Seeking Jesus First - July 12, 2023
The greatest generation is dead! Long live the greatest generation! This generation, your generation, has the potential to become the greatest generation. Resist wickedness. Stand against evil by standing for righteousness.
Justice and righteousness is not a standard set by whoever wins an argument, an election, or a war. It is established by God and it is based on faith, hope and love which manifests in loving service and sacrifice for others.
Self-righteousness is not righteousness. Self-righteousness is when a person lives in right-standing with their self. This person lives according to their own set of rules. A self-righteous person compares and judges others by their own ideals. They don’t see their own hypocrisy because they are allowed to justify themselves while condemning others.
When people reject God’s righteousness, the earth rejects them. They spiral into darkness one generation at a time until one generation turns to God. The devil steals, kills and destroys. So, when darkness fills a person’s heart, the person desires only to live according to the flesh.
When a person lives according to the flesh, they are content until they aren’t getting what they want. Then they strive to fulfill the desires of the flesh. This is when one’s will imposes on the will of another. When a person exercises dominion over another person, wickedness is the result. What if we defined wickedness in this manner: to steal, to kill or to destroy through imposing your will over another person? Or, the domination of another person’s will to the extent that you steal their freedom, kill their dream, or destroy their hope.
Wickedness is the result of one pursuing his own desire at the cost of another person’s freedom. So, the dilemma is created that when I restrain one’s freedom to keep them from restraining someone else’s freedom, is that wickedness?
The answer brings us back to who determines what is right and just? God sets the standard and governments have the responsibility for wielding the sword of justice. When a government begins to wield the sword of justice for what seems to be the power of a few people to do whatever they want, that government becomes illegitimate in the eyes of God.
If the sword of justice is no longer used for what is right and just, the wielder of that sword must be removed. The sword of justice is terrible to those who must face it. Fear of that sword should be a warning to the wicked. When it becomes a warning to the just, when it threatens the righteous, when it no longer protects the innocent and downtrodden, then it is time for change.
This concept of righteousness and justice has been attacked for decades in the halls of our education institutions. This was not by chance. In order for rulers to be able to get away with perverting justice, the people must have their since of righteousness destroyed.
Go back 100 years in our nation. Adultery and divorce and sex outside of marriage was scorned. Lying and stealing and slavery was evil. People were lauded for honoring parents and authority. The percentages of all crime was lower. People protected family and community. After 100 years of public education and higher learning, it is no longer evil in certain circles to groom, and use children for selfish personal pleasures.
It started by removing the stigma from sex outside of marriage. Adultery and fornication became acceptable. Divorce became normal. Pregnancy outside of marriage increased. Abortion of living humans in the womb was legalized so the life of a human was no longer honored. The federal government made provision for single mothers. Boys stopped growing into men and taking responsibility for the lives they created. Alcoholism and drug abuse increased. Fatherless homes and fatherless children became normal. Crime and incarceration increased.
People who no longer understand what is right will do whatever they think will make them feel better. What was done in the name of compassion became the destruction of future generations because compassion without righteousness is not true mercy. Mercy and loving-kindness have a foundation in justice. There is no need for mercy where there are no consequences.
As we discuss this, don’t just think of the spiritual aspect; consider the physical aspect.
And now, in 2023, 160 years after the emancipation proclamation, there are those in power who are taking justice away from children. States like California, which will not punish adults who sexually abuse children, and people in government who will not pursue and punish child kidnapping, slavery and trafficking criminals. One can only conclude that they are involved if they won’t punish it.
We can be the greatest generation if we will reestablish what is right and just in our nation. We must not turn a blind eye to the wickedness in our government. Help establish leaders and laws in our nation that promote righteousness and punish wickedness. When government does not protect the innocent, when judges do not punish wickedness, when those who wield the sword for what is not just, remove them from office. Vote them out. If there are no just politicians to vote for in your next election, run against them.