“There is none righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away….there is no one who does good, not even one.” Romans 3:10-12.
Summer time is a time for road trips! During the lazy, hazy days of summer, our thoughts often turn to visits of friends and relatives, and glorious, relaxing, vacation time. This year, with the Coronavirus, we were unable to see any tourist attractions in the area, so with my daughter and six of her children in tow, we took a trip to see relatives in Michigan. In a conversation with my sister-in-law, a sermon by John MacArthur was mentioned on “How God Restrains Evil in Society.” It sounded like such a fantastic title, so I decided to check it out on U-tube when I returned home. I was not disappointed!
Pastor MacArthur talked about how we are all born sinners and eventually die, even babies who never sinned, die. We are all born into a sinful world and the greatest challenge man finds is himself! What can mitigate his evil? God puts restraints on society so man can enjoy a productive life. He suggested four different ways.
- CONSCIENCE — This is the first level of restraint, a personal force. Every person has this built in, it’s a gift from God. Like a sixth sense, humans are born with the law of God written in their hearts, it’s instinctive. Adam and Eve knew when they were doing wrong, they had the knowledge of knowing right from wrong, animals do not! When our conscience reacts to God’s law, we quickly have a “guilty conscience, the pain we receive is God’s gift to hold us back. However, the conscience can become twisted depending on your belief system.
- FAMILY – This is a relationship restraint, one of the building blocks of civilization to restrain evil in the next generation. Children need to learn to be restrained to develop into good citizens and it takes 18-21 years to train them! Parents teach their children and grandchildren to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength,” Deuteronomy 6:5. And to “obey your parents in the Lord…honor your father and mother – which is the first commandment with a promise—that it will go well with you and that you many enjoy long life on the earth,” Ephesians 6:1-3.
- CIVIL AUTHORITY – This is a societal restraint for the moral well-being of its citizens to enjoy a measure of peace in society. It was written at a time when Christians were being persecuted by the authorities. They were told to “submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right,” 1 Peter 2:13-14. In Romans 13:1-5, the governing authorities are established by God and they are God’s servants to do you good! God gives the ultimate weapon to restrain evil: “He does not bear the sword (guns) for nothing.” Romans 13:4.
- THE CHURCH – This is a spiritual restraint. True believers who make up the Body of Christ have the real cure for the world’s problems. We have a message that changes hearts, redeemed on the inside, the “new birth” that overpowers the corruption in our life. The transformed heart is the great restraining work of the Holy Spirit. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; the new has come,” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Isn’t it interesting in our country’s current situation these four restraints are being attacked? The consciences of many are “seared.” The family unit is diminished through divorce. The police are attacked and jeered at and civil disobedience is the rule of the day. The Church is divided and losing its voice, persecution is rampant in parts of the world. “When these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near,” Luke 21:28
Your friend, Jean