I know it has crossed your mind how our society just is not the same as it was 50 years ago, or 40 years ago, or 30 years ago, or 20 years ago, EVEN 10 YEARS AGO! There are numerous reasons for this, of course, not the least of which people have allowed (and I use that word emphatically because some changes never had to happen) the government to replace the church in the areas of helping the poor, the destitute, the homeless, widows, orphans, and others. All of these care-oriented services cost the taxpayer a lot of money which makes the government more powerful and the people less powerful and more dependent.

But, probably the most significant reason for the decline in our society from what it once was, the culprit in the loss of morality and goodness is calling good evil and evil good. Who is behind this aberration, this scourge, this travesty? Many would think I would say the devil, and he certainly has a large part. But the true culprits are we, ourselves, the people of the United States, and more disgustingly, Christians – not just the so-called Christians who do not know what true Christianity is, but the born-again, Spirit-filled, true believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior!

The Bible is very clear and direct when it comes to obedience to God’s Word and His approach to disobedience. The result of disobedience is not at all pretty. And disobedience can take on a sinister definition today that is not directly tied to biblical adherence. Disobedience can simply be conforming ourselves to the world and its desires, not God.

The prophet Isaiah told us in Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” When God calls out “Woe”, He is warning those involved in the targeted activity that His Wrath is what is coming next. Isaiah 5:24 says, “ Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.”

So, how does this ancient advice from God in the Old Testament apply to us today? Good things lead to peace and contentment, and evil things lead to chaos and discontent. Is our society at peace? Are the people of the United States content? Is our world existing in a way that gives confidence in a prosperous and pleasing manner? Are we out of control in our conforming to the world and ignorance and disobedience to the Word of God?

The New Testament is not silent on this subject. Romans 1:28-32 says, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” If the majority of people today are not believers in Jesus Christ, and that is certainly true, then what Paul is saying is evidence that what people are motivated to do and to say is at its core evil being called good.

There is a daily devotional titled “A Closer Look at Prophecy” written by Richard and Tina Kleiss available through Search for the Truth Ministries. Those who love prophecy will love this daily glimpse of the many prophecies that the Bible has for us today since there are so many yet to be fully filled as well as those that are readily apparent to us as we look at our nation and world today.

One such examination that covers two days in this book was about “Has Our Evil Become Good?” The first day’s observations are really questions of just how our culture today reacts to plainly stated concepts that God deems acceptable or not acceptable. Just how far down the road of turning good to evil, acceptance of God’s standards instead of rejection/avoidance, conforming to the world’s demands, has the current culture traveled in the areas of these prohibitions directly from God and defend as good when God calls them evil?

• Abortion – Psalm 139:13-14; Proverbs 6:16-17
• Homosexuality – Leviticus 18:22; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Romans 1:24-32
• Telling of Lies (fake news) – Proverbs 6:16-17, 19
• Addiction to money and pleasure – 1 Timothy 6:10; 1 John 2:16
• Debt – Romans 13:7-8

How many of these have we as a society decided to ignore and thereby turned good into evil?

• Work Ethic – Psalm 90:17; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Colossians 3:17, 23; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
• Respect for Authority and fellowman – Romans 13:10
• Healthy Marriages and family – Colossians 3:18-21; Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5:21-31
• Training, disciplining, and obedience of children – Proverbs 6:20, 23; 22:6, 15; 23:13-14, 22
• Passing on the knowledge of God to the next generation – Deuteronomy 6:5-9
• Deciding what is acceptable to see, say, hear, and think – Ephesians 4:29-32; 5:3-4; Philippians 4:8
• Self-control in eating, drinking, spending – Proverbs 23:20-21; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 13:13-14
• How we treat our bodies – 1 Corinthians 3:16
• Laziness – Proverbs 12:24
• Harmony in the Church – Proverbs 6:16-19; Philippians 2:1-8

Do we need to reassess our behaviors in light of these Scriptures? Are we complacent, lazy, used to our fallen attitudes, guilty of letting our corrupt society dictate what we do in this life rather than using God’s Word as our standard? I fear that we are all complicit in one or more of these areas putting man’s perception of our actions and behaviors ahead of what God wants. We need to seek God and turn from our wicked ways as 2 Chronicles 7:14 urges us to do. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

The second day’s treatment of good becoming evil in the Kleiss’ daily devotional points directly to our behavior, our habits, our foundational concepts that, instead of aligning with God’s Word and Will, align with the world which is Satan’s kingdom as well as our sinful, fleshly propensities that we, as true Christians, still possess even though our spirits are eternally safe. Do our cultural actions, our churches and the people in them, and our personal behavior, beliefs, and foundational concepts align with what the Bible says are God’s Will?

• Intercessory prayer for the government and leaders – 1 Timothy 2:1-4
• Pride – Proverbs 6:16-17, 8:13; Romans 1:30-32
• Selfishness – Philippians 2:3-8
• Music – Psalm 33:1-3; Colossians 3:16-17
• Punishment – Ezra 7:26; Proverbs 21:7
• Thankfulness – 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Psalm 100:4-5; Romans 1:21
• Religious Compromise – Deuteronomy 6:14-15
• God – Matthew 22:37-38; 1 Peter 1:15-16
• Jesus Christ – John 14:6
• The Bible – Psalm 119:160
• Creation – Romans 1:20; 2 Peter 3:3-5
• Sin – Romans 3:23, 5:12
• Prayer – Psalm 66:18

  Upon careful and deliberate reflection on all these matters, it should be very clear and obvious that faultfinding in this area does a “180” and points directly at us. The old comic strip Pogo by Walt Kelly which appeared in all newspapers from 1948 until 1975 summed this all up very well. Pogo said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” We cannot force people to obey God’s Word. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job once someone becomes a true child of God. But, what we can do is be an example, to show forth the Light that is in us, live out the spiritual life that has been given to us through belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, listen to and obey the direction that comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit. By showing our obedience to God’s Word, to boldly counter society when it deliberately goes against the Bible, to stand up for righteousness in our families, in our schools, in our church, in our local government, in our state government, in our federal government, that’s the way to influence our culture. And, of course, regardless whether anyone has voted before or not, regardless of how we have voted in the past, use God’s standards to vote from now on in EVERY election. It is not only our civic duty to do so, it is God’s requirement to show forth our belief and reliance upon God and His Word.

Our Pastor once said that even if the office being sought by an individual was relatively low on a scale of notoriety (like dogcatcher, which is important, just not as newsworthy as, say, Governor), his criteria for voting for the person would be his stance on abortion. If the candidate was for abortion regardless of whether that particular concept was relevant to the job desired or not, then the vote would be a resounding “NO”! When we behave in the manner pleasing to God, we know we can have an inner peace that cannot come from the world, and, at the same time, be a light to the world that God calls us to be. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” (Matthew 5:14)