The Bible says that in the last days mankind will have lost its sense of direction. Always seeking and never finding.”But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God… always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:1-7). Paul is describing a society without a moral compass.
The moral dilemma that today’s culture faces has been developing and increasing in severity ever since humanity forfeited dominion over the earth in the garden of Eden. Humans continually default to the pleasure of self and are quick to turn away from God and worship whatever appeals to their desires.
In Romans 1:18-32 we read that because of humanity’s propensity to forsake God and worship created things, God permitted the sinful nature of mankind to manifest in their self indulgence, godlessness and wickedness. At the top of the list we find idolatry, sexual impurity and perversion.
A Celebration Of Immorality
So it should come as no surprise that the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremonies constituted a celebration of immorality in direct opposition to the God of creation. Christendom quickly reacted to drag queens, a child and a naked blue man together on stage, in what was perceived as mocking the Last Supper depicted in Leonardo’s renowned painting.
However, the perversion that was celebrated was far more nefarious and deeply rooted in opposition to the one true God than many comprehend or are willing to admit. In their defense, the organizers of the debacle were quick to deny any connection with a mockery of Christ and deflected to the narrative of honoring Dionysus, the Greek god of wine.
These coordinators said they intended to promote tolerance of different sexual and gender identities through displaying a pagan feast. However the symbolism is interpreted, the hypersexualized imagery is inappropriate for an audience that includes children. The tragedy of wokeness and the absurdity of gender confusion only serve to highlight a severe moral depravity in defiance of our Creator.
The Bible instructs us not to worship any god other than the Almighty, the Maker of the heavens and the earth and also states that the Lord is a jealous God (Exodus 20:3-6). Yet civilization continues to chase false deities thereby provoking God to anger (Jeremiah 7:18). Acts 17:29 teaches that we should know better: “Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.”
And Peter calls everyone to leave pagan ways and repent from debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry (1 Peter 4:3). Furthermore, he goes on to say people who live this way will have to give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:5).
Love As Christ Loved Us
As Christians we are called to love as Christ loved us (John 13:34-35). This is a selfless, genuine concern for our fellow man which includes his eternal wellbeing. Jesus loved us enough to die for us and He continually preached repentance in a sincere effort to compel people to “sin no more.”
So while we can love and respect others with their flaws and all, we do them a great disservice if we fail to point them to Christ. If it is not our desire to share the joy of being saved from sin so others can experience for themselves being saved from sin, then we have fallen short of our sacred calling.
Its popular in Christian circles to say that God loves the sinner but hates the sin. While this statement contains an element of truth, we must remember that it is the sinner that is condemned to hell, not the sin. Unless we have a bona fide and obedient faith in Jesus Christ we can never truly be saved, and repentance from sin is evidence of it.
Our identity in Christ is expressed through our core values and behavior. In essence what a person does reflects who that person is. We can love someone without condoning their lifestyle and we certainly must resist the societal pressure to join in celebrating a sinful lifestyle as “pride” festivals invite us to do.
On the contrary, the apostle Paul instructs believers in Ephesians 5:11 to, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” He also states candidly, “For this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.” (Ephesians 5:5-6).
Children Become The Victims
Having children on stage with drag queens is no different than having drag queens read to kindergarten classes. Children watch the Olympics and children are innocent. It is children that become the victims of sexual exploitation. Either directly or indirectly it is children who will ultimately pay the price of the gross indecency on display in Paris in 2024.
As Christians we must recognize that what was celebrated at the Paris Olympics is part of a much deeper and perverse agenda that seeks to make sexual depravity mainstream. It would be socially irresponsible to ignore the underlying truth that sexual immorality has led to a human trafficking business in the order of US$236 billion per year (International Labor Organisation).
In 2024 the games will be remembered for resembling a circus rather than an Olympiad. The mark of a culture that has become disoriented because of a woke agenda that is intentionally and systematically destroying the very fabric of society. And Paris is no different than Las Vegas, Amsterdam or most modern cities in their acceptance of sinful behavior. Civilization is on the brink of ruination.
In Romans 1:32, Paul writes, “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”
Jesus chastised the first century Jews and said, “The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.” (Matthew 12:41). His words carry just as much authority when applied to our current generation.
Today, people don’t want to be judged for what they believe. Without judgement there are no penalties, so who pays the price? The acceptance and celebration of “pride” month, the sexualization of young girls by the fashion industry, music industry, and pornography all contribute to the desensitization of perversion in mainstream culture. And now the Olympics has followed suit.
Joni Eareckson Tada profoundly sums up the conundrum facing the world today: “And gradually, though no one remembers exactly how it happened, the unthinkable becomes tolerable. And then acceptable. And then legal. And then applaudable.” Moral relativism leads to deeper and deeper depravity.
The Olympic Games have traditionally championed rewarding winners, however the 2024 edition will be recollected as a celebration of the lost. Morality is not subjective. Truth is absolute. The Bible says,”Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20).
It has been said, “The world wants peace but rejects the Prince of Peace. The world wants love, but rejects the Author of Love. The world wants life, but rejects the One who gave His to save theirs. The world desperately wants Jesus, but they’re too busy rejecting Him to realize He is the answer.”
2 Chronicles 7:13-14 says, “if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
The Man Of Lawlessness
Today’s lost generation has rendered itself susceptible to deception by following the flavor de jour and is ripe for the ultimate subterfuge when the man of lawlessness appears on the world stage as a counterfeit savior of all things human and all the world will follow him (Revelation 13:3).
Paul wrote that the Lord would not return until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3). This rebellion is full blown right now. How long it lasts and how severe it becomes only God knows.
May the Lord grant sight to the blind who cannot see they are on the wide road that leads to destruction. Repentance is pivotal. Jesus is the narrow road that leads to life and in order to arrive at this life, we must follow that road.
