Psalm 36:1-4 – “The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.”
The rising tide of lawlessness, violence, moral depravity and hatred of law and order are indicative of a morally corrupt generation and a dying nation. Fatherless homes, perpetual generations of welfare mothers and grandmothers, and children left to their own wicked devices (Proverbs 29:15) has become a scourge for 21st century America. It is not my purpose or intent to offend my readers in today’s devotional; however, it is time for believers and preachers to employ biblical language that defines a fatherless generation of lawless youth who are symptomatic of the moral decay afflicting our schools, communities, towns and cities.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews employed the term “bastard” to describe those who profess to be believers, but whose lives gave no evidence of the chastening hand of God because they continued in a pattern of sin contrary to the will and Word of God. Drawing a parallel with a loving earthly father who chastens his children to bend their will to a path of obedience and righteous living (Hebrews 12:7), the author of Hebrews states: “if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons” (Hebrews 12:8). In other words, in the same manner a loving earthly father bears the responsibility of teaching and chastening his children when they sin, a professing believer who continues in sin without chastening is a “bastard” and not a spiritual son of God.
Go back and read Psalm 36:1-4 and consider the words of David describing the wicked of his day that parallels the youth of our day, many of whom are raised in fatherless families or homes that have neglected instruction and discipline.
Psalm 36:1 – “The transgression [sin; trespass; rebellion] of the wicked [ungodly; immoral; lawbreaker] saith [affirms; declares] within my heart [inward part; bowels], that there is no fear [dread; terror; alarm] of God before his eyes [knowledge; opinion; sight; note Romans 3:18 ].
The sins of the wicked are the fruit of their sinful nature and proof they have no fear of God. They are numbered among those fools who say, “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1); their ways are “corrupt” and their works an abomination before God.
Psalm 36:2 – “For he [wicked] flattereth [apportion; distribute; favors] himself in his own eyes [knowledge; opinion; sight; note Romans 3:18 ], until his iniquity [sin; punishment; guilt] be found [present; appear; i.e. found out] to be hateful [opposed; detest; despised].
If ever there has been a generation that has an inflated sense of their self-worth it is this generation. They have accomplished little, but demand everything. They are full of themselves and social media has offered them a platform to boast of sins over which an earlier generation would have blushed. Rather than discipline, the parents of this generation have fawned over their youth and failed to address the sinful flaws in their character and remind them every action and attitude carries consequences.
Psalm 36:3 – “The words [matter; cause; advice] of his mouth are iniquity [sin; wickedness] and deceit [fraud; treachery]: he hath left off [ceased; failed; lacked] to be wise [understand; prosper; act wisely], and to do good [well; be pleasing].
In the words of Forrest Gump (1994), “Stupid is as stupid does” (in other words, stupidity and ignorance is not measured by your intellect, but by your words and actions). The filthy, abusive, and deceitful words of this generation toward all authority are reprehensible. The wicked place no value on civility or speaking with discretion. They have no interest in godly wisdom or righteousness.
Psalm 36:4 – “He [wicked] deviseth [count; imagine; account; fabricate; plot] mischief [sin; wickedness] upon his bed; he setteth [stand; present; place] himself in a way [road; path; course of life] that is not good [best; pleasant; right]; he abhorreth [spurns; cast away; despise] not evil [sin; wickedness].”
Finally, we note sin enslaves the wicked. Their thoughts are dominated by sin and they plot all manner of evil in their hearts. Contrary to this generation’s embrace of “victimology” that places responsibility for the consequences of sin on everyone but themselves, the wicked purpose to do evil because it is who they are.
We are witnessing in 21st century America, a generation of spiritual “bastards” whose parents have failed to train their moral conscience. This generation of moral degenerates attack teachers in public schools while peers cheer them on; mock law officers, wreck havoc in their homes, and riot in the streets of our cities.
For a half-century we have watched our nation abandon the “Father Knows Best” and “Leave It to Beaver” ideal of traditional marriage and family. We are witnessing the results of a failed social experiment driven by an atheistic, anti-family, immoral, socialist ideology.
My friend, we need a spiritual revival in our homes and churches and the backbone and spiritual fortitude to love our children enough to realize that, left to themselves, they will become spiritual “bastards” in word, spirit and action.
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.”
Copyright 2015 – Travis D. Smith