God’s Looming Judgment for Our Sins

“Las Vegas has long been known as Sin City for its 24/7 access to all kinds of indecencies.

“America is quickly becoming Sin Nation.”

So begins a column on the Axios news site titled “Behind the Curtain: Scaling Sin.” It explores how societal vices like marijuana, gambling and pornography have spun out of control.

It shows their devastating effects on our society and questions why government intervention is lacking.

What are the societal repercussions of these vices? What does the Bible warn about impending judgment if we fail to change?

A substantial shift

Many believe the world is improving, with technological advances seemingly limitless. However, despite our rapid technological growth, in general, it seems our character is deteriorating.

What was once considered lewd and shameful is now accepted and glorified. Activities once confined to the shadows of society are celebrated openly and even exported as enlightened values of an advanced society. And what once seemed good and healthy is now looked upon by many as backward and even hateful.

It’s as the prophet Isaiah prophesied: modern societies call “evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20).

This is most noticeable in the United States, the world’s leading nation, though it’s also present in many other developed and industrialized countries. (Learn more about what the Bible has to say about many modern nations in our booklet The United States, Britain & the Commonwealth in Prophecy.) 

Consider some examples.

Sexual immorality

Not long ago, marriage was considered the norm, and sexual relations outside it were viewed as wrong. Today, premarital sex is commonplace, and people remain unmarried for longer or choose premarital cohabitation instead.

Having multiple sexual partners is no longer uncommon, and sexual lifestyles like homosexuality, polyamory and open marriage that are prohibited by the Bible are increasingly considered normal today.

Our entertainment today often features scenes of sexual immorality and promotes homosexuality, even when it is unrelated to the plot. These scenes were unthinkable a few generations ago.

Many of those who choose marriage no longer see it as a lifelong commitment. Divorce and remarriage are accepted as normal life events.

Pornography

The Internet has made pornography a vice that is widespread and available on demand. The average age of exposure is 12, with half encountering it accidentally by clicking on a link to pornographic material.

Worst of all, 52 percent of teens surveyed said they had viewed violent pornography, including what appeared to be rape, choking or someone in pain.

America not only allows such material but is also one of its biggest exporters.

Abortion

Traditionally, marriage and family were the norm for raising children. However, the rise of premarital sex has led to more unwanted pregnancies and the subsequent termination of unborn lives.

Abortion may have been promoted as a rare occurrence to be used in cases of rape or incest, but it has become common.

Abortion pills have further simplified this procedure, being marketed as safe and effective, though many overlook the potential health and physiological risks involved.

It is estimated that a quarter of women will have an abortion in their lifetime and that around 20 percent of all pregnancies in the U.S. are terminated. Around the world, the number is even higher, with 29 percent of all pregnancies ending in abortion according to WHO. What was once uncommon is now commonplace. 

Drugs

The growth of all of these vices demonstrates a significant decline in our society. What was once rare or engaged in secretly is now common and in the open. Many societies have shifted from a strict drug policy to one that values individual choice. Marijuana, once labeled a dangerous gateway drug (a drug that leads to harder substances), has been mostly decriminalized despite its well-documented detrimental effects on mental and physical health.

In spite of the fact that modern marijuana is about five to 15 times stronger than it was in 1960, many still promote it as safe for recreational and medical use.

Our culture, reflected in movies, music, celebrities and social media, has normalized drug use and portrays it as a rite of passage for young people. However, some of today’s substances, like fentanyl, are lethal with just a single use, thus posing a much greater danger than drugs of previous generations.

Despite the dangers and negative effects of drug use, some think decriminalizing it is the solution.

Gambling

What was once considered a vice, a moral failing and a dangerous temptation has become widely normalized, commercialized and digitally integrated into everyday life. Now, you can use your device to place a bet on almost anything imaginable—anytime, anywhere.

Since 2018, when the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, sports betting has become embedded in mainstream culture, and broadcasters often discuss betting odds. The easy availability of gambling has led to addiction running rampant, tearing families apart as one member bets the family’s money in a desperate bid to beat the odds and win big.

And it’s not just sports. Gambling has expanded to prediction markets that track real-world events, such as death bets, where people wager on the suffering of others. These bets cover outcomes of wars, elections, assassinations, famines, pandemics, natural disasters, the death of a leader or celebrity and more. 

The growth of all of these vices demonstrates a significant decline in our society. What was once rare or engaged in secretly is now common and in the open.

Proud of our sin

What was once shameful has become so normalized that many people no longer feel shame. We have become proud, prioritizing our self and personal desires over the needs of our families, societies and nations. These vices lead us into other sins and addictions that harm us and our families. The consequences are dire.

The prophet Isaiah warned that people will “declare their sin as Sodom; they do not hide it.” The result? They’ve “brought evil upon themselves” (Isaiah 3:9).

Before ancient Judah fell to Nebuchadnezzar’s invading Babylonian army, God warned the people about their lack of shame for their wrong behavior. He asked, “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! . . . Nor did they know how to blush” (Jeremiah 8:12).

Their inability to feel shame was deeply concerning, and it mirrors our society. When Adam and Eve sinned against God, they felt ashamed and hid themselves (Genesis 3:8). Yet many today feel no shame and openly celebrate their sins, even the same sins as those of Sodom.

For example, a pride festival is being planned at the Dead Sea, near the location of ancient Sodom and Gomorrah, cities God destroyed for their open wickedness.

God’s fearful judgment against Sodom and Gomorrah echoes today: “Turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, [God] condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly” (2 Peter 2:6).

God warns us against deceiving ourselves. He will not be mocked, and we will reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). If we sow wickedness, we will reap destruction.

Study more about God’s warnings and end-time prophecies in our booklet How to Understand Prophecy.

Where are our leaders?

As the Axios post highlighted, our leaders are not only silent about these evils, but many are also actively involved by profiting from them.

Isaiah warned that our sins would result in a shortage of genuine leaders. Instead, we would be ruled by childish leaders who would lead us astray (Isaiah 3:1-4, 12).

God prophesied that the situation would deteriorate so severely and the solutions would be so lacking that no one would want to rule over the ruins (verses 6-7).

This is the trajectory our nations are on, and it will only worsen. God shows no favoritism in judgment (Romans 2:11). He punished ancient cities for their sins, so why should we think we would escape?

With our leaders failing, we must consider our own individual responsibility. What role can each of us individually play in preventing these evils in our lives?

Dangers of neglecting God’s law

Even if governments do not regulate these vices—instead letting them spiral out of control—you can still govern your own life.

The main reason these evils are increasing in our society is our lack of knowledge of God’s law. It is not just ignorance; often it is outright rejection of God’s law—not wanting to follow biblical rules that are seen as outdated and overly restrictive.

But during its 250th anniversary year, isn’t America rededicating itself to God? While there is an organized movement pushing Americans to reflect on their religious roots and pray, such rededication will prove hollow unless the issue of sin is also addressed.

It is surprising that the secular Axios website described some of these societal vices as “sin.” But what exactly is sin?

What is sin?

Can you define sin?

If you cannot, you are in good company. A 2019 survey found that only 3 percent of churches mentioned sin in sermons. Religious researcher George Barna commented on this statistic: “For an overwhelming majority of Christian churches to suppress the reality of sin, its consequences, and its solutions from the people those churches serve is a travesty.”

The Bible defines sin in 1 John 3:4: “sin is lawlessness” (New King James Version), or “sin is the transgression of the law” (King James Version).

Sin is the breaking of God’s law. The law of God is one of the most neglected teachings in the Christian world. Preachers often teach that it is done away with, leading Christians to downplay its role in their lives.

Without the law of God in your life, sin will be widespread and wreak havoc. Living without the law means you do whatever you feel is right at the moment. However, living by the law reveals sin, allowing us to repent and change. When we stop sinning, we avoid the negative consequences of sin.

The lack of teaching about sin by our preachers—and our willingness to live without God’s law—has made sin prevalent and out of control in our society. The apostle Paul warned about how sin spreads using the metaphor of leaven: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9).

The prophet Hosea recorded God’s warning about rejecting the law of God. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you . . . because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6). These are strong words that we must heed before judgment comes.

The next verse continues to describe our society: “The more they increased, the more they sinned against Me,” and as a result, God will change our glory into shame (verse 7).

That’s why judgment is coming!

The prophet Isaiah warned us to “seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6). God reveals a time when He will withdraw Himself from us until we acknowledge our sins (Hosea 5:6, 15).

There is still time for you to seek God.

The question that remains is whether you will heed this warning before it is too late.

Take the next step by reading what the Bible tells us to do when we see the need to change. Download, study and act on our free booklet Change Your Life!