America has lost it's sight. We claim to be a Christian nation, but I can't see how that's possible. When I say America is blind, I mean we don't see how warped our Christian views have become. Have you noticed the anger stemming from Jesus being talked about in society? We, as Christians, are free to speak of God in generalities--that He is love, that He is forgiving, that He is eternal, etc.. However, the specifics of God, in how He has chosen to reveal Himself through His Son, yields great debate and conflict.
When Jesus walked the earth, He chose to reach out to those who were spiritually neglected and chastise the religious institution in place for thinking themselves worthy of God. Social and economic indifferences were rampant and the "religious minded" were oblivious to those in need of God. Often Christ was critiqued and criticized for socializing with "sinners." What was His response? "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew 9:13). He told the religious leaders of that day to go and think upon those words, because they obviously had no idea what they meant.
Nothing has changed. "There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgement of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed" (Hosea 4:1b-2). There is corruption throughout this nation. Social barriers are in place for the poor and disenfranchised, economic injustice courses through the legal veins of the court system, the rich get richer and the poorer get poorer. How can this country be Christian when Christ Jesus is denied access to hearts among those who call themselves Christian? How can America be Christian if Christ is denied? How can Christianity be Christianity if Christ's own words aren't heeded? There seems to be a serious divide between what Scripture accurately states and what Americans chose?
I just can't get past a country claiming "In God We Trust" while denying God in the revelation of Jesus Christ, and then having the audacity to use Christ's name in Christianity--the chosen "religion" of today. Christ is not and should not be a religion. Jesus did not come to start a religion and I don't think Christianity is so, but it has morphed into such with convenient-store-denominations on every corner. Yes, Christian is a name for those who believe in Christ--but it is more than a name or label, it is a way of life, it is a state of faith in God, it is resurrection to a new life through the resurrection of God in flesh. But, the world has taken Christianity and a worldly value system of earthly logic and selfishness forming an apostate nation. We once believed in Scripture, we once believed in the inspiration of the Bible, we once believed in Jesus. Not now.
Why is it so hard to believe Jesus is God incarnate? Many freely admit there is a God, a creator. If this belief is accepted, then why is there difficulty in believing that same God, that same creator couldn't appear as one of His own creations? God is infinite and eternal, yet He poured Himself out into human flesh--effectively making Himself nothing because His infinity was limited to a body (Philippians 2:5-11). Why did He do this? To save His creations, to save His love from demise in sin. He came in the likeness of man to save mankind. And when He did this, His name was Jesus. And once upon a time, America believed this truth. But the onset of instant gratification, by way of computers and technological advancement, has created a nation of gluttons. We have turned our backs on the one true God. We would rather indulge lustful eyes and pleasure-driven minds. Jesus denies the sinful nature, therefore a once Christian nation has fallen away from Christ.
Jesus needs to be acknowledged. The church needs to stand for Christ as He died for us, with compassion rather indignant anger. We cannot be like the Pharisees of old and look down our noses at those who fall away or those who have never believed. The church must represent Christ. Christ's heart must take the place of our cold indifference. Many Christians are solely satisfied in just making it to heaven by having faith in Jesus. But, Jesus would have us go further and develop a heart of compassion, reaching out to others around with a deep, abiding concern for their souls. Because, without an acceptance of Jesus as the final, determining factor of salvation, there is a harsh, permanent existence for those who die without Him. And if the love of Christ is in Christians, then there should be a real concern for those without Him.
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