It seems to me that you could take many different time periods in America and ascribe an 'essence' to it. For instance.....'liberty' might be that essence in the 1770s.....or 'brother against brother' during our Civil War. If this theory of mine is even somewhat correct then the Gilded Age....and the Great Depression.....and December 7th, 1941......and many more specific time periods might be given an 'essence' label.....and who really knows if the essence chosen would be the correct interpretation....for one might describe the time period one way while another sees it differently.
Having said this upfront......if I were to ascribe an essence to today......it would be in 'leading others into temptation.' That seems to me anyway....what we do most today......either in political correctness or entertainments or legislation and even in our educational system. We are passionately dedicated as a people in leading others....away from God. We almost seem to preface our argument with.....'hath God said'....before we lead them astray. Hugely popular...award winning films today....are more and more becoming something that is purely an inducement and enticement and temptation to many....of all ages in America....and this almost as if to challenge the movie-goers first with....'Hath God Said.'
Jesus addressed the importance of not leading others astray in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew and the ninth chapter of Mark. If I am even nearly correct....or partially correct in the thought behind this post....then it would seem that Jesus would be saying to us in America....."it would be better....to have a great millstone fastened around (our) neck.....and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."
We wouldn't therefore be....'one glorious nation under God'....as our president often describes us....would we? Also if this were true....you would think that pastors might want to relay this message from our Lord to us from the pulpit......wouldn't they?
Having said this upfront......if I were to ascribe an essence to today......it would be in 'leading others into temptation.' That seems to me anyway....what we do most today......either in political correctness or entertainments or legislation and even in our educational system. We are passionately dedicated as a people in leading others....away from God. We almost seem to preface our argument with.....'hath God said'....before we lead them astray. Hugely popular...award winning films today....are more and more becoming something that is purely an inducement and enticement and temptation to many....of all ages in America....and this almost as if to challenge the movie-goers first with....'Hath God Said.'
Jesus addressed the importance of not leading others astray in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew and the ninth chapter of Mark. If I am even nearly correct....or partially correct in the thought behind this post....then it would seem that Jesus would be saying to us in America....."it would be better....to have a great millstone fastened around (our) neck.....and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."
We wouldn't therefore be....'one glorious nation under God'....as our president often describes us....would we? Also if this were true....you would think that pastors might want to relay this message from our Lord to us from the pulpit......wouldn't they?
