The fall of the Roman Empire didn’t happen overnight. Invisible, at first, a process had begun and inexorably continued until Rome itself was invaded and sacked by hordes of Goths and other non-Roman peoples. The fall of Rome was preceded by a period of gradual decline, the seeds of which had been sown a century and a half before. This decline was fuelled by several key factors which, when combined and working together, created a momentum that was impossible to arrest, let alone reverse. In short – and whole books have been written on this subject – this decline had set in at nearly every level of society. Some of the main factors are clearly identifiable, and historians, by and large, agree on them, whilst debating a host of secondary push factors and other issues which are more to do with nuance and interpretation. The debate continues today.
The key factors that sowed the seeds of decline were poor, or incompetent, leadership. There were constant internal political power struggles, which produced all kinds of division across the Empire and crippling political instability. Towards the end, emperors no longer saw themselves as first amongst equals; they were now the new supreme rulers. From Aurelian (270–275 AD) onwards, they openly styled themselves as dominus et deus, ("lord and god",) titles, appropriate for a master-slave relationship. A new elitism grew up around all of that. There was a real lack of effective law enforcement, too. A dwindling Roman army had lost so much strength and capability that it was unable to exercise effective control over its Western Provinces. This only worsened until it couldn’t defend Rome itself. Corruption was rife at all levels of society, the Senate and the military. There are so many attendant issues and no space to catalogue or discuss them all, here.
By far the main factors that drove all the others were corruption and the decline of morality and values in Roman society. Many historians concur and, from a biblical standpoint, it becomes so clear. The final decades of the Empire saw extreme excesses, as declining morals and values became appallingly blatant. Promiscuity was rampant and, amongst the elite, lavish, overindulgent parties and orgies were commonplace. All manner of violence was occurring – the larger cities were very dangerous because of unchecked, violent crime. Roman historians recount that "there were 32,000 prostitutes in Rome during the reign of Trajan. Emperors like Nero and Caligula became infamous for wasting money on lavish parties where guests ate and drank until they became ill" (Ward-Perkins). Some argue that the most alarming trend during this time was the rise in Roman passion for cruelty. (Bower). Every kind of sexual perversion was occurring and increasing – homosexuality, incest, rape and more. Every kind of corruption was occurring; authority was in the hands of those who could bribe for it, regardless of the law; and increasingly punitive taxes were brutally exacted from the population by a government in constant financial crisis. There is so much more. Does this have a familiar ring about it?
It took a hundred and fifty years, or so, for these things to become manifest – and we are seeing similar scenes today in many Western cultures, including Australia. The seeds of decline were sown long ago, after the Second World War. Australia is in such a decline for many of the above reasons. As I reflect on the lead up to the coming federal election in the United States, I cannot help but think that the choice between the candidates for President is really a choice about how the decline of America will continue towards collapse. Weak leaders (if this the only choice the American people have for president), and the rapid decline in morals and values is a dangerous combination. Australia, too, is beset by a dearth of good leadership at federal and state levels – and don’t even get me started on local government!!
As I carefully reflect, though, I am convinced that the most serious factor driving of our national social decline is the erosion of morals and values. Once upon a not-so-long-ago time, this decline was kind of hidden. There was a certain shame attached to it. So much was kept in the closet because we knew it was wrong. Not now. The manifestation of this moral and ethical decay is not only rampant, but also brazen and blatant – paraded in the streets and enforced in our universities, with any opposition bullied into compliance or silence. We know it’s wrong – but now we just don’t care. We wear our rainbow badges, we wave our terrorist flags in support of murderers, we march in the streets screaming out our right to kill unborn babies, and governments arrogantly refuse to comply with legal parliamentary requests for accountability, all while punishing the population for their own woeful fiscal mismanagement. And, yes … there is so much more.
How far away collapse is, I do not know. But I do deeply believe that there is still time - that we have not yet reached tipping point, and the negative momentum has not yet gathered such force as to be unstoppable. It can be reversed to some degree. For that to happen, though, the Church needs to be proactive and uncompromising in its own standards, values and righteousness. A recent prophetic word emerging from the School of the Prophetic has rung very, very true and it warns the Church – any church – against compromise. The people of God are called to a much higher benchmark for living than the prevailing worldly ideas of morality and values. We are called to holiness and kingdom values – these never decline and cannot be compromised. Not according to Scripture. This prophetic word, though brief, is unmistakable. It is time for every believer to see God’s line in the sand and choose a side without delay. The prophecy revealed that so many believers are, indeed, content with compromise, and straddle that line between the world and the kingdom. But this is a grave mistake and leads to disaster.
2 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV) “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”
The world and the kingdom are polar opposites. Each is uncompromising because the world is evil, and the kingdom is holy. There can be no harmonious co-existence and no believer can have a foot in both camps. We must fully embrace one or the other. The prophecy foretells a time swiftly approaching when there will be a great shaking, and that line will split and separate. Each side quickly distancing, creating a great chasm between them. The sheer lack of holiness as the only standard for living, the lack of understanding of the ways and values of the kingdom, in the Church, is received by the world as endorsement of the decline to which it is so blind. The arrest of this decline and the restraint of it, is the Church’s responsibility. When it holds to kingdom values and is holy as God is holy, the Restrainer, Holy Spirit, keeps decline and evil in check until God’s appointed time.
It is time to choose, dear friends. There are two choices before us. The first, choose this day whom you will serve. The second is to choose a no-compromise discipleship lifestyle. Otherwise, the Restrainer has nothing to work with, nothing to enforce –He will not work with compromise.
Joshua 24:14-15 (NIV)
[Joshua] "Now fear the LORD and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
The Scriptures are the lenses of the Kingdom through which we see and understand the world as it is, the decline as it really is, and how we know the holy ways of God, so that we avoid all compromise.
Think on these things. Choose today – one side of the line or the other. You cannot have a foot in both camps. Even the world knows that.
Ps Milton
[Sources: Wikipedia; “Why Rome Fell and Is the United States Next?” by Sarah Maia Conde Pooner; “The Fall of Rome: And the End of Civilization” by Bryan Ward-Perkins; “Ancient Romans”, by Jane Bower]