24/7 Evil?
Mankind’s very First Report Card.
Just before God commanded Noah to build an ark, he mailed out the very first Report Card for Mankind. Mankind received a big ol’ F! with the additional comments. Mankind is easily distracted, AND every inclination of mankind's heart is evil all the time.
Consider this: just a few chapters after God created all things in six days, and declared them good, humanity did not follow the rules, rarely showed up for class, or opened a book (literally and figuratively speaking).
Another way of looking at Genesis 6 as if this were mankind's Genesis 6:5 First Job Review.
Mankind did much worse than taking a notepad and a company pen from work for personal use. They were often no-shows in terms of attitude and effort, and may have even been involved in some embezzlement. Aka Evil all the Time! They were getting the boot.
There were no extenuating circumstances to consider. No matter if it was mankind’s report card or a job review, they were outside of God's favor, and Noah's big boat. AND should be shopping for some good ‘flood insurance policy.’
Evil all the time… What does that even look like?
I would guess in Noah’s day there was your garden variety envy, greed, racism, and hatred fueled by a self-indulgent 'hell bent' looking for the next high' attitude in drink, sex, and/or any other means imaginable. Evil all the time folk are gluttons for all forms of pleasure with no boundaries. Their motto was .. 'What happens in Genesis 6:5, stays in Genesis 6:5.' Hmm, that slogan sounds familiar.
Now, fast forward to our modern lives. I cannot imagine a society where evil is present all the time, in every inclination. <insert reflective pause> Unless I watch the evening news. Then I might declare .. 'whoomp there it is.' A pagan compromise of the soul, where all things WRONG are deemed RIGHT, and what was RIGHT is now considered WRONG
Is 'evil all the time' an unfair assessment of life today? I know there is good in this world and good people, but there is a powerful, Godless 24/7 sensory smorgasbord ready to be indulged, which does not play well with any true worship of God.
And what about the church?
I would not say “ evil all the time is a fair assessment of every church, but…
I would say too many churches are ‘compromised’ too often, all the time.
Soaking in a Jacuzzi of inclusion, love, and tolerance while redacting the direct loving truths found in God’s Word, all while espousing the catchy tagline ‘Jesus gets us’.
Jesus does not GET us; He CHANGES us.
They’re the 'frog in the boiling pot', soaking in our secular culture.
They redact their Bibles, live their own truth while compromising God's timeless truths under the guise of being inclusive.
I even read a quote and watched a video of a woman minister who said, “Killing babies via abortion is a loving act that pleases God.”
I am not making this up. I read the headline, then watched the video—evil, true Evil from a minister preaching with a millstone around her neck.
Insert REVIVAL here!
Oh, Lord, we need an Answer?
BUT.. If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
I know 2 Chronicles 7:14 was written a long time ago to the nation of Israel, but the promise to restore and heal our lands of the repentant heart, I believe, is true today. True for any rebellious nation, compromised church, or the individual who has lost his way.
God's Grace is that big. My pastor recently said, The way to Heaven is exclusively inclusive. Meaning Heaven is exclusive ONLY to those who believe in, and obey Jesus. However, this offer is inclusive for ALL who believe in and follow Jesus.
May God bless each of you today in your pursuit of God and for a revival that changes the world. May God say He finds that our hearts are always on Jesus.
Jeff (good most of the time) Larson
