Fruits of Humanism
Introduction: You can sometimes tell a tree by its leaves or bark but an even better indication of a tree is its fruit, Matthew12.33; James 3.11-12 both teach a simply principle. If the fruit is bad the tree is bad; if the fruit is good then the tree is good. What about the fruits of humanism? Have they been good or bad? In looking at this question I think we have to understand that some of its fruits have been physical in nature and some spiritual. Some are short term and some long term.
I) Fruits of Humanism
A) Disrespect for authority, Judges 17.6
1. When you take God out of the picture you are left without a stand of authority
a. Does authority come from the majority?
b. Does it come from each individual and their thoughts?
2. Resulting in a decline of discipline
a. Lawlessness has increased as people think the law does not apply to them or they can simply bend it to mean what they want it to mean.
b. Personal discipline, bringing out bodies into subject as stated in 1 Corinthians 9.27; has been replaced with self indulgence, self-improvement, and self-esteem. 1 Timothy 5.6 does not mean sensual desires but self indulgence.
c. Family discipline has been replaced with family chaos as parents are afraid to discipline their children for fear of so government worker knocking on their door. Some parents have bought into the Doctor Spock philosophy of not disciplining your children.
3. A decline in academics as man has refused the knowledge of God, Hosea 4.6; Romans 1.22
a. Spending on education has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. With New York and New Jersey leading the nation spending almost $10,000 per student. However, the states with the best test scores are the ones in which the parents are involved.
b. Many of our schools are battle grounds with armed guards and bullet holes in the walls.
i. In 1950 the top offenses in public schools were: running in the hallway, chewing gum, wearing improper clothing (which included leaving a shirttail out), making noise, and not putting paper in wastebaskets.
ii. Today the top offenses in public schools are: robbery, assault, personal theft, burglary, drug abuse, arson, bombings, alcohol abuse, carrying weapons, absenteeism, vandalism, murder and extortion. Twelve of these are felonies.
B) The sexual revolution, 1 Corinthians 7.2
1. Teenagers have grown up in a sexualized society. Sex education has been a part of our schools for many years. How to have sex and birth control are the primary subjects of this education. Yet very little is said about morality.
a. Teenagers having sex; males age 15 to 17 around 31 percent, ages 18 to 19 around 64%; females ages 15 to 17 around 30 percent, ages 18 to 19 around 69 percent.
b. one third of all teenage girls will get pregnant. One quarter of all pregnancies are outside of marriage.
2. Sexual revolution has also changed the way people think about marriage. Many just live together with their partners, others think of marriage as a temporary arrangement.
a. According to enrichment journal on the divorce rate in America:
The divorce rate in America for first marriage is 41%
The divorce rate in America for second marriage is 60%
The divorce rate in America for third marriage is 73%
b. One can find web sites for swingers, or married people wanting to cheat on their spouses.
C) Declining view of life
1. abortion has had a dramatic effect on our country.
a. In 2006 there were 3,912 abortions in Kentucky. It has been estimated that there have been 39 million abortions since 1973.
b. List state populations to get 39 million
2. Euthanasia otherwise known are mercy killings. (On the farm we talked about putting an animal down.)
a. Washington State you can call 911 for assistant suicide. They will get you with a doctor to write a prescription and pharmacies must fill the prescription.
b. What of those that are in capable of making this decision for themselves? Case of Terri Schaivo for instance. In 1993 Terri suffered a heart attack and suffered brain damage. For years she was in a vegetative state. In 2005 the her husband was able to have the feeding tube removed and she died.
c. Stories - Miscellaneous (see lower part of this web page for state by state articles).
3. Bible teaches us that each person is made in the image of God, Genesis 1.27; 9.6; 1 Corinthians 11.1
a. All of life is sacred and the way we value that life is by protecting it not by killing it.
b. Quality of life is important but it can be self serving at times. Regena's grandmother wondered why she was still alive. But it gave her family to help her, Acts 20.35. It also gave Regena and myself the opportunity to meet.
D) Rationalism
1. Whatever we think or can justify is just, Jeremiah 10.23.
a. Can I justify or excuse it, if so then I become a law to myself. Deut. 12.8
b. Example: Scott Roeder when into a church building and killed Dr. George Tiller on May 31, 2009. His defense was that he was justified in that he was stopping the killing of babies.
2. The result of this is seen in Judges 2.10-11. A generation without God is a generation without morals.
3. We see this in an aversion to being judgmental. "You can't judge me" or "I am not to judge" and so on.
a. We are to make judgments, John 7.24
b. We will be judged by the word of God, John 12.48.
c. The Bible speaks of "discernment" Hebrews 5.14. There is something wrong if we cannot render righteous judgment, we cannot tell the difference between right and wrong.
d. We are called upon to make judgments, 1 Corinthians 6.5.
4. Don't go by I think so, Proverbs 14.12
5. What does the Bible say, 2 Peter 1.3.
II) God and Jesus
A) Gives man a higher purpose .
1. We are to do good because we are made in the image of God and God is good.
2. We are to look forward to a heavenly home.
B) The truth, John 18.38 "what is truth"
1. God's word is true, John 17.17
2. God's word will judge us.
C) The supreme example of love,1 Peter 2.21-22
1. Mankind without God and Christ does not know love, Galatians 2.20
Conclusion: Each person decides for themselves what they will believe. Those beliefs will determine how they will live, how they will die, and where they will spend eternity. Where will you spend eternity?