Why Rome Fell
Why Rome Fell
In The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon
observed that there were five basic reasons why that civilization withered and
died. Here are the flaws that Gibbon listed:
1. An undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home.
2. A mad craze for pleasure, with pastimes becoming every year more
exciting, brutal, and immoral.
3. Decay of religion – faith fading into mere form.
4. Higher and higher taxes with public money being spent for free bread and
circuses for the populace.
5. Building great armaments, although the real enemy was within – the
decay of individual responsibility.
Can any thinking person fail to see the frightening parallel between those things
and our country today? Whether we are “beyond the point of no return” or not, I
do not know. I do know that God has told us that, “Righteousness exalteth a
nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Prov 14:34)
When God’s people find themselves living in an ungodly environment, they are
commanded to, “. . . be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,
in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in
the world” (Phil 2:15)
Let’s determine to do what we can to make our country better by upholding the
standards and values set forth in the Bible. Maybe, just maybe, it is not too late to
reverse the disturbing trend which has destroyed other civilizations in the past.
- Leonard White
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Does God Approve Capital Punishment?
The Bible says “Thou shalt not kill.” Then how can a Christian support capital
punishment? Many sincere people find this question very disturbing.
First of all, consider the fact that the same law (Law of Moses) which said “Thou
shalt not kill [murder]” (Exodus 20:13) also said “He who strikes a man so that he
dies shall surely be put to death.” (Exodus 21:12) This clearly indicates that
capital punishment and murder should not be equated.
Long before the Law of Moses was given, in Genesis 9:6 God decreed, “Whoever
sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He
made man.” Those who oppose capital punishment often cite as their reason the
sanctity of human life. Actually, that is the very reason why God gave such a
severe punishment for one who would kill his fellow man.
The New Testament says civil government is ordained by God and that “it does not
bear the sword [the power of life and death] for nothing; for it is a minister of
God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.” (Romans
13:4) The apostle Paul acknowledged that there were offenses for which one
might deserve to die (Acts 25:10-11).
The death penalty should be very judiciously applied, and only when there is clear
evidence of the guilt of the offender. However we need to remember God’s stern
warning, “If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the
evidence of witnesses . . . for blood pollutes the land and no expiation can be
made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who
shed it.” (Numbers 35:30ff)
- Leonard White
Honoring Parents
The following is based on a story in the famous 19th century Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
In a touching way it reminds us of what the Law of Moses and the New Testament
both have to say about how we should treat our parents.
Once there was a little old man who had no home of his own so he lived
with his son and daughter-in-law and their four-year-old son. His
hands trembled badly, and when he ate he often spilled food on the
tablecloth.
The wife eventually became impatient, so she and her husband moved
the old man to the corner of the kitchen where they set him on a stool
and gave him his food in an earthenware bowl. After that he ate by
himself in the corner.
One day his hands trembled more than usual and the earthenware bowl
fell and broke. “If you eat like a pig,” said the daughter-in-law, “You
should eat out of a trough.” So they made him a little wooden trough,
and he ate his meals out of that.
Sometime later the old man’s son noticed his little son playing intently
with some bits of wood and asked what he was doing. “I’m making a
trough,” he said smiling, “To feed you and Mama out of when I get big.”
The man and his wife looked at each other for a while without saying a
word. Then they cried a little. Then they brought the old man back to
the table, sat him in a comfortable chair and gave him his food on a
plate.
From then on no one ever scolded when he spilled or broke things.
We don’t have to see as God sees in order
to see what God wants us to see.
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