No New Thing

Ecclesiastes 1:9-11

[9] The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. [10] Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. [11] There is no remembrance of former things ; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

The pride of this age is that all that has come before is either evil or at best ignorant. But if we really examine people, society, religion we see that in essence nothing is new. Let’s look at:

I. PEOPLE

A. SINNERS

1. Selfish – Even our tax code recognizes the selfish nature of people. This is the reason for the deduction given for charitable giving. Even when we believe that our actions are truly altruistic there is often a selfish motive lurking in the recesses of the heart. It can often share space with a genuine desire to help someone, but also the desire to be recognized is a competing impulse.

2. Stiff-necked (rebellious). We are merely grown up children and often act childish. When a child is told “no” he only wants to do the thing more. The forbidden has great attraction because of our fallen nature.

3. Short-sighted Why is it that men will spend all their energies to accumulate worldly riches or fame which will on perish and forsake the opportunity to serve God and accumulate eternal riches in Heaven. This trait seems to be more pronounced in this age. The lust of the eye has caused many to make shipwreck. Our culture encourages people to buy it on time. Some of the things won’t last as long as the payments, this is surely true of the things and pleasures of the flesh as the payment is eternal!

4. Susceptible to the wiles of the Devil. Satan makes a man think that he is in control, that he is is making all the decisions about his life. The truth is that the unsaved are deceived by Satan and don’t know that they are on the road to destruction. Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

B. SEARCHING – The lost man is as a blind man stumbling around looking for what he doesn’t even know. He is looking:

1. In the wrong places – Consider the testimony of Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes

2. With the wrong vision – physical and not spiritual. Man thinks that the physical things are the eternal but in reality the spiritual is that which will last forever. It’s interesting to note that some of the things which are considered to be long lasting and ancient have to be maintained on a constant basis. It is reported that a third of the wall has collapsed to dust and that the Chinese government has spent millions of dollars to repair and preserve some that remains. All of this earth is under the curse of sin brought on by Adam and will perish. He who looks with his physical sight will be deceived. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

C. SITTING DUCK (helpless)

1. He is ignorant of the Danger because he is dead spiritually Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2. He is in thrall of Satan due to:

a) His own sinful desires James 1:13-14 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: [14] But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

b) Satan’s deception 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

3. He is condemned already John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Satan has convinced many that the coming judgment will be to determine who will enter Heaven, but that determination is made in this life. Those who receive Jesus as their personal Saviour will enter; those that do not will be cast into the Lake of Fire. The Great White Throne Judgment is for the purpose of passing sentence on the condemned. It is to announce the punishment earned by the works of sin. The greatest sin is the rejection of the Saviour.

II. SOCIETY

A. CULTURE

1. Morality – Degradation of persons

a) Depravity – Every aspect of our present culture is depraved, One example of this would be the medical profession where we find medical doctors, psychologists and others in the profession who recommend so called “gender assignment” surgery. This is malpractice and mutilation. It is certainly not a healing or necessary practice. The root problem is not that God made a mistake in the body that He gave, but that Satan has deceived some, convincing them that their angst is caused by being a different ‘gender’.

b) Dependence on drugs legal and illegal – I have often heard the expression ‘drugs and alcohol’ but this obscures the fact that alcohol is a drug and the most destructive drug in history. While drugs have their proper place and in their proper use are a tremendous blessing from God, their misuse has cause untold misery and loss. Why are some trapped by these things? I’m no expert, but from what I’ve seen, people are seeking peace. They hope to escape their pain and fear for a time, but it only adds to the guilt that oppresses their souls. If they don’t turn to God, receiving salvation through the shed blood of Jesus, the downward spiral increases and will end in destruction, eternal destruction.

c) Departure from God’s standards – Rejection of God’s Word and His standards is nothing new. Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. It’s clear that from the earliest days man was disposed to reject God and His ways for his own. Because of the imperfect sinful nature of man his standards can only create confusion and decay. This is what we see around us every day.

2. Entertainment

a) Music of the day appeals to the basest instincts. It is used to corrupt and deceive children at a very tender age. The decline in one lifetime is astounding. I was a youngster when Elvis Presley was considered vulgar. How things have changed!

b) Play (stage, TV, movies, etc.) It is the same story with all of entertainment. The more violent and sexually perverted is that which is acclaimed to be great. Much of that which is be directed to our young people is not suitable to even speak of in the presence of children.

c) Sports are also used to indoctrinate people. One example is the Super Bowl. How many Christians stay home on that Sunday. It’s the ‘Big Game’. The message to family, friends and neighbors is that God is less important that football. All the other sports are much the same.

3. Family – God is the founder of the institution of the family. As with all other things our society and culture has decided that we know better than God and have cast aside God’s definition of family for an indefinite and undefinable concept that is in constant flux. The family is the basic unit of all other institutions, because of the destruction of the family we see instability through out the nation.

4. Philosophy (thought – leaders) The degree of corruption in those who are considered the leaders in thought can be seen in the proposition that parents should have the ‘right’ to ‘abort’ their children up to the age of at least one year! This evil, abhorrent idea is seriously discussed in some of our most prestigious universities. This is clear evidence of the decline in our culture.

B. GOVERNMENT

1. Expansive – seeks to take the place of God – During debate on the so called “equality act” Rep. Jerry Nadler was quoted as saying in response to a portion of the Old Testament being read “what any religious tradition describes as God’s will is no concern of this Congress.” We can easily recognize the impulse for government to expand has grown completely out of control over the past 150 years. The greater intrusions into the lives of its citizens were cloaked as efforts to correct wrongs. Many of these things were grievous wrongs, but the cure was attempts to change hearts by force. This can only bring bad consequences. God, Himself does not force anyone to accept His salvation, rather he woos the heart and then the conversion is complete and eternal. Government wants to take the place of God even to saying what sex a person is. A person’s sex is written into their DNA by their Creator. No one, no government decree can ever change that.

2. Authoritarian – Thomas Jefferson is quoted as saying “The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.” The response to the COVID 19 pandemic is an illustration of this. I was stunned to see the “powers” that government officials, often times unelected, assumed and the acquiescence of the vast majority of the people. Jefferson was not the only founding father to recognize this danger. In a letter to his wife in 1775 John Adams wrote “But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever. Our own history is not the only warning on this part. Think of the tyrants throughout history such as Nebuchadnezzar. He made his image and demanded obeisance. Things are the same today.

III. RELIGION – All that is new is old. All the new movements and philosophies are merely old ideas wrapped in new packaging and presented as ‘new and improved’. All the new movements that are so prominent in our news are really just old ideas and beliefs recycled in different packaging. Take for example:

A. IDOLATRY.- The “green movement” is little more than nature worship repackaged. In reality only Christians have a real reason to care for the environment. God has given to man the responsibility to care for and use the natural environment He has given us. On the other hand if ‘evolution’ were true, then anything that happens is just part of evolution and who has any reason to complain. We are told that millions of species have gone extinct over time. If we are merely animals and go extinct, what’s the big deal?

B. PAGANISM – Satan has not changed his tactics over the years. It seems amazing that the things that worked thousands of years ago still have the same effect. Satan presents the same bait: pride, rebellion etc. and people still reject the truth for a myriad of false religions. Any religion that is not true to God’s Word is false and will lead to destruction. Space would fail us to make an exhaustive list.

C. TEPID Christianity – The aversion that many feel to “church” and “church people” can be attributed to the tepid manner of living that many professing Christians present to the world. Many who say that they have been saved, that they are followers of Christ live like the world, talk like the world, dress like the world. They are impossible to differentiate from the world. Why should a lost man listen to a Gospel that produces no change? In 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. We find the secret to the rescue our nation. A RETURN TO GOD!!

Brother Mike Scott,

Pastor Faith Baptist Church