Not very long ago, mainstream media was cheering exultantly over a new study that showed that ‘white Christians’ had become a minority (43%) in the USA. Yet what does that mean? A Christian is color-blind. It doesn’t matter what percentage of Christians are of what color. Moreover, most of the U.S. (70.6%) classifies themselves as Christians; thus, they would be from a myriad of races – just the way that Jesus would have it.
So, always be on the lookout for how the media skews its presentations of people of faith in order to divide and inflame the populace. Then, it can turn around and make money off its disenchanted viewers.
America was founded upon Christian ideals. Yet the influence of Christians over the nation has waned. It leads us to consider whether the examples of our Christian behavior are lacking, and / or our evangelizing efforts leave something to be desired.
There is no doubt that certain elements in America are becoming more hostile to Christianity.
If we look to the Old Testament, there are many parallels where we can compare our present state of the union with ancient Israel. After King Solomon died, Israel was divided into the kingdom of Israel to the north, and the kingdom of Judah to the south. Both kingdoms sank into rebellious pagan depravity. In other words, much like America, many fell away from the faith.
God sent four prophets to Israel to persuade them to return to Him. They wouldn’t. So, in 722 B.C., God sent the Assyrian army to take the people captive, and they were ultimately displaced to other countries.
The kingdom of Judah fared no better. God warned them that in the near future, the Babylonians would conquer them and take them captive as well.
However, long ago God had promised King David that He would preserve a throne in Judah, specifically in the city of Jerusalem, for eternity. To accomplish that, God tried to help the people of Judah stop their transgressions that were leading then down the path of self-destruction.
He first sent them the most famous prophet of the Old Testament – Isaiah. His first task was to tell the people what their present spiritual state looked like, in the eyes of God:
Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity…children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Is. 1:2 ESV
Their land is also full of idols; they worship the works of their own hands… Is. 2:8 NKJV
For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their actions are against the LORD… Is. 3:8 NASB
Are we not seeing the parallel in this country? Many people are hating and hurting one another just for having different opinions. The Ten Commandments are progressively considered archaic and inapplicable, as throngs of rebels are placing their personal desires first, over the laws of God.
In another example, people are trying to foist their anti-biological chromosomal denial through surgery, drugs and chosen apparel, onto those whose only crime is to try to hang onto what their Creator has clearly stated is His created reality. Yet, we as Christians must love these deniers first, above all else. We must never judge anyone; but we can judge other’s actions if they run afoul of our Lord’s commands.
The bottom line is that we must stand by the word of God over that of man in all situations; and there is no shame or prejudice in doing so. Indeed, we must persist in teaching His word to all those who will listen – in a manner as when the apostles Peter and John spoke, when they were ordered by the Sadducees and the high priests to cease talking about Christ:
“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you and obey you rather than God, you must judge [for yourselves]’; for we, on our part, cannot stop telling [people] about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 14:19, 20. AMP
Too many of us are afraid to express our zeal for God and His salvation and about what is right in His eyes, for fear of being labeled ‘prejudiced,’ ‘racist,’ or ‘politically incorrect,’ all of which are tools of the media and certain ideologues, when their objections have no merit. Rather than building a command ground for reasonable dialogue, The deniers try to silence those who would speak for God.
So, if we accept defeat, our efforts for God become ineffective and our Christian walk loses its authenticity:
“…these people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote…” Is. 29:13 NASB
Being a Christian is not an easy job. Most people of the world do not want to hear God’s message:
For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the LORD; who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophecy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.” Is. 30:9 – 11. ESV
Yet, we have a God-given mandate to deliver it:
“…receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you…And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, ’Thus says the LORD GOD,’ whether they hear, or whether they refuse.” Ezek. 3:10, 11. NKJV
“…give them warning from Me: When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.” Ezek. 3:17, 18. NKJV
We must warn those who live in the ways of the world because we are called to obey our God. Thus, we must tell the people that there are consequences to their ways:
“There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” Is. 48:22 NKJV
Tell the righteous that is shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him. Is. 3:10, 11. ESV
Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Is. 45:9 NKJV
But our message doesn’t stop there. We need to tell those who do not know God, that He is the only way to salvation and that Jehovah is waiting right now with open arms to give it to them:
I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior.” Is. 43:10, 11. NKJV
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. Is. 30:18 ESV
And when they grab that salvation, God shows them how to have that manifest:
“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil from your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless; plead the widow’s cause.” Is. 1:16, 17. ESV
There are only two ways that they can go; and as a Christian, you can only bring them to the water. They must decide to drink it – or not:
“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword.” Is. 1;18 – 20. NKJV
Jesus told us to let our lights shine and to shout His words from the rooftops. We can bring that light into the swirling darkness that this country is sliding into. We can point our potential brothers and sisters in Christ towards the outstretched hands of our God; and He can revive the state of this Christian nation by bringing more of those who are in it, to the grace of His salvation…
“Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ “
If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desires of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom shall be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Is. 58:8 – 11. ESV
Goodnight and God bless.