AMERICA’S MAJOR PROBLEM IS SIN! PERIOD!

While so many are puzzled, oblivious, or in denial over the variety of issues being debated, argued and fought about in our nation, it is actually quite simple to explain.  We have lost site of the one thing that is at the root of all things contrary to God’s Word, SIN.  While there are many and varied definitions of the word “sin,” we will use the definition of sin as being a person’s effort to find identity for self apart from God.  Scripture tells us “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”[1] which means that every person that has ever been born came into this world a sinner.  Some individuals who profess to be Followers of Jesus Christ as well as entire denominations have become so arrogant in their practice of religion, they attempt to use God’s Word to justify their sin rather than allowing God’s Word to convict them of their sin and lead them to repentance.  They have fallen for Satan’s lies and they are contributing to the sin problem rather than offering the one and only answer and that is Jesus Christ.  John tells us “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.”[2] 

Look around you, open your eyes, our country has demonstrated how quickly a civilized nation can become lawless. “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—  having a form of godliness but denying its power.”[3]  Our Heavenly Father has made it very clear of His expectation when He said “You shall have no other gods before me.”[4]  There is nothing vague or mysterious about this statement.

From the very beginning of time God has made it clear that he is a God of love.  His love is referred to as AGAPE love meaning that it is unconditional.  While He may be disappointed by our decisions or how we live our life ignoring Him and following the ways of the world, He still loves us in spite of our thoughts, actions, or deeds.  At the same time He has made it very clear that he is a just God, meaning that he will issue out what is merited to those who refuse to accept his gift of grace and mercy.  Scripture tells us “remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”[5]   We move from no hope and being distant from God to being full of hope and being drawn close to God by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  The Lord goes on to tell us “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.[6]  What we deserve for our sinful nature is death but God has made a way for us to receive eternal forgiveness through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

So many deny knowing what the gospel says and in reality they are really saying they choose not to listen to God’s Word and label it as foolishness, narrow minded, for the weak, and the list goes on and on to justify why people refuse to accept the grace of God and repent of their sin.  Grace is defined as “unmerited favor.”  We don’t deserve it but God gives it to us anyway because of his unconditional love for us.  The Gospel of Matthew tells us “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”[7]  My fear is our nation, much like the foolish man, has built our nation’s house on sand.

Jesus said “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.  But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.  For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”[8]  WOW!  Have we allowed so much evil to be stored up in our nation that it now is an unstoppable force?

So where are you in this sad state of affairs?  Standing on sinking sand or standing on the solid rock, the Word of God.  “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.  A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”[9]  I challenge all true Followers of Jesus Christ to stand firmly on the Word of God and speak God’s truth, not twisted, distorted, watered-down or manipulated words heard in a sermon or from someone designated as a “church leader”, but God’s words.  There will be a price to be paid for standing for God’s truth.  But remember this: the solid rock is not going anywhere but the rest is built on sinking sand!  “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”[10]

[1] Romans 3:23.  All scripture used in this article is taken from the NIV translation of the Holy Bible unless otherwise noted.
[2] 1 John 3:4
[3] 2 Timothy 3:1-5a
[4] Exodus 20:3
[5] Ephesians 2:12-13
[6] Romans 6:23
[7] Matthew 7:26-27
[8] Matthew 12:35-37
[9] Deuteronomy 32:4
[10] 2 Timothy 1:7