Dealing with Nations and a Cultural Christianity
Is God dealing with America because we are a Christian nation who's fallen away? This is the question some are asking these days, and there are two sides to the argument. The first answer is yes, we are a Christian nation who has fallen away from God. The second answer is no, we are not technically a Christian nation and therefore God isn't judging us. Today, I'd like to offer a third option. I was reading in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah when I came across chapters 27-29. This is an excerpt from Jeremiah 27:4-17:
First of all, America is not Israel. We are not the 'chosen people for God'. The Israelites are that nation. While one of the first things Washington did as President was to have a prayer after inauguration, we also need to understand that there were some in the Founding Fathers that were Deists. Deists deny the Trinity and deity of Christ and basically say God is aloof and doesn't intervene in His creation; that is not Christianity. It is important to note whether we are a 'Christian nation' or not. However, I also want to note that God deals with nations whether they are dedicated to Him or not. This excerpt from Jeremiah proves that God deals with nations as He sees fit. It is important to note that even in the early days of America, we weren't exactly innocent. Between slavery and our dealings with the Native Americans, we had big sin issues. One thing is for certain, we have moved away from the foundation upon which we were built. I personally believe that although a nation (like America) can be set apart for God, that doesn't mean we are a new Israel. Obviously with Nebuchadnezzar God gave Israel to him as a punishment. However, God also dealt with Nebuchadnezzar after Israel had endured her punishment. God dealt with godless humanity through Noah, the godlessness in Sodom & Gomorrah, as well as those godless nations that occupied the holy land through Moses & Joshua. In Romans 13 and Titus 3, we are reminded by Paul to be submissive to rulers and authorities over us, because God sets them in place.
This means that no matter whether or not America is considered Christian, God deals with nations accordingly. We are a nation far from the ways of God. The Christian culture that we have cultivated in America has also contributed to our decline. Persecution was unheard of as well as the term non-believer or atheist. American Christians got comfortable and dare I say lukewarm. Nowadays, persecution is on the rise as well as people who simply do not believe in Christ or even claim agnosticism or atheism. It used to be the norm that Sunday was church and family day. Now, people are rejecting the cultural Christianity. God does not want someone who comes to Him out of compulsion. He wants people to want to come to Him.
All of this to say this: fear not, for whether Trump or Clinton becomes President matters not. God is still in control and places who He wants in power. Remember, sometimes someone comes to power as the result of punishment. Sometimes it's the result of letting us go to what we desire, as in Romans 1:18-32. I've heard this question more times the past few months than anything: how did we get Trump and Clinton as our candidates??? Well, they represent the culture of our society. One is a crook, cheat and swindler, the other is boisterous, rude and outspoken. This embodies our culture. Whether we were a Christian nation in the beginning is a mute point now. At the very least, we cultivated a Christian culture somewhere in the past and now we are a nation far removed from God. And in my honest opinion, seeing cultural Christianity disappear isn't a bad thing. We will now know who exactly is Christian and who isn't. We are getting to the point that there will no longer be any cultural Christians. It will enable churches to get on their feet and effectively evangelize their cities and towns. Christians must now learn how to deal in a culture that is against everything they do and stand for. Knowing who's saved and who's not is a big part of evangelism. It's difficult to evangelize someone who 'believes in God' because they just don't see their need. They think that 'believing in God' is enough. What they don't realize is in the book of James, he says,
Believing isn't enough. It takes a faith in Christ as Lord and Savior.
The other thing to note in chapters 27-29 of Jeremiah is the fact that God also deals with prophets who falsely proclaim they are speaking for God when they aren't. As a matter of fact, God even puts one to death in Jeremiah 28:15-17. People need to be cautious when they speak and how they speak because that is another area where God will deal with someone. When you speak, be sure you speak truth. Personally, I make honest attempts to proclaim what Scripture teaches and if it is relevant to today's society, I will make a point to teach that. I try not to proclaim judgement or no judgement for God unless I am absolutely positive of what I've heard from the Lord. And even then I am hesitant because we're told,
With that said, I fear the Lord, not man, and this Christ-follower actually thinks its a good thing to see our cultural Christianity disappear. Yes it is sad that we will have harder battles for our freedoms. It is sad that our nation will continue to fall away from the ways of our Lord. What I am ready for the most is the renewed hunger for Christ in our churches and within the unbelieving as a result of the depravity, even though the depravity in itself is sad. Rest assured my friends, God is still in charge and He deals with nations as He sees fit...whether they are Israel, Persia, Russia, America, Rome or any nation in between. Is America under judgement from God? I can't say for sure. At the very least we're seeing things happen to get events set in motion for Christ's second coming. We're promised it's only going to get worse. I do know that the further down the road we go, the closer we are to Christ's return. And that, my friends, is worth saying "Hallelujah, Praise God!"
4 Command them to go to their masters, saying: This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: This is what you must say to your masters: 5 By My great strength and outstretched arm, I made the earth, and the people, and animals on the face of the earth. I give it to anyone I please. 6 So now I have placed all these lands under the authority of My servant Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. I have even given him the wild animals to serve him. 7 All nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until the time for his own land comes, and then many nations and great kings will enslave him. 8 “As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish by sword, famine, and plague”—this is the LORD’s declaration—“until through him I have destroyed it. 9 But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, diviners, dreamers, fortune-tellers, or sorcerers who say to you, ‘Don’t serve the king of Babylon!’ 10 for they prophesy a lie to you so that you will be removed from your land. I will banish you, and you will perish. 11 But as for the nation that will put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave it in its own land, and that nation will cultivate it and reside in it.” This is the LORD’s declaration.
12 I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah in the same way: “Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, serve him and his people, and live! 13 Why should you and your people die by the sword, famine, or plague as the LORD has threatened against any nation that does not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are telling you, ‘You must not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying a lie to you. 15 ‘I have not sent them’—this is the LORD’s declaration—‘and they are prophesying falsely in My name; therefore, I will banish you, and you will perish—you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.’” 16 Then I spoke to the priests and all these people, saying, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not listen to the words of your prophets. They are prophesying to you, claiming, “Look, very soon now the articles of the LORD’s temple will be brought back from Babylon.” They are prophesying a lie to you. 17 Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon and live! Why should this city become a ruin?
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Je 27:4–17). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
First of all, America is not Israel. We are not the 'chosen people for God'. The Israelites are that nation. While one of the first things Washington did as President was to have a prayer after inauguration, we also need to understand that there were some in the Founding Fathers that were Deists. Deists deny the Trinity and deity of Christ and basically say God is aloof and doesn't intervene in His creation; that is not Christianity. It is important to note whether we are a 'Christian nation' or not. However, I also want to note that God deals with nations whether they are dedicated to Him or not. This excerpt from Jeremiah proves that God deals with nations as He sees fit. It is important to note that even in the early days of America, we weren't exactly innocent. Between slavery and our dealings with the Native Americans, we had big sin issues. One thing is for certain, we have moved away from the foundation upon which we were built. I personally believe that although a nation (like America) can be set apart for God, that doesn't mean we are a new Israel. Obviously with Nebuchadnezzar God gave Israel to him as a punishment. However, God also dealt with Nebuchadnezzar after Israel had endured her punishment. God dealt with godless humanity through Noah, the godlessness in Sodom & Gomorrah, as well as those godless nations that occupied the holy land through Moses & Joshua. In Romans 13 and Titus 3, we are reminded by Paul to be submissive to rulers and authorities over us, because God sets them in place.
This means that no matter whether or not America is considered Christian, God deals with nations accordingly. We are a nation far from the ways of God. The Christian culture that we have cultivated in America has also contributed to our decline. Persecution was unheard of as well as the term non-believer or atheist. American Christians got comfortable and dare I say lukewarm. Nowadays, persecution is on the rise as well as people who simply do not believe in Christ or even claim agnosticism or atheism. It used to be the norm that Sunday was church and family day. Now, people are rejecting the cultural Christianity. God does not want someone who comes to Him out of compulsion. He wants people to want to come to Him.
All of this to say this: fear not, for whether Trump or Clinton becomes President matters not. God is still in control and places who He wants in power. Remember, sometimes someone comes to power as the result of punishment. Sometimes it's the result of letting us go to what we desire, as in Romans 1:18-32. I've heard this question more times the past few months than anything: how did we get Trump and Clinton as our candidates??? Well, they represent the culture of our society. One is a crook, cheat and swindler, the other is boisterous, rude and outspoken. This embodies our culture. Whether we were a Christian nation in the beginning is a mute point now. At the very least, we cultivated a Christian culture somewhere in the past and now we are a nation far removed from God. And in my honest opinion, seeing cultural Christianity disappear isn't a bad thing. We will now know who exactly is Christian and who isn't. We are getting to the point that there will no longer be any cultural Christians. It will enable churches to get on their feet and effectively evangelize their cities and towns. Christians must now learn how to deal in a culture that is against everything they do and stand for. Knowing who's saved and who's not is a big part of evangelism. It's difficult to evangelize someone who 'believes in God' because they just don't see their need. They think that 'believing in God' is enough. What they don't realize is in the book of James, he says,
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Jas 2:19). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
Believing isn't enough. It takes a faith in Christ as Lord and Savior.
The other thing to note in chapters 27-29 of Jeremiah is the fact that God also deals with prophets who falsely proclaim they are speaking for God when they aren't. As a matter of fact, God even puts one to death in Jeremiah 28:15-17. People need to be cautious when they speak and how they speak because that is another area where God will deal with someone. When you speak, be sure you speak truth. Personally, I make honest attempts to proclaim what Scripture teaches and if it is relevant to today's society, I will make a point to teach that. I try not to proclaim judgement or no judgement for God unless I am absolutely positive of what I've heard from the Lord. And even then I am hesitant because we're told,
28 Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Mt 10:28). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
With that said, I fear the Lord, not man, and this Christ-follower actually thinks its a good thing to see our cultural Christianity disappear. Yes it is sad that we will have harder battles for our freedoms. It is sad that our nation will continue to fall away from the ways of our Lord. What I am ready for the most is the renewed hunger for Christ in our churches and within the unbelieving as a result of the depravity, even though the depravity in itself is sad. Rest assured my friends, God is still in charge and He deals with nations as He sees fit...whether they are Israel, Persia, Russia, America, Rome or any nation in between. Is America under judgement from God? I can't say for sure. At the very least we're seeing things happen to get events set in motion for Christ's second coming. We're promised it's only going to get worse. I do know that the further down the road we go, the closer we are to Christ's return. And that, my friends, is worth saying "Hallelujah, Praise God!"
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