Nothing New Under The Sun

       We are living in a rapidly changing world where everything remains the same. There are economic changes, political changes, social changes, moral changes and communications changes. Communication changes include mobile phones, internet, email, Facebook, Skype and Twitter. At the click of a button we can communicate with people anywhere around the world. Yet with all these changes things remain the same. In Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 we read, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.” There may be new discovers in science, medicine and inventions; but in the course of human experience there is nothing new. The mistake and foolish, sinful acts of the present day are but a repeating of the sins and follies of past ages. One generation after another gives up the peace of God for the passing pleasures of sin. One generation after another tries to find peace and happiness everywhere but with God and they continue to meet with the same bitter disappointment. Man remains the same and his need for the gospel remains the same.  

       The power of nature has not changed. The heavens were of old; the earth abides for ever; and natural causes are still the same as they were. In Psalm 68:33 we read, “To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.” Some may ask, “Why are people being killed by storms?” This is nothing new. Job’s children were killed in just that way. (Job 1:18-19) Paul was in a storm that lasted two weeks. “But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country.” (Acts 27:27) Snow storms are nothing new. “Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.” (2 Samuel 23:20) Floods are nothing new. “And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest.” (Joshua 3:15) Fires are nothing new. “And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire.” (1 Samuel 30:1) Cold and heat are nothing new. “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22) There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to nature.

       The heart of man has not changed. The complaints, corruptions and wicked desires of man’s heart have not changed. The fact that man somehow thinks that he will live forever has not changed. “Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.” (Psalms 49:11) In Jude 1:8-13 evil hearts are spoken of with expressions like, (1) Filthy dreamers, (2) Those who defile the flesh, (3) They speak evil of those things which they know not, (4) They are brute beasts, and (5) Greedy.  The unsaved heart lives in bondage as it trust its own wisdom, while rejecting the wisdom of God. The saved person trusts in the power of God and relies on His providence in his life. It is the will of God that rebellious hearts be changed. “I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts.” (Isaiah 65:1-2) We are rebellious, but God’s grace is there to change us and make us useful in His everlasting kingdom. The whole heaven rejoices when a human heart comes to the place where there is no sin or rebellion in it. If you have been rebellious against God repent of your sinful ways, that you may receive mercy from Him. Rebellion is an open door that leads to eternal damnation. There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to the heart of man.

   The problem of sin has not changed. Our world tries to make sin look good. Sin is glamorized and made to look like exactly what should be done. Sin is called everything but what it is. Sin is called (a) an alternative lifestyle, (2) sowing wild oats, (3) a victim of society, and (4) a sickness. Sin is “exceeding sinful.” “Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.” (Romans 7:13) We should strongly desire to be cleansed from sin. God said, “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil.”(Isaiah 1:16) Sin appears to bring life when it brings only death. There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to the problem of sin.

   The need for the gospel has not changed. Man’s greatest need is to be made alive spiritually and to have the hope of eternal blessings. (Titus 3:7) Man’s need for the gospel has not changed. Obedience to the gospel makes us new creatures and puts a new song into our heart. (2 Corinthians 5:17) The message of the Bible is perfectly adapted to man as he is. Man has a great need to understand the will of the Lord. “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17) We need the old, Jerusalem gospel. We have no need for a new gospel for this new age. Let us never be like those described in Ecclesiastes 7:29. “Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.” We need the same facts of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), the same promises of the gospel (Mark 16:16, Revelation 2:10) and the same threats of the gospel. (Hebrews 9:27)  The New Testament is the inspired message of the Holy Spirit and it is adequate to meet man’s spiritual needs. We need the peace of God to control our heart and mind. We need the salvation of our soul. We need to be controlled and directed by the wisdom of God. There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to Divine revelation.

       Will you be baptized into Christ to put on Christ so that your sins can be forgiven by His blood? "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:26-27) Believers contact Christ's saving blood by being baptized into His death. John said, "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." (1 John 5:11-12) We join with Paul in saying, "To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:21) Are you a faithful member of the church of Christ?