As we look around us today, we see a society that seems to be falling apart. The streets in many of our cities are becoming more and more like war zones. Confidence in our elected officials and other people in positions of authority are at an all-time low. Half of all marriages end in divorce which causes many children to come home to single parent families. Worse yet, many other children are in situations where they are abused in all kinds of evil ways. From the highest halls of government, to our own dinner tables, the evidence of a society in crisis is clear. Although the problems seem to be clear, the solutions to those problems seem to be complicated and illusive. Governments, schools, psychologists, social workers, etc., etc., all seen to be powerless to find a way to stem the tide of violence and hopelessness that afflicts our society today. Watching all these efforts always reminds me of the old story about Nero fiddling while Rome burned. While our society burns, the people in charge fiddle around with meaningless programs that can never get to the root of the problem. The only hope for our society, or any other, is to return to the principles of Scripture. It is the God of the Bible that ordained and instituted society, and it is His principles that allow society to operate properly. In the book of Genesis, as God created and placed man on the earth, He gave four specific principles to govern how man was to function in an orderly, God-honoring society. These principles are volition, marriage, family and government. It is only by returning to these four basic principles that society can be what God intended it to be. Remember that God created society, and it is God who knows how it should function.
VOLITION
Webster defines volition as “The act of willing: the act of determining choice, of forming a purpose.” “The power of willing or of determining.” When we say that God gave man volition, we are saying that God gave man the right to choose based upon his own will. God did not create puppets that He manipulates and forces into certain actions. He created beings with a free will to make choices about their own actions. This institution of volition is seen in God’s initial instructions to man as He placed him in the Garden of Eden.
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:15-17
Notice that God did not seek to prevent man from eating from the tree. He could have built a fence around the tree, but He didn’t. He could have dug a moat around the tree, but He didn’t. He could have sent an angel to guard the tree, but he didn’t. In fact, He didn’t even have to put the tree in the garden to begin with, but He did. Why? He did it because He was giving man the opportunity, and the obligation, to make a choice. Adam and Eve had to make a choice of their own will about whether or not they would eat of the fruit of the tree. In hindsight, we know what their decision was, but that in no way diminishes the fact that at that time they had a real choice to make. They were not coerced into making the choice that they did. They made it based upon their own will, their own volition. In God’s instruction to Adam, we also see another aspect of volition, an aspect that many today want to ignore. God made clear to Adam in verse 17 that there would be specific consequences based on the decision that he made. If Adam chose to eat the forbidden fruit, he would “surely die”. By implication, Adam knew that if he didn’t eat the forbidden fruit he would continue to live. From this, Adam learned that with his volition came accountability. Because man is free to choose, he is held accountable for those choices. In Genesis 3, we read of the accountability that came to Adam and Eve when they made their choices. While many in our society today love the part of volition that says we are free to choose, there are very few who desire to be held accountable for those decisions. We want to be free to have promiscuous sex, but not have the accountability of babies or sexually transmitted diseases; so we devise abortion and “safe sex”. We want to be free to take what we want, when we want it, but not have the accountability of paying for it; so we devise excuses for “poor, downtrodden” thieves and looters. We want to “have it all” right now, but we can’t afford it; so we devise credit cards that allow us to put off the day of reckoning till “later”, “much later”. These and other situations in our society today are simply symptoms of a misunderstanding and misapplication of volition. In order for our society to become what God intended it to be, we must first return to a proper application of volition. We must teach society that the liberty to choose brings with it the accountability for the choices that we make.
MARRIAGE
The second of Gods building blocks of society is marriage. In order for society to function properly, we must understand and live God’s principles of marriage. God instituted marriage soon after he instituted volition.
And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Genesis 2:21-24
In God’s creation of Eve, He created the institution of marriage. He created a being that needed, and was needed by, His initial creation, the man, Adam. Notice that just before God instituted marriage, he brought all the animals before Adam so that he could name them and “there was not found an help meet tor him.” (Genesis 2:20) Adam had no need for all of the animals that God had created. They were no doubt unique, and interesting and intriguing to Adam, but he did not need any of them. A dog may be man’s best friend, but he can get along without one. God needed to create a creature that Adam would need and that would need him in return. He accomplished this by taking a part of Adam out of him. It is represented by the removal of a rib, but it certainly encompassed much more than that. We are told in Scripture that God has two primary attributes, grace and truth (John 1:14). If Adam was created in God’s image, then we can assume that Adam also had those attributes. In creating woman, God took one of those attributes out of Adam and used it to make Eve. From a study of God’s instructions to men and women concerning their responsibilities, it seems very evident that the part that God took out to make Eve was “grace”. The “truth” part was left with Adam. In general, women are more adept at demonstrating the characteristics of grace; mercy, longsuffering, compassion and kindness. (I Timothy 5:14; Titus 2:3-5) In general, men are more adept at demonstrating the characteristics of truth; justice, judgment and wrath (Titus1:7-11; 2:7-8). In the marriage relationship, we see both characteristics of God become one again. When a man and a woman become one, they can perfectly demonstrate that combination of grace and truth that is the character and nature of God. In order for marriage to function in its proper place in society, we must understand the need for men and women to function in their appropriate roles. We must teach society these roles and the importance of both of these roles being practiced in order for marriage to function properly.
FAMILY
The obvious outcome of a man and woman becoming one in a physical sense is the production of children. This reproduction is one of the primary responsibilities of man on planet Earth.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:28
Because of the way in which God created Eve (by taking her out of Adam) it is essential that a man and a woman be the basis of the family unit. This is entirely self-evident in the physical sense. The primary responsibility of parents is to instruct their children in the ways of the Lord.
And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it. Deuteronomy 31:13
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
Because parents are instructing their children in the ways and will of the Lord, it is essential that children see the character and nature of the Lord in their parents. This can be accomplished only when a man and a woman are functioning together properly in a marriage relationship that they see the true character and nature of God, grace and truth. That’s why God made it not just desirable, but necessary, for a man and woman to come together physically to produce children. That coming together not only provides the physical means to produce children, but also provides the spiritual basis of instructing those children in the ways and will of the Lord. We must teach society the importance of both parents in demonstrating to children the character and nature of God. This is the only way we can bring up the next generation “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord”.
GOVERNMENT
There is a great debate in our country today about whether government is the cause of, or the solution to, our problems. Regardless of what you think about our current government officials, one thing is certain; God ordained human government, and He has specified the responsibilities of that government.
And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. Genesis 9:5-6
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Romans 13: 1-6
It is very clear from the above passages that God ordains government, and further, that believers are to be in submission to that government. The reason for the institution of, and submission to, government becomes clear when we compare the verse from Genesis 9, quoted above, with a verse from Genesis 6.
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. Genesis 6:11
Before the flood there was no governmental structure or authority to restrain the violent nature of man. Every man was an island unto himself, and all men did that which was right in their own eyes. As a result, the world soon degenerated into the condition described in Genesis 6. After the flood, God instituted a system to restrain this violent nature. That system is human government. The purpose of government is to restrain evil and provide a peaceful existence for its citizens. This is clearly seen in Paul’s admonition to pray for governmental authority.
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. I Timothy 2:1-2
We must teach society the proper role of government in our lives. Government was instituted for the purpose of restraining violence and providing a peaceful existence. To do less, or more, is outside of God’s plan for government. Also, we must set a good example by being submissive to the “powers that be”.
WHAT CAN WE DO
The key to salvaging our society is not in the philosophies of men, or in another program from Washington DC. It is in teaching society to return to God’s basic building blocks; volition, marriage, family, and government. These are the four foundation stones upon which society is built, and without which it cannot prosper. Our society can only be changed by peaching this truth from God’s word.