is not scrambling in panic to reign in the wickedness. He is not trying to come up with a “Plan B” for His creation.

No, our God is sovereign over it all and has already explained that we would see exactly what we’re seeing.

Probably the most explicit description of what a pagan and godless society looks like comes from Paul’s letter to the Christians living in Rome, a city still steeped in pagan worship.

Despite clearly seeing evidence of God everywhere in creation, the godless choose to ignore that evidence and rebel against the God they hate.

📘 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Romans 1:24-32

This is commonly referred to as the “wrath of abandonment.” God’s common grace, which restricts wicked men and women and allows them to behave morally, is stripped away. Without God’s restraining grace, the wicked are free to behave exactly as their hearts desire, and the consequences are disastrous, not only for themselves, but for society as a whole.

We are seeing a dramatic increase of this wrath throughout the world today.

But again, God is not caught off guard.

And because He is not caught off guard, we needn’t be either. Our loving Savior has provided His Word to instruct and guide us through these dark days.

So how can we, as Christians, endure these days and not lose heart?

📘 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5:15-17

Plainly, we need to seek the Lord’s will and be careful how we walk. We need to be aware of the enemy’s snares all around us and avoid any appearance of evil.

As God’s wrath upon sinful men increases, we can endure by staying in the Word, holding fast to the Gospel, surrounding ourselves with faithful brothers and sisters, and encouraging and loving one another!

📘 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:23-25

So again, do not lose heart. The Lord has promised to persevere His children. We have been sealed by the Holy Spirit as a promise of our inheritance (2 Cor 1:22, 5:5; Eph 1:14) and our God is faithful and true: He never breaks a promise!

We will persevere and endure until we either see Christ coming in glory or He calls us home.