A number of years ago, in an activist mode, a nationally known preacher coined the term, "moral majority." Unfortunately, it was a misnomer. There is no moral majority, for "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." One cannot be truly moral and out of alignment with the will of God at the same time, and one is not aligned with the will of God who is not in conformity with the Word of God. Never since Adam disobeyed the Word has there been a moral majority among mankind. The righteous have always been in the minority. Nowhere is this illustrated more emphatically than in the days of Noah, when God could find in the entire race only one man's family qualified for the ark.
The scripture says, "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not [Eccl. 7:20]." And again, "… verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity [Ps. 39:5b]." Hence the conclusion in our verse for today, "Vain is the help of man." As believers we seem to have a hard time accepting the fact that man is as bad as God says we are, and that "there is none righteous, no not one."
Not only is man immoral, he is also ignorant, lacking any understanding of what is really needed to solve the human problem. That is made evident in Paul's counsel to believers, "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness [Eph. 4:17-19]."
All of this lays the foundation for the divine injunction, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes [Ps. 118:8]." And again, "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help [Ps. 146:3, my emphasis]." The principle is illustrated at the highest level when we read of the Savior, "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man [John 2:23-25]."
This provides the background for my personal disenchantment with the present political "campaign," and my dismay over those Christians and churches involved in the same. It does not matter, in the long run, which political party one may endorse. All are the victims of the spiritual paralysis sin imposes on the dispensation of human government. None have the answers, because they do not really understand what the problem is; and if they did, they would have neither the authority nor the power (to say nothing of the will) to solve it.
America boasts its aim to "make the world safe for democracy." The need is to make the world safe from democracy, for as long as man rules, whether individually or collectively, the project will end in failure. The ideal form of government is the iron handed rule of a benevolent despot. And the last time He appeared on the human scene, they crucified Him. Should He be up for election this year, they would do it again!
The greatest need in America today is not a new man in the White house, and striving for that is not the church's task. The greatest need is for repentance before a holy God. And, as a wise man said a number of years ago, "Nations don't repent; only individuals do." Let the church get that message out, and leave the rest to those who know not the Lord. As the prophet put it, "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit [Jer. 17:5-8]."
With eternal values in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
The scripture says, "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not [Eccl. 7:20]." And again, "… verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity [Ps. 39:5b]." Hence the conclusion in our verse for today, "Vain is the help of man." As believers we seem to have a hard time accepting the fact that man is as bad as God says we are, and that "there is none righteous, no not one."
Not only is man immoral, he is also ignorant, lacking any understanding of what is really needed to solve the human problem. That is made evident in Paul's counsel to believers, "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness [Eph. 4:17-19]."
All of this lays the foundation for the divine injunction, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes [Ps. 118:8]." And again, "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help [Ps. 146:3, my emphasis]." The principle is illustrated at the highest level when we read of the Savior, "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man [John 2:23-25]."
This provides the background for my personal disenchantment with the present political "campaign," and my dismay over those Christians and churches involved in the same. It does not matter, in the long run, which political party one may endorse. All are the victims of the spiritual paralysis sin imposes on the dispensation of human government. None have the answers, because they do not really understand what the problem is; and if they did, they would have neither the authority nor the power (to say nothing of the will) to solve it.
America boasts its aim to "make the world safe for democracy." The need is to make the world safe from democracy, for as long as man rules, whether individually or collectively, the project will end in failure. The ideal form of government is the iron handed rule of a benevolent despot. And the last time He appeared on the human scene, they crucified Him. Should He be up for election this year, they would do it again!
The greatest need in America today is not a new man in the White house, and striving for that is not the church's task. The greatest need is for repentance before a holy God. And, as a wise man said a number of years ago, "Nations don't repent; only individuals do." Let the church get that message out, and leave the rest to those who know not the Lord. As the prophet put it, "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit [Jer. 17:5-8]."
With eternal values in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
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