In Psalm 12:1-4 we read, “Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things, who have said, ‘With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?” (NKJV).
I can’t help but think when I read this Psalm how true it is that there is, “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
In my reading this week in the Founder’s Bible I came across this quote, “In May 1775, Samuel Langdon, a Founding Father and Harvard College President (1774-1780), stated in a message to the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts: “We have rebelled against God. We have lost our true spirit of Christianity, though we retain the outward profession and form of it… My brethren let us repent and implore the divine mercy. May the Lord hear us in this day of trouble. ‘We will rejoice in His salvation, and in the name of our God, we will set up banners!’” (Psalm 20:5 KJV).
It reminded me of a dear brother named Don Langdon. I sent him the quote and he got back to me and said one of his sisters had done some research and it would seem that Samuel was a distant relation. The point is that the drift from true Christianity in our culture is not a recent issue. Founding Father Noah Webster, when speaking about the failure of citizens to choose Godly leaders asserted, “It is to the neglect of this rule of conduct in our citizens that we must ascribe the multiplied frauds, breaches of trust, peculations, and embezzlements of public property which astonish even ourselves, which tarnish the character of our country, and disgrace a republican government” (Letters to a Young Gentleman commencing His Education).
Sadly, Webster’s comments would seem to indicate that there was a quick moral degradation commencing early in the halls of the capitol. Although 95% of our founding Fathers were registered members of Christian churches and many of our early representatives were pastors who were sent by their states to serve, there were still, “men of loose principals or defective views.” Truly, the only systemic frailty with which every man or woman, regardless of race or creed, struggles is the sinful nature (Galatians 5:19-21). Obviously, there has been an exponential growth of these individuals of loose principals or defective views in government. What are we to do?
In the words of Samuel Langdon, “My brethren let us repent and implore the divine mercy!” We also need to commit to, from this day forward, vote Biblically! When there does not seem to be a clear choice when looking at the persons for whom you can vote, look at the agenda! In the last election there was one clear choice regarding agendas for the Christian. Today, we are holding our collective breath to see just how bad it is going to be for the church, pastors and individual Christians. Sadly, I feel many church leaders failed the church at large and helped sign our death warrant in regard to our freedom to practice true Christianity. Still, one can take courage in the last few verses of Psalm 12, “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.” You shall keep them, O Lord, You shall preserve them from this generation forever. The wicked prowl on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men (NKJV Psalm 12:5,7-8).
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