Responding to a Changing Culture
Our Changing Culture
[Reading time: 7 minutes] For a long time, we’ve believed America is a Christian nation; that many of the founding fathers were Christians, and Judeo-Christian principles were the basis of our founding documents. Christianity was respected, everyone celebrated Christian holidays, and church attendance was part of our culture.
However, we allowed our relationship with God to become a formality — a routine — and we lost sight of our purpose. We focused on saving sinners rather than making disciples. We expected pastoral staff to study the Bible for us and tell us what it means. We expected others to be salt and light, spread the gospel, and represent God’s kingdom.
Now we’re disturbed by the radical changes occurring in our culture and it’s important for us to respond properly. We’d be wise to view those changes as mere symptoms and focus instead on the root causes, which ultimately are spiritual in origin. Many of us long for the past and try to recapture it, but America of the 20th century is no longer relevant, not just gone. Change is a fact of life; in fact, God embraces change and even identifies our transformation into his image as one of the highest priorities in the New Testament.
As American citizens, we must recognize the changes occurring in our culture, oppose those which are evil or destructive and embrace the righteous and beneficial ones.
Many of us are distressed by changes we see happening in our nation. Most people no longer seem interested in the traditional values of liberty, morality, personal initiative, personal responsibility, hard work, and free enterprise. Materialism and self-indulgence have replaced disciplined living and generosity, resulting in envy and an entitlement mentality. Many have embraced extreme perversions, such as sexual deviancy and slaughtering the unborn, and openly ridicule or malign those who believe differently. Nationally, we’ve made government our god and expect our leaders to provide us free services, rescue us when we have problems, guarantee us jobs, supplement our income, and protect us from harm.
Those who embrace Jesus’ teaching are a small and shrinking minority. Respect for biblical values is steadily declining and many people now celebrate their “liberation” from the Bible’s “antiquated” or “irrelevant” beliefs. Secular culture is beginning to oppose the favored treatment churches and ministries have received in the past.
Because sinful human nature advances itself by tearing others down, look for increased scrutiny of religious leaders to find any justification to destroy their reputations. Don’t be surprised by political and legal attacks against tax-exempt status for ministries and tax deductions for charitable contributions. Those discussions are already happening. Satan’s strategy is to wipe out every vestige of the body of Christ and claim sole possession of the earth.
But we know better.
We must stand up for biblical values, regardless of the cost, and not be intimidated by bullying tactics or even legal action. We must not compromise our convictions.
Eager Anticipation
I suspect America’s apparent absence from biblical accounts of the last days may be evidence our nation won’t be a superpower much longer; for whatever reason. I also believe the trends we see today are leading to a decline in our worldwide influence, which will make room for a one-world government. So how can we be optimistic in the midst of America’s decline? By viewing it among the worldwide changes leading to the Lord’s return. It’s time to shift from complacency to eager anticipation.
Anticipate God’s will being accomplished. It’s important for us to realize people usually do what they want. God simply knows ahead of time what choices we’ll make and how we’ll respond to circumstances (Ps. 139:16; Acts 2:23; 1 Pet. 1:2). By considering his total knowledge of what people wll do, his absolute authority and ability to coordinate everything to fulfill his ultimate purpose, we can see how he would accomplish his will in a sinful world.
Anticipate God’s limitation of Satan. It’ll appear that Satan is in full control, that his empire is running rampant and defeating the saints. But God always limits Satan and sets definite boundaries on what he does.
That doesn’t mean we’ll always be physically safe, because some will lose their lives for the Word of God and their testimony (Rev. 6:9). But their deaths will bring greater glory to God because they value his will more than their lives (Rev. 12:11). Their deaths also will prove his judgment is right by showing that sin always leads to death, loss and destruction (2 Thess. 1:4-5).
Anticipate God’s daily care. Throughout the Bible, God preserved the righteous during his judgment on the rest of the world. He even preserved the Jews during their captivities and exiles, though these occurred because of Israel’s unrighteousness.
We see many examples in Scripture of the Lord’s grace and daily care, even during judgment or hardship. “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you — you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:30-33, NIV).
Anticipate God’s strength. The apostle Paul is an excellent example of receiving God’s strength in all circumstances. He wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:11–13).
At one point, Paul pleaded with God to deliver him from torment and describes his response for us. “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:9–10).
Anticipate God working through us. Jesus said his followers are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matt. 5:13-14). Generally, that means we’re to expose and oppose evil, and preserve righteousness. There’s nothing passive about Christianity.
Jesus also assured us he would be with us to the end of the age (Matt. 8:20). God will speak through us and provide whatever we need for every good thing we do in every situation (Matt. 10:19; 2 Cor. 9:8). He will strengthen us with his power (Eph. 3:16), fill us with knowledge of his will and wisdom and understanding (Col. 1:9), and equip us with everything good for doing his will (Heb. 13:21). God will do his work through us.
Anticipate Jesus’ return. Jesus described end-times events and encouraged us to be alert to what’s happening so we can be ready for his return. “Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door” (Matt. 24:33). His parables about the end times encourage us to be both faithful and ready.
As world events line up with end-times prophecies, we should be increasing (1) our anticipation of the Lord’s return, (2) our commitment to becoming more like him, and (3) our dedication to finishing the work he prepared for us to do.
The Right Place and the Right Time
Let me speak to you directly: God placed you in this nation at this time for a reason. He has a specific purpose for you to fulfill right here, right now. You can’t do it alone, but he’s waiting for you to do what you can and trust him to produce the results.
Sure, the circumstances in America’s changing culture look overwhelming or uncontrollable, but that’s because we’re accustomed to judging everything by our own abilities. It’s not up to us to change the world; only Jesus can do that and he will. However, he invites us to participate in what he’s doing and watch him do God’s will. As we each do your part, we enable him to do his.
Summary
American society continues to change and a large part of the population no longer supports biblical values. Our society is divided and conflict between opposing views is increasing, yet Christians can eagerly anticipate specific good things God will do.