In these days, when there is considerable talk about corruption and bribery in certain governmental positions, both in the United States and in other countries, and certain analogies are being made to the decadence of the old Roman Empire, it is well that we should keep our own bearings as Christians. We should not expect to see righteousness ruling today; that is reserved for the day of the Millennium. Neither should we look for high moral standards in government in a day when moral standards generally are being either lowered or shattered altogether. Governments, generally speaking, are neither better nor worse than the people governed, but rather reflect the moral condition of the nation or world.
Corruption in government is nothing new. Consider what it was in the blessed and favored kingdom of Judah and Benjamin. The words of Micah, who lived at the time of Isaiah, graphically describe the condition: "That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up." Mic. 7:3. It was not merely that they did evil, but did it with both hands, and that earnestly. The prince and the judge sought bribes; they asked for a reward. Then the great man was there to seek concessions; he was the one who could pay for special privilege and so accomplish his mischievous design. So after the judge and the prince had made known their price, and the great man his scheme, the prophet concludes, "So they wrap it up"; in other words, their dishonest deal was consummated.
Perhaps Scripture gives us a glimpse of dishonesty and bribery in the day of the Roman Empire. Felix the procurator or governor of Judea in the days of the emperors Claudia and Nero kept a known innocent man in jail for two years; and during that time he sent for him often to converse with him, even about faith in Christ, but all the while he was seeking a bribe to release the prisoner—the Apostle Paul. Then when he went out of office he left Paul in prison to curry a little favor with the Jews who had accused him before Nero. (See Acts 26.) Little did that man think that his dishonesty would be recorded, and read by many generations.
There is little doubt but that the Roman Empire—people and rulers alike—became very corrupt, and that its dissolution was hastened by disintegration from within more than from foes without. But as the light of the gospel spread, especially since the reformation, there was a cleaning up of many things, for people do not do everything in the light that they would do in the dark. Little as the unbeliever, yea, even the professed atheist may think, he is indebted to the light of Christianity for many benefits he enjoys. But as the true light of the gospel becomes obscured, and infidelity parades under the banner of modernism and liberalism, so the breakdown of public opinion and moral restraint •is returning as sure as the flood tide follows the ebb tide.
It is to this time and to those conditions that 2 Timothy 3 refers: "This know also, that in the last days perilous [or, difficult] times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more [or, rather] than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." vv. 1-5. (This description of the last days differs but little from the state of things in the old heathen world [described in Romans 1], except that in the last days of this age they are combined with "a form of godliness.") It is not "wars and rumors of wars" but moral conditions that make for the difficult times of the last days. It is difficult for the Christian to go on his way in total separation from the spirit of the age; it meets him at many turns, but yet he is warned of these days that have come, and exhorted to go on faithfully even though he may suffer persecution (v. 12); and these blessed words ring out above all the scandal, corruption, and false profession—"But continue thou" (v. 14).
We are here neither to improve nor to reform the world; we are simply to pass through it as "strangers" (those away from home) and "pilgrims" (those on their way home), not being surprised or alarmed at what we see or hear, but waiting for that blessed moment, now so near at hand, when we shall hear our Savior's voice and be caught up to meet Him in the air. In our period of transit through the world we are to thank God for the governments, for they are ordained of Him (Rom. 13:1); we are to pray for those in authority, for this is according to His Word (1 Tim. 2:1-4) and we are to render due respect to the authorities (Rom. 13:7), knowing that they are the ministers of God to us for good (Rom. 13:4).
"Then let us, brethren, while on earth,
With foes and strangers mixed,
Be mindful of our heavenly birth,
Our thoughts on glory fixed.
"That we should glorify Him here,
Our Father's purpose is;
Whene'er the Savior shall appear,
He'll fully own us His."
Note—It is not our thought to occupy Christians with conditions, but rather with Christ and heavenly things. We do not attempt to evaluate all the thoughts of the day, nor to sift the charges and counter charges that are being hurled, but rather to encourage us all to press on to the goal without being distracted by the babble around.