I have had many people tell me that they cannot believe how quickly the Left has been able to bring death and destruction to American cities the last several years, and worse, that so many shrug it all off as nothing. But those of us who have kept a finger on America’s cultural pulse know that this has been a long time coming.
The Communist Party USA laid out its objective to destroy America over seventy years ago, and like running water gradually erodes a surface, so the efforts of the CPUSA and others have radically undermined the character of the American people. What we witness across America in the chaos, death, and corruption is precisely what they promised! They have not been ostentatious, but they have been effective! It is not coincidental that violence and murder, which were once foreign to most Americans, are now touching all of our lives. It is part of the plan!
Tragically, while Leftist organizations have been amping up their efforts to undermine and destroy America, the very groups who were once fountain heads of truth, responsibility, and liberty have become largely silent. America was considered from its founding the most religious country in the world with well over 90 percent of its citizens viewing themselves as religious, mostly Christian. Sadly, the peace and prosperity that a Christianized culture produces tends to lead to apathy and weakness, and those weaknesses have been exploited by the Left to help energize an otherwise naïve and careless generation of Americans to hate their own country.
It may be that the eschatological differences between the Founders and contemporary Christians are partly to blame for the lethargy of modern believers. Many colonialists saw themselves as introducing the Kingdom of God here and sought to insert biblical principles into society and law, while most evangelicals today believe the Kingdom is “other worldly;” and thus they have different priorities. They have, to a large degree, held that Christians are “pilgrims” here and are not wise to entangle themselves too deeply in the political fray. Such things have been considered “secular” and therefore to be left to “worldlings,” those who have no appetite for or interest in God and eternal things.
However, the consequences of establishing atheism as the foundation of America’s modern culture has had exactly the result that one would expect. It should not go unnoticed that while secularism has had an ever-increasing influence on the nation, its every failure has been laid at the feet of Christianity. But the separation of sacred and secular espoused by many evangelicals is untenable for Christians. As one preacher commented,
“for the Christian there is no distinction between the sacred and secular. All ground is holy ground, and every bush is a burning bush.”
The principles Paul laid out in Romans 13 apply to his readers today just as they did in AD 60, and its demands on us may be greater, not less! The Roman government was nearly absolute in its authority, and the Christian was obligated to submit, whether that authority presented itself as a soldier or the emperor himself. The civil authority to which Christians in America is to submit is significantly different: it is the Constitution!
Because the U.S. Constitution is the ultimate human authority God has established for us Americans, the question is simple: What duties does it place upon us as citizens, and especially, as Christians?
The answer to that question is quite profound. Whereas every other nation in history has structured its laws with the citizens generally in submission to its government, the US Constitution has ordered things precisely the opposite: We, the citizens “rule” over our government, or more precisely, those who function as our government. Our elected officials are “servants” of “We the people.”
While we may joke with a friend who gets bossy, “Who died and left you in charge,” the fact is that the Founders did just that: they died and left us in charge! If a relative passed and left their children in your care, would you walk away from the responsibility? I think not! Yet the responsibility the Founders left us is no less important than a relative’s children! It is the future of all America’s children!
Whereas the current political landscape is such that politicians are not well trusted, one would do well to remember that generalities are often wrong. The familiar comment that “all politicians lie” is reminiscent of the Psalmist’s frustration, “I said in my haste, ‘all men are liars.’” (Ps. 116:11 NKJV)
The point being that it only appeared to be the case! All men are not liars! However, if it is the case that we, as Christians, are called upon to be people of truth, then it certainly applies to our politics as well. While it may be that many or even most politicians fudge on the truth from time-to-time, we must never abandon our resolve to demand truth from them and seek to elect men and women who are committed to truth. Along with this, we must not allow ourselves to be so discouraged that we neglect our responsibility to elect the best people we can to positions of leadership.
It is possible that the percentage of professing Christians who vote is low because many believe it is not worth the effort required to understand the candidates and sort out the better ones. However, America is in its blighted condition largely because Christians have failed to carry out their responsibility to oversee their political leaders. This apathy is bearing wretched fruit across the nation and must be overcome!
America’s future is uncertain. If the nation continues on the path that the Leftists have charted, the end of liberty may be close at hand; and the light with which America has blessed and brightened the world for over two hundred years will be permanently darkened. However, because only God knows what He intends for us, we Christians must refocus ourselves on fulfilling our responsibility to invest in prayer, wise cultural and political involvement, opposing wickedness and calling all Americans to submit themselves to the principles of God’s Word. His word remains true, “blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD!” (Psalm 33:12 NKJV).
Over the nearly two hundred and fifty years of America’s history, more than one million Americans have died in wars fought to preserve our Constitution and our liberties. The Founders themselves pledged their lives, wealth and “sacred honor” to establish this nation which has provided unparalleled liberties and prosperity to millions; yet today, in contrast to their great sacrifices, multitudes of Christians are unwilling to inform themselves regarding important issues of the day or to merely go to the polls to vote! People who will not do the work necessary to preserve their liberties will not long enjoy them. But if you believe that sustaining liberties is too much work, wait until you find out how hard life is without them!
Paul, and most believers throughout history could legitimately say that they had no theological basis for protest or action opposing their governments. We cannot say the same. Rather, we have a mandate requiring our involvement! And remember this: God has never needed a majority to accomplish His will. He is the majority! If we each do what lies before us to do, we can trust Him to do what is best and right!
To date, no one has given proof that the United States is found in biblical prophecies of End-time events, but that does not mean that America’s demise is imminent. God alone knows what He might do if Christians across the nation were to obey Paul’s admonition, “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them,” (Eph. 5:11 NKJV).
Dr. Richard Clearwaters often reminded his seminary students that while the unsaved may hate what we say, their consciences agree with us! And we must not forget that “the wicked flee when no one pursues,” meaning that we come to the debate from a position of strength, not weakness! The harmful consequences of good people failing to resist evil ripples across the culture. “A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well,” (Proverbs 25:26 NKJV). As the wise man noted, “the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Regardless of the short-term outcome of our current culture wars, Christians must engage with the opposition, speak the truth in love, maintain an attitude of grace, inform themselves thoroughly in the issues at stake, and “having done all, stand!” (Ephesians 6:13 NKJV).
And if Leftists hate us, then I suppose we can conclude that we are doing right and rejoice that we have the right enemies!
