Authority is in the Spirit
For a man to own his sin—not pass the blame on to others, and agree with God about his sin—is supernatural.
Compared to the conditions in which most people of the world live, being born in the United States is like winning the lottery. Even the poorest among us are more blessed than most people in places like India and much of Africa.
We have great access to food, water, and the basic necessities required to survive. No one walks miles to get water or waits for bags of rice to be dropped off by relief workers. We have more food in our dumpsters than many people have in their houses in developing countries. America is known around the world as the land of opportunity. People come here from all over the world, both legally and illegally, to find a better life.
In the Declaration of Independence, it says that Americans have three unalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It doesn’t promise happiness, but it does give the right to pursue it, which is a blessing in and of itself.
The American Dream?
Yet one in five Americans are diagnosed as depressed and the suicide rate is up nearly thirty percent over the last five years. We are the most prosperous society in history, so if wealth could buy happiness, we should be the happiest country in the world. But that is far from the truth.
We are drowning in a sea of excess and trying desperately to find meaning in our post-Christian society. We are consumers of the highest order. We are exposed to scores of commercials trying to sell us everything from insurance to prescription medication. Announcers point out the holes we have yet to fill in the landscape of our American dream and remind us of our desperate need for their products. Souls are being lost one antidepressant and one high-tech gadget at a time.
We have allowed truth to be systematically undone and reason to be suspended for our convenience and entertainment. Yet we boast ourselves as a Christian society. Statistics say that somewhere between eighty to ninety percent of our population claim to be Christian.
Moral Decline
But if we are a mostly Christian culture then how can we explain the legal murder of sixty million unborn babies in our country since 1973? Much of the pro-life movement has been reduced to an abortion regulatory system—a talking point that politicians use as campaign rhetoric. The murder of babies merely for the sake of convenience, is a clear example of a culture gone mad. We are so selfish that we would rather destroy life than take moral responsibility for our actions and the consequences they bring.
We talk about sexual freedom out of one side of our mouth and then seem confused by the onslaught of sexual diseases, unwanted babies, and broken homes. Abortion is not the only godless thing about our society, but it is a great example of the sheer insanity of a culture that counts the miracle of precious life as an inconvenience.
There are more people on waiting lists to adopt than there are abortions every year, but we would rather murder a baby to cover up our sin and indiscretion, than save a baby’s life and bless a family that cannot conceive. Pro-choice is a lie. It is better called what it really is—survival of the fittest. In this case, the innocent party never gets a choice. The choice to murder is made by the people whose primary duty in life should be to protect the child—the parents.
Sexual Immorality
So, let’s talk about sexual immorality in America. What is sexually immorality, and who talks like that anymore? Fornication is generally an accepted lifestyle today in our country. Living together before marriage is not only accepted but encouraged.
I understand people who are not Christians living as they please, but many within the church see no problem with people who are living in sin being allowed to serve and hold leadership positions in the church.
Homosexuality is also being propagated to us through every avenue possible; in politics, through the media, and even by certain church denominations. And when you stand up for what’s right and true, you are called judgmental or a bigot.
The State of the Church
So, what about the church? The Bible says there will always be a remnant, a true church, but what is the temperature of the modern evangelical church here in America? Postmodern, subjective, and lukewarm. The American church has been rocked to sleep in the arms of cultural relevance and tolerance.
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus in this modern era? If the so-called “emerging church” is right, and biblical truth evolves with the cultural landscape of the day, then maybe I am overreacting. But if this is true, then how do we know which way is true north? Or is the value of direction as unimportant and outdated as the archaic concept of absolute truth? If subjectivism is true, then how can we know it? Because if nothing is absolute then that statement undoes itself.
What value could the outdated teachings of a first century rabbi named Jesus have for a highly evolved and scientific world like ours? Probably not much, unless he was, and is, everything he claimed to be in the Scriptures.
But how could the hard sayings he spoke be understood in a literal sense in this day and age? Most of which we are unable to reconcile with our notion of fairness, our so-called rights, and the all-important American dream. Jesus’ words are not that hard to understand, although they can be hard to accept when we are desperately trying to reconcile them to our wants and desires.
Following the True Jesus
Many people who criticize the teachings of the Bible say that they don’t agree with much of what the Bible says, but they do like the teachings of Jesus, because, they say, he only taught about love and grace. Unfortunately, that isn’t true. While Jesus did teach about the love of God and loving our fellow man, he also taught about things like hell, final judgment, and the dangers of money.
We are consumers and we are used to being catered to. We’re used to picking and choosing what we want and what we don’t want. So why would the teachings of Jesus, or how we live, or how we worship, be any different?
Capitalism could only be born in conditions available in a society that is free. But capitalism cannot and will not work in the absence of an absolute ethical framework to support it.
Capitalistic freedom was the catalyst for the industrial revolution, great scientific breakthroughs, a seemingly never-ending stream of technological advancement, and our unparalleled wealth. But capitalism without biblical ethics and boundaries opened the door to some of our country's most shameful actions: the mistreatment and murder of Native Americans, the African slave trade, unparalleled corporate greed, and abortion.
Without truth and accountability, we are like a leaf blowing in the wind. Let's be honest, this American experiment cannot survive without the God of the Bible. Don’t misunderstand me. Although I am pointing out the fundamental weakness of capitalism, that doesn’t mean I endorse socialism. Socialism is the highest form of tyranny. A few elites controlling the fate of many can never work. Capitalism is freedom and I am grateful to live in a mostly free society. I am simply showing that capitalistic freedom must be governed by a framework of ethics, and without the God of the Bible it doesn't work properly. It’s not the government's right or responsibility to take care of the less fortunate; as Christians, it's ours.
A Renewal of the Heart
We find ourselves in a diluted time in the American church. Many claim to believe in Jesus, or say they are Christians, but what this means varies greatly from person to person. One of the main reasons for this disparity is biblical illiteracy. Knowing the Scripture doesn’t make you a Christian, and that isn’t all there is to having true relationship with the Lord, but it does tell us what it means to have a relationship with the Lord. It tells us that God is revealing himself to us to make himself known. Without sound doctrine as found in the Scripture, we can make following Jesus mean whatever we want it to mean. Not only does that not make logical sense, it’s simply not true.
We need a renewal of the heart, we need a revival of God’s Word, and a move of the Spirit of God. We need to return to the faith of our fathers and yield our hearts and lives to the sovereignty, supremacy, and Lordship of Christ the Lord.
In Christ,
Pastor Joshua
Joshua West is a pastor, evangelist, and author. He is also director of the World Challenge Pastors Network.
