"But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice;
only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows;
only if you stop your murdering;
and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols.
Then I will let you stay in this land
that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever."
Jeremiah 7:5-7 NLT
I live in a land that values freedom. As a result, according to the Bill of Rights, I have the liberty to live as I see fit, to live out my faith, to live according to God's moral standard. Yet I fail to take advantage of this freedom and begin to coast along, veering away from God's intended purpose for His people. Many hearts have likewise turned away from Him.
I see how far removed from God we've become as a nation, but I can't imagine He would take His hand of mercy away from America because of our forefather's acknowledgement of Him. But I'm wrong. We are not special because of our heritage or our freedom. And just because religion is everywhere and I'm free to believe whatever I want does not mean God looks the other way when it comes to the hearts of His people. What then must I do to turn this country around?
Repent. Soup kitchens. Charity. Volunteerism. Elderly visitation. Shut-in ministries. Prison outreach. There is a myriad of opportunities for believers to invest in the community, to get involved with the good God is doing, to shine their light. As I see the world become darker, it's my tendency to amp up my efforts as a way to counteract the evil, to overwhelm the bad, to outshine the darkness. But does all my hard work do any good? Does it make a difference in the eternal scheme of things? Does it make a dent in the change that must come?
I'd like to think my commitment to giving back to my community will help combat all that's wrong in this country, but the real problem has already been solved by a Savior who gave His life in order to make a way for mankind to be reconciled with God and thus find a better way to live (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). Jesus is the key that opens the door to right living, and only by turning away from my old ways and committing to Him by faith can I follow His indwelling Spirit and do what pleases God in order to accomplish that which makes an eternal difference (John 15:5, Galatians 5:16-17, 22-23). If even a third of Americans repented of their sins, wrong living, and harmful attitudes and actions, turning to Jesus by faith, think what a difference it would make in the atmosphere, in the direction we are headed as a nation, in the tone of politics. The Light would shine into the darkness and the darkness would not be able to put it out (John 1:5, Psalm 18:28).
The answer is not a commitment to a tradition of doing good but in an intimate relationship with a living God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Exploitation. A heavy burden is placed on many shoulders. Much is expected of even the weak among us. The vulnerable are oppressed, held back by the overwhelming load adding to their already uphill battle. Instead of feeling hope and support from those who call themselves church family, the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the unbeliever feel discouraged and ostracized, shamed by their position and circumstances, crushed by the weight of their helplessness. Some are even pushed into unthinkable solutions to unbearable problems as the life of the innocent growing inside her young womb is snuffed out in an effort to give her a future. Those in charge call it a necessary evil in order to bring about the greater good. The church often gets the cart before the horse and fails to follow the leading of the Spirit of God in ministering to the needy. Thus, man messes up what God intended.
Much exploitation occurs within the walls of the church when the helpless and hopeless come to her for assistance. Instead of offering true Life, healing, purpose and an eternal future through repentance and faith in the Christ, programs are presented, forms are filled out, inconceivable resolutions are offered, unreasonable expectations are required. If all who came to the Body of Christ for help became part of His family by faith, they would receive all they ever needed from their Father above (Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:19), and He would often use His people to give what is necessary. Then the kingdom of God would grow and His culture of perfect provision would prevail.
The answer is not an investment in the religion of following rules made by man but in an intimate relationship with a living God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Deceit. Many popular teachers speak words that sound good, tell me what I want to hear, give me a feeling of well-being that serves as a pick-me-up (2 Timothy 4:3). Their ratings soar as their books fly off the shelf. As a result of their fame, I buy into their brand of religion, believing the deceptive teachings that make me the center, the focus, the emphasis. Instead of mankind's purpose being to bring glory to God and enjoy a close bond with Him, the reason for living that comes from their mouths is all about my fulfillment, my happiness, my success. I begin to fashion my own god based on what I hear and he takes on a life of his own as I cuddle up to this soft and comfortable idol who resembles little of what makes the One True God magnificent and worthy of praise.
I'm seeing a trend in "Christianity" today where beliefs are based not on God's Word, but have been adjusted to accommodate the culture, the flesh, and is based on man's own understanding. Not comfortable with the exclusive nature of marriage? Man's solution is to expand it's parameters and include all who claim to love each other truly. Not sure if a loving God would really judge His image bearers based on their sin? Man's solution is to deny the coming judgment and fashion a god who is not offended by sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Hebrews 9:6, Psalm 51:4). Don't like the idea that we must give up our independence, our bent toward the flesh in order to follow Jesus? Man's solution is to present a God who accepts us as we are, sin and all and gives us a life that is easy, where all our dreams come true (Matthew 16:24-25, Romans 3:23, 6:23). If all who sought God accepted Him as He is through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, our culture would become more pleasing to God and pleasant for mankind.
The answer is not adherence to a set of comfortable beliefs created by man to suit his needs, but in an intimate relationship with a living God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
When times get tough, people often go to church. But religion will not save us from the direction our country is now headed, or from the consequences of our actions. We need a more permanent solution that is offered to those who let go of their own desire to control and do things their own way and surrender by faith to Jesus Christ. He is the answer because faith in Jesus reconciles man with God, connecting believers to the One who can set all things right again. Let us not wait. May many turn to Jesus now, for He is the answer!
As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to accept the solution He offers.
When do I try to solve problems my way?
How have I drifted away from the reality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and bought into something else altogether?
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