A Nation in Peril

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (II Timothy 3:1)

Peril – exposure to injury, loss, or destruction; risk; jeopardy; danger.

I love our country. But it is not the nation it was when I was growing up. However, the seeds of the peril we are in today were sown before I was born and the harvest is ripening to fruition. We, as a nation, cannot continue to go in the direction we are going and expect to survive. The moral fiber of our nation is deteriorating rapidly.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (II Tim. 3:2-7)

This is a perfect description of our nation, indeed, the world.

I. IS OUR NATION A REPUBLIC OR A DEMOCRACY?

1. This nation was established as a republic.
   

   ILL> When asked what kind of government we had, Benjamin Franklin said, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”

2. We are now being called a Democracy and are being ruled more and more by the government, which will lead to tyranny.
3. George Washington said, “The basis of our political systems is the right of the people to make and to alter their Constitutions of Government. But the Constitution which at any time exists, ’til changed by an explicit and authentic act of the whole people is sacredly obligatory upon all.”
   

   ILL> “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven, we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity, we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown.

4. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these things were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.

“Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.” 
Abraham Lincoln

II. FREEDOM.

JUST WHAT IS FREEDOM?

Throughout America’s history, men have sacrificed life and property to establish and preserve freedom . . . including freedom to worship according to personal choice.

Freedom is the very core of the American system and, while this system is not perfect, it has worked better than any other the world has ever know. It recognizes man’s natural desire to live as an individual being. It recognizes his ambition to earn, save, own and enjoy to the fullest the fruits of his labor.

As we partake of the rights of freedom, we must be ever mindful of our responsibilities to help preserve freedom. There will be differences in how each of us will discharge these responsibilities, but it would seem that none of us should do less than these things:

1. Inform ourselves on important issues . . . on our American heritage.
2. Exercise our precious right to vote in free elections.
3. Work for equal opportunity and justice for all men.
4. Do our part in encouraging law observance and the prevention of crime and delinquency.
5. Formulate personal convictions, speak up when we disagree, but remember that every man is entitled to his opinions.
6. Stimulate conscious appreciation of the principles and ideals for which America stands.
7. Ask for no privilege which requires that we relinquish even a small part of freedom in exchange for that privilege.
8. Strive for excellence. The strength of our Nation is the sum of the quality of all citizens.

What freedoms do you want to preserve for yourself and your children . . . and your children’s children? What personal sacrifices are you willing to make to assure these things?

Freedom itself leaves choice and action to you.

Howdy, Neighbor, TPL March, 1967

1. Our nation was founded by men of faith, who based our government upon the principles of the Word of God.
   

   Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. (Proverbs 14:34)

2. True freedom in found only in the Lord Jesus Christ.
   

   Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
   (John 14:6)

   And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

3. In Christ we have liberty to serve God.
   

   Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)

III. DO YOU TRUST GOD?

1. The Lord said we are to trust in God.
   

   But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. (Mark 11:22)

2. We are to live by faith.
   

   For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:17)

3. There will be a sad end to any nation that forgets God.
   

   The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psalm 9:17)

4. When men turn away from God, He gives them over to unspeakable wickedness.
   

   For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. (Ephesians 5:12)

   For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (Romans 1:18-28)