Already Under Judgment

In Romans 1:18-32 Paul chronicles the moral decline that occurs in every society. The end, of course, is God's judgment. A society has reached rock bottom when its people know that they are disobeying God and that they will be judged for it, and not only don't they care, but they encourage others to practice the same things they know God will judge them for. Personally, I believe that our nation has already reached that point.
And there is a phrase in that passage that we often just glide over. It's used three times: "therefore/for this reason/so God gave them over." A nation's rapid decline to verse 32 is not a sign that they are headed toward judgment, but rather that they are already under God's judgment: "God gave them over." A culture says, "this is what we want to believe." And God says, "fine, here are the consequences."
The important thing, then, for us to remember is that the responsibility of the light and salt has been greatly increased. The world's goal: to conform us. To make the salt lose its distinctiveness. To make the light go into hiding behind the same things the world values. Saltless salt can be trampled under foot. Hidden light contributes to their comfort with their darkness. Are the things that I love and applaud righteous as God defines it in His Word? Is my conversation the truth spoken in love, grace seasoned with salt? Does my behavior "cause men to see my good works and glorify my Father who is in Heaven?" There is no other salt or light, but the child of God. There is nothing more unloving and selfish that I could do than to lose my saltiness and/or to hide my light. Will it make me loved? "They hated Me; they will hate you." But did the hatred of men keep Jesus from loving them? He only loved them more. May God grant me the courage to be His salt and light in a culture at war with Him. There is nothing our neighbors need more in order for them to understand that they are loved by God.