DIMENSIONAL DECLINE

From My Perspective - - - 

Five years ago (June 05, 2009), the cover of Newsweek declared: "The Decline and Fall of Christian America." The article written by Jon Meacham goes on to declare: “America Has Moved Into A ‘Post-Christian’ Phase - [God] Is Less Of A Force In American Politics And Culture Than At Any Other Time In Recent Memory.” Assertions are easy to make but the facts of the case ought to be given as well. The writer looked at the subject from a political point of view and the “Christian” influence in terms of the outcome of elections. The article does contain some data in this regard, such as: “According to the American Religious Identification Survey, the percentage of self-identified Christians has fallen 10 percent since 1990, from 86 to 76 percent…these figures show that America has not only become less Christian, but moved into a "post-Christian" phase. This is not to say that the Christian God is dead…but that he is less of a force in American politics and culture than at any other time in recent memory.”

With the above assertions, there is also an assumption (perhaps it is wishful thinking) that “God…is less of a force in American politics and culture than at any other time in recent memory.” He makes one other assertion/assumption when he wrote: “Not only has the number of Americans who claim no religious affiliation nearly doubled since 1990, the Northeast…has emerged in 2008 as the new stronghold of the religiously unidentified. In addition, many conservative Christians believe they have lost the battles over issues such as abortion, school prayer and even same-sex marriage, and that the country has now entered a post-Christian phase.” R. Albert Mohler was quoted:“A remarkable culture-shift has taken place around us, The most basic contours of American culture have been radically altered. The so-called Judeo-Christian consensus of the last millennium has given way to a post-modern, post-Christian, post-Western cultural crisis which threatens the very heart of our culture. What was once the cradle of American civilization may be the cradle of America's secular future.”  

Was this assertion, assumption and assessment correct when it stated that “God is less of a force in American politics and culture than at any other time…”? In a day of embattlement, Jehoshaphat summons the people to gather for prayer. When he prays, his words and understanding are very significant They are recorded in II Chronicles 20:4-6 (ESV), “Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD…And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD…and said: O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.” The basis for their hope was that God is always in control of His creation and His universe. Mankind can think of themselves as being in charge and control but they are believing a lie and are making their choices based upon false premises. 

Romans 13:1-7 contains several startling declarations:“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” The key phrase is: “there is no authority except from God.” The secular society and culture chooses to ignore this truth. Paul warned of these things in II Timothy 3. He wrote : “But understand…in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power…evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived…” Regardless of the direction of the secular culture, the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ have the hope and confidence that, at His appointed time, God will take us into His heaven and the home He has prepared for us. Consider these things with me.