It is uncanny to read in the Bible about all the ungodliness that went on. The Old Testament prophets like Isaiah talked about the plights that plagued the people supposedly meant to be God’s chosen children. He warned them to stop their empty religious practices and turning away from God. Jesus spoke of the unfaithful generation and how his disciples would be hated by the world. Paul warned his followers of all the evils that existed around them. Look what Hosea, the prophet said in the 8th century B.C –
Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel,
for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.
There is no faithfulness or steadfast love,
and no knowledge of God in the land;
there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery;
they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Hosea 4:1-2 NIV
Sounds like the evening news and half the shows on TV doesn’t it? So have times changed at all? Isn’t humanity supposed to be getting progressively better, more enlightened?
Humans are just that – human. We are prone to sin with prideful anger, jealousies, envy and selfishness. Adultery, murder and theft will always exist one earth. But one thing has changed. It happened over 2000 years ago. God provided a way out of sin through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and help to rise above our human nature with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps times haven’t changed, but lives can be every minute of the day. Each time we turn to Christ instead of our human gut reactions, that change occurs. Time after time.
