THE ROMAN ROAD TO WRATH: FIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR A NATION THAT REJECTS GOD

The Roman Road to Wrath

Five Consequences for a Nation that Rejects God

By Brannon Howse

Ideas-and the actions they produce-have consequences, and the Bible is very specific about what a nation will reap when it rejects God. America is already experiencing the results of the ideological path it has been wandering. Lawlessness and disorder have their roots in our continually snubbing the God of the Bible.

Chapter 1 of Romans delineates five specific national consequences for denying God. To be sure, there are others outlined in Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and elsewhere in the Old Testament, but in this article I will focus just on Paul's warnings because they are so explicit and frighteningly relevant to what is happening in America today.

1. The nation that continually rejects God becomes a nation of fools.

Romans 1:21-22:  
Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools.

According to verse 21, people become futile, vain, and useless. Their hearts become darkened, allowing them to be seduced into accepting spiritual lies. 

Verse 22 points out that even though they profess to be wise, they actually become fools. This refers specifically to the extremes men will go to in order to justify their sin and false beliefs about God. Situational ethics, moral relativism, and postmodernism are all methods used to justify rebellion against the character and nature of God. (And remember Psalm 14:1? It tells us that it's the fool that says in his heart there is no God. America has denied God and the need for His existence in every area of life.)

2. The nation that continually rejects God accepts pagan spirituality.

Romans 1:25:
Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Pagan spirituality centers on the worship of nature, yet its ultimate goal is to sidestep feeling guilt-for anything. Our world has moved from theism to atheism to pantheism, the belief that "god is all and all is god and all is one." The Denver Post in June 2008 reported that pagan spirituality is doubling in America every 18 months.

3. The nation that continually rejects God accepts homosexuality as
    normal.

Romans 1:26-27:
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another. Men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

 
Acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle as "normal" is evidenced in our nation's schools, television programs, movies, and even some churches. Courts throughout the nation seek to legalize same-sex marriage. A number of states have implemented "hate crimes" legislation that allow legal action against individuals for publicly sharing their objections to the homosexual lifestyle.  

4. The nation that continually rejects God becomes debased and
    violent.

Romans 1:28:

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.

A blatant example of our cultural debasement, in 1993 Ruth Bader Ginsburg was confirmed by a 96 to 3 vote of the U. S. Senate to serve as a Supreme Court justice. The bizarre worldview of this woman seemed to make no difference to the proceedings. Earlier in her career while serving as an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, Ginsburg wrote a paper entitled "Sex Bias in the U.S. Code," prepared for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in April 1977. Among its perverse conclusions, the paper recommends lowering the age of consent for sexual acts to 12 years old.

An article in U.S. News & World Report further reveals just how off-base we've become. In John Leo's "No-fault Holocaust," he reports a remarkable observation about how college students perceive the World War II Nazi genocide:

In 20 years of college teaching, Prof. Robert Simon has never met a student who denied that the Holocaust happened. What he sees quite often, though, is worse: students who acknowledge the fact of the Holocaust but can't bring themselves to say that killing millions of people is wrong. Usually they deplore what the Nazis did, but their disapproval is expressed as a matter of taste or personal preference, not moral judgment. "Of course I dislike the Nazis," one student told Simon, "but who is to say they are morally wrong?"[1]

5. The nation that continually rejects God produces judicial, legislative
    and executive branches of government that approve of and encourage
    immorality and corruption.

Romans 1:32:
Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. 

Numerous examples point to America's judicial, legislative, and executive branches approval of immorality and corrupt behavior, but two court cases in particular make clear this point:

(1) 1973-The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that abortion is protected by a legal right of privacy.

(2) 2003-The U.S. Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the Texas law that makes homosexual acts illegal. The decision struck down sodomy laws in 11 states.

My point in outlining these five indications of national moral failure is not that I want God to judge our nation. I fear His wrath too much for that. However, there is hope in knowing that a just Judge is in charge and that He will not wink at sin. He holds everyone accountable which means that all have the potential to repent. We can pray God's judgment will cause people to turn from their sins and trust in Jesus Christ. We can also pray that His call to accountability will purify the American church and ultimately take our country on a new road, to God's glory and honor.

By Brannon Howse Email: Brannon@worldviewweekend.com Click here for bio and archived articles

Thank God for God's word and the Truthful. Posted On: 12/19/09 05:39:18 PM Age 59, IL What would we do without guidance from God! Anyone can see that our nation is in peril. The nation that continually rejects God produces judicial, legislative and executive branches of government that approve of and encourage immorality and corruption. We see corruption, lies, and deceit in Washington, and our elected officials do not care for We the People any more, we are like Serfs and they are the Landowners, taxing us, and passing harmful bills, but ignoring our voices. NATIONS ARE BLESSED BY GOD Posted On: 05/21/09 08:23:30 AM Age 65, OH Hi Jim, while you make a good point, nations are not saved but men are saved. The nation of Israel was blessed by God for be obedient to God. The nation of Israel was judged for disobeying God. These two things are facts and God tells us so in the scriptures. You speak as the people who follow The Lord Jesus cannot cause a nation to be blessed by God. When God clearly says He will heal this nation IF the "Christians" of this land will repent and act. 2 Chronicles 7:14 "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." - Lou Newton If Paul Was Speaking of Nations Posted On: 05/20/09 12:07:51 PM Age 41, NH Paul was not speaking of nations when he wrote the book of Romans, he was speaking of all humanit individually and collectively. This article doesn't apply. Since NO country is a nation filled with believers and/or governed by His commands, teachings and expectations, all nations degenerate and fall. There is no way for a nation to follow God's commands or be a Christian nation. When He returns and sets up His kingdom on this ball of dirt, we will see perfect rule but not perfect hearts (one last rebellion after 1000 years). What makes us think that our attempts to 'christianize' any nation will somehow turn God's wrath from that nation? All nations are filled with sinners and are under wrath and no amount of moralism (Paul specifically addresses the moralists in Romans doesn't he?) will change the course of human hisory. Grace and Peace, Jim A Lamp Posted On: 05/19/09 01:02:46 PM Age 46, TN Thank you, Mr. Howse, for your concise, Biblically responsible article. I am reminded of Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." "Thank You, Lord, for Your infallible Word!" Reading one of the responses to your article, I am also reminded of Psalm 14:1 "The fool has said in his heart, "there is no God." Thanks again for being bold and courageous in your writing. The Roman Road to Wrath Posted On: 05/17/09 10:18:45 AM Age 0, SC Amen, gentle poster. God is trying to gain the ear of the atheist, since He is a merciful God. Free Posted On: 05/16/09 03:37:50 PM Age 65, GA God can either bless or curse a nation, and our nation is being cursed because of man's evil choices. God has graciously given us free will to abide in Him and eternity, but man has chosen to follow his own rules, rather than God's. Our leaders are now redefining social behavior per 'political correctness', while our courts are legislating morality as determined by their own narcissistic thinking rather than the standard set by God. Yes, this scenario has destroyed other nations, but if Christians in our great country stand together as "soldiers of the Cross, I believe God will once again bless us as a NATION UNDER GOD! WHY IS EUROPE DYING Posted On: 05/14/09 09:44:42 AM Age 65, OH Dear friend, Brannon did not send you his article but you came to his site to read it. You did not practice what you preach and we are glad of it. We welcome your input even if your religion disagrees with ours. You say Sweden is crime free and atheist. 1st of all I have read that Sweden is up to 85% agnostic and atheist. Agnostic is not atheist! The agnostic is much more logical than the atheist. The agnostic is more honest and says that he does not know if there is a God. But the atheist is illogical and says that he does not hear the voice of God and therefore no one else can hear the voice of God. Because deaf men exist, does not mean that all men are deaf. Just because you do not know Calculus does not mean there is no such thing as calculus. This is very elementary reasoning. Just because you have never met my dad, does not mean that he did not exist. I would even bet you could not believe that I did not have a dad. I did have a dad and I did know him. I am sure that he exists. I also know my Creator and I am sure that He exists. He has proven to me that He loves me. I walk with Him and talk with Him every day. - You say Sweden is crime free. Of course one can claim there is no crime in Sweden if they claim there is no such thing as crime. Sweden is full of crime. I have read that they have a very high rate of homosexuality and that is a crime against humanity itself. The penalty for this crime is just and sure. Homosexuality causes much disease and death. If fact if the whole nation becomes homosexual then there will be no people in Sweden in a very few years. - Look at the Muslims in all of Europe; many of them believe that the violent murder of innocent children and women is good and not evil. Their crime is terrible by any sane and rational person. Yet one could make an argument that even the Muslims are not under the terrible judgment that the Europeans are. What more terrible judgment is there than death and to cease to exist. Yet Europe is dying and no can can argue that this is not true. Europe will cease to exist is a very few decades. Europe will be Muslim, for they are increasing while the whites are dying off. One could argue that this is the judgment they have brought on their own people by their murder of their own children ( abortion) and homosexuality and other crimes against God who you claim does not exist. But this death that they have brought on themselves cries out much louder than your mere human voice. Blaming God for the death of Europe is like blaming God for the death of a man who jumps off of a very tall building. The Bible is full of warnings not to do the things that Europe is doing. If you jump off of the building you will die. Europe is dying for they have forgotten their Creator and do not follow His advice. If Europe turns to God and asks Him to save them, He will surly save them. It seems better to light one candle than to curse the darkness. May you seek God so He will reveal Himself to you. Grace and peace to you. - Lou Newton IN A FEW DECADES EUROPE WILL NOT EXIST Posted On: 05/13/09 11:20:48 PM Age 65, OH Dear friend, your post is not clear at all. You list the same three countries (Denmark, Norway and Japan ) in both lists. How can these same three countries be both the least religious and the most religious. - But to address the point that you may be trying to make: Is there not a lot of homosexuality in the Scandinavian countries that you list. Is that not a crime against humanity itself. Does it not cause much disease and death. If everyone was homosexual then humanity would even cease to exist in a very few years. Is this not happening in Europe as we speak. Europe is dying and will not even exist as the same countries in a very few years. It will be Muslim, because they do not allow homosexuals and they are growing while the white population is dying. It seems that their violent crimes which murder innocent women and children, and is terrible, could be said to be less of a crime than the crimes of homosexuality and abortion that the European people are committing. So it seems to me that Europe is under a far worse judgment than even the US is under. No one's opinion of what is right and what is wrong can change the very fact that Europe will not even exist, as European countries, for long. That sure seems like a judgment to me. - Lou Newton WHICH VERSION IS PURE Posted On: 05/13/09 10:57:27 PM Age 65, OH Dear friend, if you want the pure words that The Word of God who is The Lord Jesus Christ spoke then you must learn to read Greek and Hebrew. All of the translations have mistakes in them and the 1611KJ is no exception. Read John 21:15-19 and you will see that the KJV says Jesus used the same word and asked Peter if Peter loved Him, three different times. This is not an accurate translation in the KJV for the Greek shows that Jesus did NOT use the same word three times, but asked Peter a different question the third time. Look in the Wuest Translation of the New testament for a much more accurate translation of what Jesus said. The Wuest is not easy to read but much more accurate than the KJV. I have some KJV of the Holy Scriptures but do not read them as much as many others for the simple fact that I do not understand 1611 English as well as my own tongue. Is that not why the Holy Scriptures were translated in the first place. If you want to stick to the original then the Greek and Hebrew are it and KJV is not. The KJV is not even the original English translation but the Tyndale NT in 1534 is the first. It is not hard to obtain, as I have one myself and it was very inexpensive. The Geneva Bible is also before the KJV and it is very easy to obtain for less than $40. The same Government and leaders of the church that persecuted the men that translated these two versions were the same powers that had the KJV done. Also the men who translated the KJV also COPIED much of Tyndale's work and never even mentioned his name in the KJV. Today students are thrown out of our schools for this same thing, it is stealing the work of another. I do not consider such men worthy of trust. - Lou Newton Returning to God a must Posted On: 05/13/09 02:34:45 PM Age 72, WA Thank you, Brandon, for your wisdom and sticking to the Word of God for your understanding. This is what we all must do each and every day in all our decisions in order to be blessed of God. Can our nation be turned around? Only by a special moving of the Holy Spirit convicting first His people and then the unbelievers of their sin. Then we must humble ourselves, confess that sin and turn to Him. Without this turning back to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob we have no hope!