I was speaking with three friends about the lamentable condition of our country. They mentioned the continued practice of abortion, the rise of homosexual marriage, and the debt crisis. One friend cited 2 Chronicles 7:14, and said that our nation’s problems will only be solved when our country turns to God. I said that would be difficult to pull off, as our nation believes in the separation of church and state. We cannot compel Muslims, Buddhists, or atheists to worship Yahweh. Nor would we want to. Life goes badly—both for those inside and outside the church—whenever Christianity becomes the religion of the state.
But this doesn’t mean that 2 Chronicles 7:14 doesn’t apply to us. Peter declares that God’s people are the church, which is a kingdom of “royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession” (1 Peter 2:9). Our problem is not that our country is failing to live Christianly, but that the church is failing to live as God’s holy nation. Christians have the same marriage challenges and other problems as people who don’t claim to know Jesus. This is a scandalous black eye on the bride of Christ.
We can’t compel others to live righteously, but what if we followed Peter’s command to “show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light”? (1 Peter 2:9). We may be outnumbered, but we could still make a difference.
The early church did so much for so many that in AD 362, Julian the Apostate complained he couldn’t return the Roman Empire to paganism. How could he persuade the average Roman that Christians were bad, when “the impious Galileans support not only their own poor but ours as well”?
May revival come to my nation, and may it start with me.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Kings 12:1-24
More:
Read 1 Peter 2:9-25 to learn how you can make a difference for Jesus in your world.
Next:
How does it affect unbelievers when “Christians” are unholy and unloving and seem to sin as much as they do? How can you more selflessly model Jesus?
yemiks1 on April 17, 2013 at 3:15 am
“If the righteous one is scarcely saved;
Where will the ungodly and sinner appear?” 1Pet4:18
May the Lord revive His holy nation (Christians) and our nations.
tom felten on April 17, 2013 at 10:10 am
Amen, Mike. As we grow in Jesus, we need one another within the Body of Christ. May we sharpen each other (Proverbs 27:17) and love each other well (John 13:35), so that God is glorified and the world sees the beauty of Jesus in us!
mike wittmer on April 17, 2013 at 1:21 pm
Lately there has been much talk in America about the legalization of gay marriage. I understand the controversy, but I also think that a larger scandal is the state of our Christian marriages. If we led by example, it might not matter so much what laws are passed.
tom felten on April 18, 2013 at 2:07 pm
So true!
regina franklin on April 17, 2013 at 8:51 pm
Dear Mike,
Just yesterday, I asked a colleague regarding American culture–“What does it mean to return to the faith of our forefathers?” While I understand what people mean in general, I think in America, sometimes those in the church equate being a Christian with being an American. Likewise, the American spirit we champion in a moment of crisis does not equate with being a follower of Christ. Our first citizenship should be in heaven. Then, regardless of whatever decisions my country makes, I can remain steadfast in my pursuit of God and in my acting upon His Word. Too many times we want Congress to create a Christian atmosphere rather than being the agents of change ourselves.
mike wittmer on April 17, 2013 at 10:24 pm
Regina: I just returned from a lecture tonight in which the professor mentioned that Christianity in America is often tied up with our founding documents, which speak of the right to pursue happiness. So even Christians in America assume that freedom means doing whatever you want to be happy. This is a problem.
jenleaakins on September 5, 2014 at 2:31 pm
I know this is from over a year ago, but I don’t think we HAVE to look at it as a “Christian Nation” to go by or set up a system of Government that follows a good moral law. Too much of the talk that’s been permeating the church today, is that we only be Christian in our homes and families. I say: NO.
Why not have a moral governement?
It would be 100 times better than what we are getting by saying: “Oh well, let them do what they will and we do what we will.”
It’s gotten so bad, I have 0 empathy for the Christian who starts to cry uncle when they realize that the letting go of old standards in this country from the top, starts and becomes infringing on their life. This is what you lay dead for, when you vote to eradicate something that WOULD uphold your value; albeit Christian, as they are.