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."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dirty Feet

Image
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news.” Isaiah 52:7 (NIV) I have never been very comfortable in shoes. It really doesn’t matter whether they have great arch support, ultra extreme amounts of cushioning, or how much they cost. The first thing I do when I arrive home is take off my shoes and stretch my once imprisoned feet by bending them at the arches and wiggling my toes. I then remove my socks and begin to feel my feet relax as the fresh air washes over my tingling, sometimes sweaty, toes. Pretty picture, I know. It must be the right thing to do. A billion Chinese could not be wrong. My mother could not be wrong. After all, she was the one who always told me to, “Take off your dirty shoes before you come in here. I just finished mopping this floor and I don’t want mud tracked all over my clean house.” It became a normal ritual around our house to put the dozen or so shoes away before company was expected. My mother didn’t want dirty f
Read more

Pampered and Pacified

Author J.M. Barrie created the character that never wanted to grow up. Peter Pan, also the title of his famous book, did not want to become an adult and be forced to deal with all of the stress and struggles that came with the transformation. So Peter found his way to Neverland where, along with his lost boys, he could remain a carefree child forever. But those who know the story also know that carefree was not all that it promised for villainous Captain Hook constantly lurked around the corners, and then there was that tantalizing Wendy who stole Peter’s heart before he even knew what hit him. Millions of Americans have seemed to follow in the footsteps of Peter Pan. We have become a nation that no longer values the virtues of adulthood: especially responsibility, strong work ethic, self-dependence, selflessness, and community awareness. You don’t have far to look in our American society before you see lost boys, and girls, running around everywhere. Grown men and women who want
Read more

Silent Lord's Supper

Image
I planned this service in 1995. ====== Please enter into tonight’s service humbly in silence and meditation. There will be no words spoken, so you need to follow the bulletin closely. We pray that this service will be a meaningful one for you. Come in …be seated …be still for a season …pray …and reflect with us upon the matchless love and grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Not a word will be spoken during this entire service. The only sound will be that of the piano as some familiar hymns of Christmas and Calvary are played. “Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord.” (Zechariah 2:13 KJV) Prelude “Kings of Orient” Removal of the Cloth “What Child Is This” Scripture Meditation “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (John 8:12 NIV) “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people li
Read more