Have you ever thought about the idea that righteousness is actually a national security issue?
Well, let me be direct: it absolutely, positively is.
Yes, our righteousness is a national security issue. The security of this country depends on our, yours and my, righteousness.
Solomon said, “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).
In this verse, Solomon is contrasting a righteous nation with a sinful nation.
A righteous nation, says Solomon, is one whose people seek God and His righteousness. A righteous nation is exalted or lifted by God.
However, a nation whose people are sinful, rejecting of God and His righteousness is a disgrace to the world.
No to God
According to a recent Gallup survey, the number of people in America who believe the Bible is the Word of God dropped from 38% in 1976, to 24% in 2017. In only one generation, the number of people who believe in the Bible dropped 14 points – or a staggering 37%!
During that same time frame, belief in God also dropped, from 98% of people believing in God in 1996 to only 80% in 2017.
Belief in God and belief that the Bible is God’s Word does not come as much of a surprise since church membership is also gradually declining. This same survey found church membership declined from 70% of the population in 1992 to only 51% in 2019.
So, fewer people belong to a church or synagogue. They do not believe the Bible is the Word of God, and they don’t believe in God Himself!
Does this sound like a nation pursuing God’s righteousness? Not to me! It seems like a nation falling away from God.
Yes to Sin
If you need further proof that we, as a society, are falling away from God, look at what is going on around us.
There are graft and corruption in the political and business spheres. Almost every day, we hear another story about some business leader or politician caught in some nefarious scheme to exert control over others, enrich themselves; or even worse, both!
There is also corruption in the religious sphere. The shepherds of God’s people should be examples of God’s righteousness, but they are not. Clergy have become embroiled in sexual sin. Some have openly supported gay and lesbian causes, including marriage. Some denominations have even ordained gay and lesbians as pastors. How can people be drawn to God and His righteousness if the leaders in the church are corrupt?
Finally, there is corruption in the public sphere. While public support for abortion has dropped over the last few years, some leaders support abortion up to the moment of birth. Even more terrifying are situations where those who say if a baby survives the abortion procedure and is born alive, the mother and doctor can decide if they want to kill the baby. Tell me, how is this not murder?
So, it is abundantly clear there is support for these and many other sins against God. At the same time, there is also repression and persecution of people who express their faith in the public sphere.
We are told we cannot pray in school. Schools refuse to allow faith-based clubs. The military forces clergy to violate their fundamental religious beliefs. Numerous businesses have been attacked for the faith expressed by their founders. Florists, bakers, and fast-food chains have been ruthlessly attacked and sued simply because they expressed their faith in God and His righteousness.
All this begs one question: which side of this spiritual war are you on?
Which Side Are You On?
Jewish leaders accused Jesus of using Satan’s power to heal a deaf-mute boy. Jesus rebuked them. He then turned to the disciples and said, “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).
There are no shades of gray here. We are either with Jesus or against him. We are either helping to bring people to Jesus, or we are pushing people away from Him.
Make no mistake! We are in a spiritual war! The forces of evil are opposed to God and His people.
The sins of the nation are nothing more than the sins of its people. We see the sin in politics and business, in our religious institutions, and even in the public sphere. People are not only turning away from God, but they are actively turning against Him!
What Should We Do?
So, what can we, as Christian leaders, do about a society that is turning away from God?
Some Christian leaders I know have simply said, “stay out of it,” or “don’t get involved.” I don’t see that as a Biblical solution! Remember, Jesus said, “he who does not gather with Me scatters.” So, sitting on the sidelines is NOT an option. If you are not gathering, you’re scattering. There is no sitting on the sidelines in a spiritual war.
The most important thing Christian leaders must do comes straight from God’s Word. When Solomon had finished building the temple of God, God told Solomon regarding the people of Israel,
“[If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
The “People who are called by My name,” today are Christians. So, this instruction from God is directed squarely at us, as Christians.
What does God tell us to do? He says we must do four things. We must
- humble ourselves,
- pray,
- seek God, and
- turn from our sin.
If we do these four things, God promises to hear us, forgive us, and heal the land. We live in a land in desperate need of God’s healing. However, to claim God’s promise, we must first, as a Christian people, unite as we humble ourselves, pray, seek God first, and turn from our sinful ways.
The only question that remains is what kind of a society do we want to pass on to the next generation? Do we want to stand before God someday and say we stood by and did nothing? Or, do we want to stand before God knowing we sought God and His righteousness?
Trust me when I say it is a matter of national security!
More Articles About Character
I’ve written numerous other articles on character. If you want to read them you can search for “character” in the search bar. Here are a few of my most recent favorites:
- #360: Are You Worthy of A Second Chance?
- #355: To Conquer Self Is to Conquer All!
- #354: Are You A Neighbor to Your Coworkers?
- #351: A Christian Leader’s Guide to Dress for Success
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Are you pursuing God’s righteousness? Are you standing for Jesus or against Him?
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Category: Personal Development | Character
