Sir,
Secularisation in the nation, as commented upon by some of your recent correspondents, is but one of the facets of the nation turning its back upon God and His Word. We need to realise that what has been noted is but one of the trees in the ‘forest’ of apostasy from God.
Furthermore, this evil development is well announced in God’s Word as being a feature of the last days. Such trends declare the departure from the God Who so wonderfully blessed and prospered our land in centuries past and is a fulfillment of the prophecies set forth in the Old and New Testament.
Paul declares clearly the ongoing assault upon the gospel by deceivers with its final climax in the days before the Saviour’s return, in such places as 2 Timothy 3:1-9. Peter does the same in his second epistle, chapter 2.
Above all, the Lord Jesus tells us of the times that are breaking out around us, in Matthew chapter 24, especially the verses 11-21. The secularisation we see going on around us is but one of the “signs of the times” for which the Saviour said we must watch, Matthew 25:13.
The reader of the Bible will not be surprised by these developments, though doubtless vexed and grieved that a nation so privileged as ours should act so foolishly.
But then it has happened before, as the history of the nation of Israel demonstrates. We should remember and learn from the price it paid for its folly.
Let all remember Paul’s words in Romans chapter 1 of the nations in former times.
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them,” verses 28-32.
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
Kilskeery, Co. Tyrone