Many churches are now facing a great moral divide:  So much so that more and more churches are now  softening their moral stance when it comes to certain lifestyle.

Some church leaders are now saying that when it comes to certain issues such as human sexuality, marriage, and family, that  we as believers must respect the laws of the land even if we disagree with them. 

On the other side of this issue, there are those within the various churches who say that the holy laws of God supersedes the laws of man. The debate now rages even among churches of the same denomination. 

While it’s true that the various churches have in times past often disagreed over things like, baptism, dress codes, divorce,  views of the Second Coming, worship style and musical preference, etc. Those differences, though deeply felt, pales in comparison to the issues that the church as a whole now face:

 

Some  in the various churches, who claim to be people of faith hailed the Supreme court ruling, in regards to human sexuality, marriage, and family,  as a civil  and human rights victory.

Many other people of faith say it that the acceptance and promotion of certain lifestyle choices, which are contrary to the scriptures,  tramples under foot the very moral foundations that made this nation great.  The Southern Evangelical Seminary issued the following statement in a press release.  “Unless there is a great spiritual awakening in America, the battle for traditional marriage and family is over: Now the battle for religious freedom has begun.”

More and more churches now find that their members have conflicting views when it comes to  certain lifestyle, There are some that  say that LGBTQ-ISM is  more of a human rights issue as opposed to a moral issue.  Then there are those say that rather than this being a civil right, it’s a moral wrong.   With so many heterosexual couples now opting to move in together, (cohabit) minus a marriage license, there is much debate, when it comes to the essentiality of marriage itself. 

To further complicate matters, many within the various churches have family members who have came out as being gay.  And others have family members who are cohabitating, and in both cases, there is a demand that such arrangements be accepted as being ok. As one person said, it’s easy to take a moral stand against these lifestyle, until ones own family member is a participant.  

“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw A BEAST rise up out of the sea, and all the world wondered after the beast.   And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life” Rev 13:1-9.  

The Bible not only tells us of the beast that rises up  out of the sea, but it also tells us what the sea in this instance represents.  While many might envision this sea as being a body of water, H2o,  In truth this is not the case.  According to the Bible the sea from which the beast rises is not a body of water,  but rather John tells us this is the sea of humanity.   As it was explained to John,   “The waters, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues”.    Rev 17:15.

A GATHERING OF THE MINDS---  From this summation, we can conclude that the sea which gives rise to the beast, is in reality, collectively US.   Thus John was shown a vision where the mass of humanity, acting in unison, endorsed the agenda of the powers of darkness, with their unified endorsement of wickedness, exalting Satan’s agenda. 

What is greatly aiding the beast rising and the major changes we are seeing in the moral fabric of our society  is the rapid advancement of the humanistic mindset which has  invaded many churches.  This is a mindset which makes it more about us than about God.  When it comes to accepting and endorsing certain lifestyle that are contrary to the Judeo Christian values of times past  there are many within the various churches with conflicting views.

 

Down through the ages both  historically and scripturally we can find examples of other nations that went through the same moral metamorphous in regards to moral issues that we face today. 

Some say when a nation begins to change its moral  and sexual standards, and sanctions what  unbridled sexual promiscuousness, this normally is an indication of the impending doom of that nation. Others disagree, they say the winds of change which are now reshaping our societal and sexual landscape are a positive welcomed breeze.

According to contendermintries.com,  “Humanism is an ideological, political, and religious belief that denies the existence of God, or relegates Him to a place of irrelevance. 

What has made the religion of humanism so appealing stems from the fact that it does not look like a religion in any form or fashion. It’s is not about some mystical god or devil or supreme being of any sort. 

At first glance it simply seems to be all about us as human beings:  About our priorities, our agenda, our pleasure, our intellect, our dreams and aspirations, our own personal strengths.  This is what has made Satan’s end time conspiracy so undetectable, On the surface he has made it all about us, as he lurks and hides within our  personal desires. 

 

SELF WORSHIP, is the fastest growing religious and belief system in western civilization.  Paul tells us that one of the things which would characterize the end time generation would be that they were, In Romans the first chapter, Paul tells us of the prevailing conditions, that will exist as the beast is being give rise.

Paul tells us that the humanistic mindset, which exalts man about God, will be the prevailing attitude of the time. As Paul explains,   “For men shall be headstrong, haughty,  lovers of their own selves, covetous, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ,  having a form of godliness but denying its power. always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  2nd Tim 3. 

It is these prevailing attitudes and modes of conduct, which is more and more giving rise to the beast, as it ascend up from the sea of humanity.   According to the ideology of the religion of humanism, morality should not be mainly based on rules: a list of does and don'ts.   In the humanistic grand scheme of things, morality should first and foremost be based on the promotion of human intellect and dignity.  Even though it   does not refer to itself as a religion, it is in every practical sense a religion. 
 

Another major aspect of the humanistic manifesto, is the propagation of the concept of  moral relativism.   Moral relativism is the view that ethical standards, morality, and positions of right or wrong are culturally based and therefore subject to a person's individual choice. We can all decide what is right for ourselves. You decide what's right for you, and I'll decide what's right for me.

 

Moral relativism says, "It's true for me, if I believe it."  Moral relativism has steadily been accepted as the primary moral philosophy of modern society, a culture that was previously governed by a "Judeo-Christian" view of morality. While these "Judeo-Christian" standards continue to be the foundation for civil law, most people hold to the concept that right or wrong are not absolutes, but can be determined by each individual.

For many of my generation the late 60s and early 70s had indeed been dizzying times.   Back then we had experienced radical changes, during a very radical time period in America. There were the political changes, the social upheaval,  the novelty and variety of drugs, the sexual liberation, and of course the partying.  

 But in the midst of the happenings of the time, none of us realized that the forces of darkness was being unleashed upon us.  Nor did we have a clue about the fact that Satan was stealthily nurturing a mindset in the masses that would open up the way for the beast to be given rise.

In hindsight I now realize that in truth, the late 60s and early 70s really were in many ways disorienting and frightening. The reconfiguration of our concept in regards to gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, and class identity, all combined to create an air of uncertainty. During the 60s and 70s,  we are all facing a steep learning curb, about what it meant to interact,  racially, socially, and sexually.

Many of us were desperately seeking enlightenment, while at the same time pretending we already had arrived at the place of enlightenment.  Many of us pretended that we had a full grasp on where we were heading and why, but in reality we were secretly trying to make sense of it all. 

Up until the 60s and 70s,  most people in our western society accepted the basic Judeo- Christian guidelines, as being essential elements, for a stable society.  Even in our schools we were taught that God created us and He established certain guidelines, to insure a orderly society.   Even after the fall in Eden these guidelines still remain in place.   They have remained both applicable and relevant for every generation, all the way up to this present time. 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by  their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

What makes the mid 60s and 70s such a pivotal time, was that it was during this time frame. That many of our societal norms began to be questioned and rejected.   This is especially true, when it comes items such as creation, the male and female assigned roles, marriage, and the family.  

There is no denying the fact that adherence to these guidelines is critical:  While on earth Christ made mention to these guidelines concerning, creation, God as creator,  the male female roles, human sexuality, marriage and family.  He noted that these guidelines were applicable for all generations.

“4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,  5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?   6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”  Matt 19:4-6. 

Today there is a growing hostility toward those of us who stand on the scriptures, when it comes to marriage., human sexuality, and the family unit. There are many today who think that they are far smarter  than God, when it comes to how we as humans should function  and interact. It is now obvious that, the things God initially set up, in regards to our modes of conduct and interaction, is now all but completely rejected.

When Satan rebelled  against God and his God’s order in the heavenly realm, he and cast out of the heavenly realm.  Once Satan was cast out into the earthly realm,  his one main goal has been to  cause this same rebellion to spread to the earthly realm.   His plan succeeded when he got Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit thereby joining him in his rebellion.  This rebellion today is growing even more in its intensity, which in turn is giving rise to the beat. 

Thus when it comes to the fact that God created us, and we are both accountable and judgable in His sight, more and more are rejecting this truth.  Secondly When it comes to God’s call our lives to once again be in a close relationship with Him,  more and more individuals today, reject this invitation. And thirdly the basic guidelines God set up for the maintenance of a orderly society, for the most part have now been almost completely  rejected.