Martin Luther once said, “A spiritual man does not need a contract, and an unspiritual man cannot keep one.” So, what do we do?
As we live in a time when true religion, true faith, and true love for God are increasingly rare in the world, we need stronger contracts for almost every agreement. We also need more restraints and consequences for violating them to be enforced. However, the restraints and enforcement are being weakened instead. Lawlessness is increasing and is now threatening to overrun every barrier.
In Scripture, the judgment of God upon the nations that have known and followed Him then turned away from Him, is worse than the judgment upon the nations that never knew Him. The United States may be the nation that has followed Him and sought to live by His light longer than any other in this age. But now our country has turned from Him, basically demanding that He cease to even be mentioned in schools and in the public square. In this age, the Lord will only stay where He is wanted, and the consequence of His departure from our land has been a terrible and swift downward spiral into increasing lawlessness, with all of the accompanying calamities.
Yet, we still blame God for every bad thing that happens to us and use His name as a curse. We have been warned for thousands of years that the bad things now happening to us will come upon are who depart from Him, and thereby His protection. These are our doings, not His.
In Isaiah 1-5, the prophet lays out the sequence of calamity that will come upon the nations that depart from Him and start calling good evil, and evil good. The first is that “capricious children will become their leaders” (see Isaiah 3:4). Is there anything that better describes what has happened to us?
The ultimate question we should have about our nation at this time is if we have fallen too far if the hearts and consciences of men have been hardened and seared to the point where they can no longer be reached, and if there is only one remedy—destruction. That is what ultimately befalls the nations that turn from God, regardless of how powerful they are.
I hear it increasingly preached in America that God needs us, that we are still the most righteous nation, and that we are a valuable supporter of Israel. Considering Israel, when they were the only nation that worshiped God in the entire world, the Lord did not spare them when they fell to such depravity. How is it that America is safe from judgment when there are now other nations that are standing against the darkness with far more resolve and effect than America? Some are even more faithful and loyal in their support of Israel.
God can raise up from the smallest, weakest nation on earth all that He needs for the nation He will use at this time. In fact, His strength is “made perfect in weakness” (see 2 Corinthians 12:9), and He “resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (see James 4:6). Is there even a thought more arrogant than thinking God needs us?
Faithfulness in our support of Israel is important because we are told in biblical prophecies that all nations are going to be judged by this. This faithfulness is not based on Israel being righteous and just, but because Israel is such a harbinger of God’s purposes. Israel, being also corrupt, presently follows the humanism that has led the whole earth astray from God. Israel needs to turn back to God as much as any nation. We are promised that it will, and that will be a sign of the faithfulness of God and His promises.
We may protest that America is so wealthy and powerful, and we are the oldest republic, devoted to liberty and justice for all. But has there been liberty and justice for all or just some? God does not need our wealth or our power; we need His.
There is no human leader capable of leading us out of the pit that we have fallen into as a nation, though they can help turn the nation back to Him. Our only hope now is to turn back to God and pray for His mercy. This mercy will come in the form of revivals and awakenings that will turn our hearts back to Him and His ways, not just affect some of our actions for a short time. Our sin and corruption are now too deep for superficial remedies. Yet, even as far as we have fallen, it is still not too far for Him to reach us and save us.
But He is our only hope now. The truth is, He has always been our only hope.
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