Robert Turnage – SOC President
(This article was originally published in the April, 2017 issue of the School of Christ Missions Report)
I was shocked several weeks ago when I heard a news anchor say that we are living in a “Post Christian America.”
As a lover of God and America, and having never heard such a statement, it was most difficult to immediately process these words. For a long time, myself and multitudes of others know that as a nation we have gone far away from God and have even declared we are no longer a Christian nation. Yet these words caused me to give deeper thought to the spiritual conditions of our present time.
A Christian nation is made up of a people, of course not all people, but a special population that believe in God and live by the commandments of His Word. Even the laws of our nation are based upon the Truth found in the Bible. But we are told in the Word of God that a time would come when people “…will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3). Further, Scripture tells us of a time when they would change “…the truth of God into a lie, and worship and serve the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 1:25). In Proverbs 21:2 Solomon said, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes.” In today’s world the cry is not for truth—tolerance is now the demand and call. No individual or nation can deny the absolute Truth of God and survive. There is a price to be paid for compromising the things of God, for the things of man without God.
There was a time when people loved and desired to know Truth. Now most have chosen to serve other gods, which is nothing but damnable lies. With changing laws and seasons, society has replaced ancient and true mōres to same-sex marriage, and all descriptions of evil devices and lifestyles. God’s Word has given these warnings before they became accepted, and many are living today with their “conscience seared with a hot iron” (I Timothy 4:2). Many Christians feel today that they are living in an America they do not recognize. I’m afraid some people have so totally given themselves over to the enemy of God that it is impossible to bring them back from their wickedness.
But I refuse to totally accept the news anchor’s reporting. As long as God has one child, one people, or one Church, it is impossible to say it is post Christianity. God knows His children. He loves them, supplies their needs, and has promised no weapon formed against them would prosper. In the eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews, when speaking of the unbelievable suffering, and only having Almighty God to hold onto, it was said of them “the world was not worthy of them” (Hebrews 11:38). They did not have all the answers concerning their troubles and sufferings, as we also cannot define everything that invades our lives, but the writer gives this comfort “that they without us should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:40).
You and I know the desperate situation the world is in today, and most of God’s people are facing a harsher world with heightened needs but we know what we must do. We must pray without ceasing, remain steadfast and unshakeable in the faith. The Word of God says “he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30). There are many things we cannot do, but in these closing hours we can all give to reach the world with the Gospel. Help the School of Christ to combat the devil and his demons by declaring the all-powerful Word of God to every human alive today.
Robert Turnage – SOC President