Seeking the Ancient Paths

I was a teenager during the Bi-Centennial celebration in 1976.  That was quite a year.  Growing up in West Virginia, were there was still some patriotism, it was a big deal.  As summer approached we heard more and more about the July 4th celebrations that would be taking place, mostly it was about the big fireworks shows that were being planned in Charleston and Huntington and other small towns in our area.   The church I grew up in planned a big celebration, a lot of churches in our area were doing the same.  The 4th of July was on Sunday that year.  Our youth choir, of which I was apart, but on a musical called “I Love America!”  Our youth choir traveled around the country in the summer time for a few weeks for several years.  So we had a lot of people coming from all over the country to see it.

We had high hopes that America would return to its roots.  That a Holy Spirit lead revival would come bring reformation and restoration to the nation.  It did not happen.

Sitting here 50 years later, I would have never dreamed in a million years the great declension from truth, reason, and righteousness that I would see.  My Grandpa was born in 1890 and Grandma 1895, I can remember them talking about how things had changed in their life time.  The conversation was not about jet planes or rocket ships, the automobile, of the stock market, it was about the religious down fall of this once great nation.

I was taught that America was a constitutional republic, democracy was a dirty word never used in conjunction with a liberty loving people.  Those with some wisdom know that a democracy is nothing more than mob rule by the majority.  If 50.1% say that the other 49.9% should die then they will die.  Listen to John Adams:

“I do not say that democracy has been more pernicious on the whole, and in the long run, than monarchy or aristocracy. Democracy has never been and never can be so durable as aristocracy or monarchy; but while it lasts, it is more bloody than either. … Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to say that democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious, or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true, in fact, and nowhere appears in history. Those passions are the same in all men, under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked, produce the same effects of fraud, violence, and cruelty. When clear prospects are opened before vanity, pride, avarice, or ambition, for their easy gratification, it is hard for the most considerate philosophers and the most conscientious moralists to resist the temptation. Individuals have conquered themselves. Nations and large bodies of men, never.”
― John Adams, The Letters of John and Abigail Adams

Our founders and framers had a very clear understanding of different forms of government.  And we can think our public education system for creating a nation of mental midgets, driven by the evil desires of their hearts.

9 The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it? ~ Jeremiah 17:9

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Je 17:9.

3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. ~ Ecclesiastes 9:3

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Ec 9:3.

11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God. ~ Ecclesiastes 8:11-13

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Ec 8:11–13.

10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” ~ Romans 3:10-18

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Ro 3:10–18.

If you think that men are basically good, then you are under the influence of either a pagan religion or secular humanism.  The Bible, the Word of God teaches that man is a wicked sinner and beyond hope because he cannot redeem himself.  He is born a slave to his sin.  The only hope is found in Jesus Christ for the redemption of sins.

Because We have no Government armed with Power capable of contending with human Passions unbridled by morality and Religion. Avarice, Ambition, Revenge or Gallantry, would break the strongest Cords of our Constitution as a Whale goes through a Net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. ~ John Adams writing to the Massachusetts Militia October 11, 1798

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation deserts the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. ~ George Washington’s Farewell Address

Clearly our founders and framers understood the necessity of a morality and that morality could not exist outside the bounds of the Christian religion.  I found it interesting that the Marxist in our colleges and universities hate Christianity yet will endorse the Islamic religions which does not tolerate them or their perversions of homosexuality or the transgender nonsense.  I saw a report the other day where a Mediterranean Cruise ship with some 2000 homosexuals was not allowed to doc in Turkey or in Egypt.  The point is man hates truth, this is why Christianity is despised by the left.  I imagine if the progressives get the power they dream of they will out right murder every true Christian they can get their hands on.  If you think I am off my rocker, just look at the videos on Youtube of the protest over the defeat of Roe v Wade.

Our founders and framers would have not tolerated abortion in the least.  65 million and counting of the most innocent and defenseless among us.  When Row v. Wade was overturned I could not believe the blood lust for the innocent I saw in their faces and heard in their voices, THEIR RIGHT TO MURDER THE DEFENSLESS INNOCENT HAD BEEN TAKEN AWAY ACCORDING TO THEM AND THEY WOULD NOT STAND FOR IT.  I haven’t seen that kind of hatred and loathing from Holocaust survivors and they had every right to hate the Nazi’s.

Once this nation held religion and morality in high regard, something that all men should aspire to.   Those people and a few of use left today understood that it was this foundation that gave us freedom and liberty.  Today we hate freedom and liberty as our founders and framers believe it should be.  Today we want licentiousness and lasciviousness, we hate righteousness and worship sensuality like a hoard of monkeys.

I hope American’s will come to their senses and repent, I don’t believe they  will.  For many decades now God has given us over to our passions and pleasures, that is the sure sign of His passive judgment.  I believe the stage is no being set for His active judgment, the worst parts of the Bible lay before us.

I fear that America is already in the dust bin of history.  Time will tell.