A DEFENCELESS GENERATION

                         A DEFENSELESS GENERATION

                                  (for the local newspaper)

“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.” Proverbs 29:18. In French, “…casts off restraints…” is also translated “are without brakes.” The Revelation referred to here is the revealed knowledge about God and His Word. He is the Ultimate Motivator and Help for self restraint.

Some years ago I was listening to a program on which two Gen X youth workers were being interviewed. They were saying that Gen X has the least faith of any generation of the west. It also has the highest rate of depression and suicides seen in our history. This shocking deterioration of stability reveals the utter importance of Biblical faith.

In order to subjugate a people, they must be disarmed in some manner, either by deception, by coercion, or by keeping us ignorant. In the late sixties or perhaps the early seventies I was watching a popular sitcom. This particular episode focused on the boyfriend of the main actress asking her to sleep with him, which in those days was recognized as what the Bible calls, fornication. Confused and uncertain she still refused, but her line of defense was clearly crumbling. The show ended with him asking, “Why not?”

In the Old World during which I grew up, most everyone knew the Commandments: “Thou shall not kill, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, covet, take the Lord’s name in vain... But when God and His Word are left out of any equation, everything becomes subjective and relative. Furthermore, because accountability and pending judgment are disregarded, the door to what the Bible calls ‘Lawlessness’ is flung wide open. Where God has placed laws, a question like “Why not?” is more than a challenge, it is actually an attack. The typical answer given that I recall was, “Well, that is the way we have always done it.” which is obviously completely unacceptable. Although the Christian worldview at the time was the social norm, as a society we lost the personal revelation of God. Consequently the Old Order was weakened and began to cave. Today our society is now racing on a downhill road that has no boundaries, and in a vehicle without brakes.

The knowledge of God and the Bible is the knowledge we all need, providing guidance for our spiritual, moral, social health, and safety. This knowledge is a defense against deception and corruption, wherein we can know God’s will, His ways, and our Salvation. He has given us the Ten Commandments and all the associated morals to warn us against what God calls sinful or immoral behavior, and is ultimately a defense against the evil influences trying to seduce us. And greatest of all, Jesus Christ, His only Begotten Son, had come not only to reveal Himself to us, but to save us by dying on a cross for our sins and rising from the dead three days later. Friends, this is a historical, world revolutionizing event! Check it out! Those who know Him can testify of His life transforming power.

As for defending ourselves against the wiles of the Devil, our intellect, skills, strengths, and abilities are useless. Jesus left us an example of how He defended Himself when the devil attempted to deceive Him. With each temptation Jesus responded by quoting from the Scriptures of the Bible saying, “It is written...” In other words, God our Creator and Father, has commanded such and such; however, the greatest defense is to be in Christ. He loves you so much.

If you are needing a defense against the voices that confuse you as to what is right and wrong, or if you are searching for a hope beyond the promises of our unstable society, Jesus Christ and the Bible are here for you. He is the UNSHAKABLE FOUNDATION, SURE DEFENSE, and the ONLY ONE you can completely trust.