This century
has seen a great moral and spiritual decline. Humanism and secularism now hold
sway. In national life the teaching of the Bible is ignored. Homosexuality is
regarded as acceptable. Divorce is widespread. Abortion is, in all but name, on
demand. And capital punishment is no longer practiced.
1. The
church is no longer respected.
2.
Christianity and Christians appear ineffectual and powerless.
3. Many
congregations are formal, worldly and dead.
4. True
conviction of sin is lacking. The first work of the Holy Spirit, according to
the Lord Jesus Christ, is to convince ‘the world of guilt in regard to sin and
righteousness and judgement’ (John 16.8).
5. We do not
mourn over our sins (Zech. 12.10). The broken spirit and contrite heart, which
God does not despise (Psalm 51.17), are rarely evident today.
6. Many of
us ‘have forsaken our first love’ (Rev. 2.4). We lack
