OpinionReligion

America’s Fall: The Modern-Day Roman Empire

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

The Apostle Paul likely wrote his letter to the Romans about 25 years after Christ’s death and resurrection (sometime between A.D. 55-57). Throughout the book of Romans, Paul warned of God’s unfolding wrath against the Roman Empire – indeed, all of humanity – for mankind’s embrace and practice of pagan morality.

Approach Paul’s words with a modicum of objectivity and the reader is left with this dreadful realization: The words of Christ’s hand-picked messenger likewise paint an eerily accurate portrait of America, A.D. 2013. The negligible difference is that ancient pagan morality has been sanitized with a new euphemism: postmodern “progressivism.”

It is unbridled hubris that presumes America – lest she depart the wide path to ancient Rome – will not suffer that empire’s same fate.

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them,” he wrote. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:18-20)

Of course, an entire book could be written on this passage alone, but, essentially, Paul is noting that knowledge of God’s existence, eternal power, divine nature and moral law are self-evident. His truths are written on the hearts of every man, woman and child – Jew, Christian and pagan alike. Those who deny this reality are “without excuse.”

Yet, excuses we make.

Pull your eyes from your smartphone, America. Look around you. God’s wrath is “being revealed from heaven” once more.

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen.” (Romans 1:21-25)

Indeed, there is nothing new under the sun. Sexual impurity in all its ugly forms – fornication, adultery, homosexuality, pornography, et al. – is celebrated by these “progressive” “fools.” American culture revels in the degrading of our bodies while purity is mocked. God has given us over to sinful desires.

Furthermore, while good earthly stewardship is a sound biblical principle, the pantheism and idolatry of which Paul warned (worship of creation and/or false idols over the Creator) prospers yet today in its contemporary, totalitarian forms: radical environmentalism and new ageism.

“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones (lesbianism). In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.” (Romans 1:26-27)

Was Paul rebuking “progressives” on the U.S. Supreme Court, President Obama, liberals in Congress and other cheerleaders for these “shameful lusts” and “unnatural relations” – or was he just describing the disproportionately powerful and “inflamed-with-lust” homosexual lobby they represent?

Probably both.

Either way, God’s “due penalty” is non-discriminating. America’s official endorsement of “gay marriage,” “gay pride,” homosexualist indoctrination in our schools, “transgender” bathroom bills and bans on counseling to help with unwanted same-sex attraction will not end well.

Ask the Romans.

“Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:28-32)

Where to begin.

We have arrived. Shame on you, America. Our children – our adults – are depraved. They are “occupied” by envy. They attack innocent people, beating and killing them for sport. They murder one another in the streets without love or mercy. They disobey, gossip, slander and hate God. They are insolent, arrogant, boastful “little monsters.” They invent ways of doing evil. Hannah Montana is what America once was. MTV Miley is America today. She “evolved” because we “evolved.” You saw it on display. It’s ugly. It’s Satanic.

It’s “progressive.”

Still, though we have become a Romans 1 nation and, absent widespread spiritual revival, will fall as did Rome, those who embrace and follow truth – who is Jesus the Christ – are a Romans 8 people:

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1-4)

That’s the good news.

And that’s a column for another day.

Support Conservative Daily News with a small donation via Paypal or credit card that will go towards supporting the news and commentary you've come to appreciate.

Related Articles

One Comment

  1. OKAY, I’m going to stir the pot here, not so much because I wish to change anyones’ beliefs in any particular religion but because I DO NOT BELIEVE the fall of America is some kind of Devine forgone conclusion! (And I am quite sick of hearing that defeatiam!)

    I am a hard line Conservative – even Libertarian – and I embrace Judao Christian Values.

    But the idea that the world, the universe, testifies to the existence of God – in particular the Christian God – is objectively unprovable. My question, which never gets a satisfactory answer, is; “as opposed to what?” Just because humans are so overwhelmed with the complexity of it all – our brains have developed the synergistic capacity to empathize and project our personal feelings beyond the self-centered instinctual drive to survive and procreate – doesn’t mean this was all created by some God.

    In fact, the earth itself offers contrary evidence that Christianity cannot explain. (So instead they conjure up disparities against such evidence as lies from Satan). How many times has the Church revised its stance on ideas that have unquestionably been proven incorrect?

    Morality is standard what humans have discovered and defined as what works best to all live together without destroying each other. If you abuse other people long enough they will, by natural law and their unalienable rights to do so, rise up and KILL you – or die trying! In other words things start going south when someone starts denying someone else their natural, human based, unalienable rights. This is the reason Progressivism – socialism – will ultimately fail every time! (And, btw, Christinity and Progressivism share the common ground that they both project the promise of a utopia or heaven!) The way to avoid that is to SELF-Govern with an understanding that to deviate is to fail! Governor Huckabee explains it very well; “Every time you do the right thing you reinforce freedom”.

    Right and wrong are human definitions to describe activates or attitudes that result in positive consequences and negative consequences. Animals are limited in their ability to recognize right and wrong as they simply react according to their memories or understanding of what happens when you do this or that! But Humans have analyzed right and wrong, good and evil, ad-nausea and made whole religions out of them!

    As I said, I am not opposed to living a proper and honorable life and I’m not even opposed to anyone’s beliefs in a “God” who represents that kind of life. I am opposed to the notion that the natural results of violating natural law – and common law – are the deliberate judgement of an unproven higher Authority. (“God” was codified by organized religions long ago to compel people to do what was right out of Fear! People rebel against being made to do anything. We need to base that compulsion on a more self-centered motivation; it is my best interest to treat you as an equal and respect your rights. To HELL with going to HELL – or heaven for that matter!) We ought to by now know what is for our own good and live by that because we want to! The failure of Christianity in my life was because the edicts and dictates came DOWN on me; I didn’t embrace living that way because I had too! I now live that way because I know it is in my own best interest! And there ain’t no Jesus making me do that, either! I was never taught the social reasons why violating someone else’s right were simply not in my own best interests! Quite the contrary I was taught a certain anti-socialism and even eliteism! ALLLL that mattered was “pleeeeeezing Gawd”! Worst of all – and to the true point I want to make here – is that fatalistic aspect of God – about the so called “End Times” – that I object to. “My people perish for lack of hope”. On the one hand you hope Jesus is returning – he isn’t – so you do nothing and leave the world to its hell. But on the other hand you are hopeless because you cannot do anything” to change the world !!! Since it is Biblical Prophesy!

    Christians! I applaud your beliefs and I am happy you have that hope. But the answer isn’t huddling in your pray closet. It is in taking an active part in our government. We the people – not the unions, not the bureaucracy, not the media, not the lobbiests – are the fourth branch of government and we damned well better start exercising our authority. And we better start teaching the next generation the value of Common Law, which is the combination of Natural Law and Human Rights! It is NOT enough to get out and VOTE (a lot of you don’t because “Gawd will save us”. “Jesus is coming back” – really? Where was Jesus in WWII, so far, the most horrific event in Human History? Don’t count on it!) You must actively pursue your legislative assets. Write, call, email, fax, and stand on the doorsteps of your Congressmen, Governor, and representatives at all levels – local, State and Federal. Be the voice of freedom demanding what is morally right – for your own sakes!

Back to top button