My worry is the church. I remember in 2000 how the churches thought they had just elected "God's man" to the White House and seemed to subsequently fall asleep. We ended up with a big expansion of government and the Patriot Act and other legislation that was anti-freedom. This nation's sins reek up to high heaven, and she is deserving of a harsh judgment. Prior to the election, I was certain she would get it on Nov. 9, but evangelicals prayed and voted. God decided to give the American church a reprieve and one more chance to take back the nation. But for the past 30 odd years, we have been thinking the way to do this was politically. Thus, we always voted Republican to have that magical formula of people in D.C. who would bring the nation into repentance and spark a revival from sea to shining sea. If we keep this attitude, we will squander this opportunity God has given us.
For the past 50 years, we should have been using ourselves to change society, not expecting politicians to do it. Conservatives should have been using the churches to help change America back to being godly instead of trusting D.C. to lead the way. We should have known then that societal change is not top down; it is bottom up. Jesus didn't tell Caesar to make disciples of all men or take up the cross and follow him. He tasked the church with making disciples. That means we have to start in neighborhoods, going door to door. Then we must go from neighborhood to neighborhood, then town to town and state to state. This, of course, will take time, especially since the church is a house divided. We have to quickly get our own house in order, then get the nation in order.
The Trump revolution cannot end at the ballot box. It is the church that must take the lead; otherwise, it would have been better to have not been given a reprieve. If we blow this, I believe America will face worse judgment than she was facing in November. Conservatives have to organize churches into a united front against evil if they truly want change to come to America. We are fighting a spiritual disease. With Trump's election, we have only dealt with the political symptoms. (It's like taking an aspirin for a headache caused by a brain tumor. It helps the pain, but unless you get rid of the tumor, the aspirin is not helpful and could allow things to get worse since you don't feel the pain.) Unless we aggressively fight the disease, one soul at a time, we will not save the patient.
I just wonder: Do conservatives have the stomach for this spiritual war, which would last decades? Look how long it took to get to the point we are at (well over a century). Or will we give in to Satan and his leftist minions for some sort of coexistence, a peace treaty with the devil hoping he'll live up to his part of the bargain? Is the church ready for what Satan will throw at them should they take up the mantle and fight for America? Or has comfort made her so weak she too will try to work out some sort of coexistence with Satan, thinking he can be managed and controlled instead of defeated? If we are wary of speaking out in support of bakers and photographers now, just what will we do when he ramps up the persecution and we ourselves are targets? Everyone makes mistakes and has things in their past they wouldn't want revealed. Are we prepared to have our dirtiest laundry aired out for all to see? Are we prepared to stand by and help those whose laundry has been aired? Given the examples we have seen of people being fired for simply donating money to a non-PC cause (like Proposition 8 in California), the laundry doesn't have to be particularly dirty to cause us problems. Standing by each other in the storm will be a major test as even in churches people tend to get judgmental and self-righteous, forgetting to "let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
If the church can stand up, get involved, stick together and not let petty differences and personal preferences get in the way, America might avoid the fire that currently awaits her. But if the church falls asleep or fractures over petty things or things not specifically prohibited or called out in scripture or decides the road is to tough and/or too long and tries to make peace with Satan and his leftist minions, then the fire will consume America and the church will have no one to blame but itself. As Charles Finney noted in 1875 concerning the problem society faces, "The pulpit is responsible."
Will we return to being that shining city on a hill, or are we destine to become a smoldering heap as the new Sodom and Gomorrah? We shall soon find out.
Paul
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