To those who view the conduct of many to-day in the divine light of the Bible, it is manifest without the shadow of a doubt, that iniquity abounds to an alarming extent throughout the nation. All manner of heinous and outstanding sins are being committed by a relatively large number of persons, in spite of the claim to higher standards of living economically and socially. The ungodly deeds of those concerned are revealed to the nation as a whole, through the Courts of Justice, the public press, and by means of periodical reports from many authentic sources connected with governing bodies and other organisations.
The catalogue of sins and crimes is a formidable and terrible one. It includes idolatry, blasphemy, Sabbath desecration, juvenile delinquency, adultery, uncleanness, theft, pilfering to the extent of millions of pounds in value on the railways and at seaports, robbery with violence and brutality, murder, suicide, bribery, and so on. All these are regular features of the ungodliness of to-day, and are no longer sensational to the public conscience.
Some causes assigned in many quarters for this serious and God-provoking state of affairs are as follows:—The effects of two World Wars are said to have powerfully influenced the minds of many adversely in their attitude to the value of human life and good moral standards. And we agree that this is true. Bad housing conditions are also pointed to as a fruitful cause of unbalanced behaviour, immorality and crime. Christians would like to see good housing conditions for all classes of their fellowmen. But we cannot resist observing that Christianity and godliness existed in many a family circle in the past amid anything but good housing conditions. Environment, that is the varied conditions surrounding a person in their daily life and circumstances, when morally and socially bad, is claimed to be a vital cause of the origin and development of unlawful tendencies in the character of the young especially, who rise up in such an undesirable atmosphere. We readily recognise that evil surroundings present temptations to young and old; but environment when it produces wicked characters and criminals, has the necessary ground to work upon in the depravity of the human heart. Lot lived in the environment of Sodom for a time, but being a godly man, he was kept by the fear of God in his heart from being carried away by that environment to evil. Then the failure of the professed Christian Church to bring people to-day, under the influence of its doctrines and to practice the precepts of the Christian faith, is cited as an outstanding cause of so much irreligion and lawlessness. In this connection, we feel it dutiful to point out that there are branches of the visible Church which have failed to witness to the whole counsel of God as to doctrine and practice. And on the other hand, where that witness has been faithfully maintained, the masses of the people to-day have neither been drawn to it nor influenced by it.
Now we state at once, that these four matters referred to as proclaimed causes why iniquity abounds, are but contributory causes. They do not go to the root of the present state of affairs at all.
There are fundamental causes why iniquity abounds to-day. We begin with the natural sinfulness of man’s heart. The Scriptures furnish us with the truth regarding this. “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners” (Romans v. 19). “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Ps. li. 5). “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it” (Jeremiah xvii. 9). These portions speak for themselves and reveal what man is naturally, in peace or war, and in a good or bad environment, etc. Then many, with the knowledge they have of God, in creation, providence, and in varying degrees from the Word of God, do not like to retain God in their knowledge (Rom. i. 28), and glorify Him not as God and have become vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts have become darkened (Rom. i. 21). Such expose themselves to the judgment of God, to give them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are evil and ungodly. Further, and in many cases as a consequence of the aforesaid, the majority of our 47 million population never enter a place of divine worship and are ignorant of the great truths of the Bible, of the Gospel of Christ Jesus, and even of the actual terms of the Ten Commandments. Their consciences are unenlightened. They lack that restraining influence which even a natural knowledge of God’s Word and Law, has been known to exercise upon the conduct of some, in the general mercy of God toward them. Is it then surprising that low standards of morality prevail? And finally, another particular cause of widespread wickedness is, that many have come to the stage of glorying in their shame. They are not ashamed of the evils which proceed out of the heart of man. The Lord Jesus says, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man” (Matt. xv. 19-20). There are those who, although guilty of one or more of these things, hold their heads high, minimise the evil nature of their conduct, and defend themselves with callous boldness.
“O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. O the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?” (Jeremiah xiv. 7-8). “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake” (Ps. lxxix. 9).
Your state is not at all to be measured by the opposition that sin makes to you, but by the opposition made to it; be that ever so great if this be good, be that ever so restless and powerful if this be sincere, you may be disquieted, you have no reason to despond.—Dr. Owen.