America Lost

What is the problem with America?

Many will immediately point to the immorality displayed on television or through the music industry. Others will point to the every changing perversive and permissive sexual nature of the culture. Some may point to certain political parties or even the acceptance of religious cults such as Islam. While all of these may contribute to the continual immorality of our nation, I would argue that the problem with America begins with Christians who have opted to blend into the society rather than stand out as those who have been set apart by God.

Granted, even the great apostle Paul had trouble living Christ-like always.
"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what i do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?" Romans 7:14-24
If Paul continued to find himself doing what is evil and not what is good, what hope is there for us? How can Christians possibly stand strong for God in a country that has turned its back on God? Paul seemed confounded by this himself as he asks, "Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?" Thankfully Paul did not leave us hanging here. He answers his own question in the next verses.
"Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself, in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." Romans 7:25-8:4
 It is easy to get lost in the wordiness of Paul's discourse, but he basically is telling us that what we cannot do on our own is possible to achieve because Christ died in order to destroy the law of sin that had a hold on our loves prior to accepting Him as our Savior and Lord. Now we have no excuse for acting as those who are still slaves to sin for Christ has redeemed us and freed us from the sinful nature.

Daily I see those who call themselves Christians continuing to live their lives as if they are still prisoners of their old nature. They use the phrases "I am only human," "Everyone is a sinner," or "The devil made me do it" in order to justify their actions or those of others they know. When God saved me, I was justified-meaning that all my sins were forgiven. Now when I do sin, it is just as if I am putting Christ back on the cross and crucifying Him all over again. If that thought does not cause me to hesitate before sinning, then I have become calloused and heartless in my attitude toward the very One who saved me.

Do you want to see America return to the Godly nation that it once was? Then follow what 2 Chronicles 7:14 instructs,
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land."

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