America's mayhem and massive decline in Christianity
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Turn to and read Ephesians 6:10-18. Pray.
The title of tonight’s message is actually the title of an op-ed piece that appeared on OneNewNow.com this past Friday.
https://onenewsnow.com/perspectives/guest-commentary/2020/08/28/americas-mayhem-and-massive-decline-in-christianity
The writer of the article is a man by the name of Bill Connor who is a colonel in the US Army and is also an attorney in South Carolina.
Allow me to share some of this op-ed piece with you tonight:
We shouldn't be surprised at what we're witnessing in major urban areas like Seattle, Portland, and Chicago. The increasing anarchy and corresponding calls to upend the American republican system (and to move toward socialism) could not occur without the massive decline in Christianity in America.
Only a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic, a groundbreaking poll was published highlighting the shocking pace of decline of Christianity in America. The Pew research poll included the following alarming statistics:
In the last 10 ten years, the percentage of Americans identifying as Christian has dropped from 77% to only 65%.
During that same time, the percentage of those unaffiliated with religion skyrocketed from 17% to 26%.
Protestant Christian Americans plummeted from over half of Americans (51%) to only 43% by 2019.
The percentage of atheists doubled during that period from 2% to 4%.
As would be expected, the younger age cohorts, and particularly the Millennials, saw the steepest decline. Coinciding with the decline in Christianity has come the burgeoning support for socialism over capitalism by the Millennial age cohort, with over half supporting socialism over capitalism. The consequences of this upheaval explain much of what we are witnessing in society, and this should motivate Christians to reassert themselves in American life.
We should not be surprised at the increasing anarchy and corresponding calls for socialism, as Christianity plummets. Most of our founding fathers spoke about the prerequisite of religion among the American people in order for the constitutional system to work. John Adams put it perfectly:
"This Constitution was made for a moral and religious people, it is wholly unsuited to the governance of any other."
In his piece, he quoted a pastor who said:
"We are witnessing a Marxist takeover ... fighting a new religion disguised as racial justice ... (this is) the unveiling of what has been percolating against the church ... Make no mistake: The body of Christ is the target of the Marxists, for it cannot succeed when morality stands in the way."
Peaceful protesters have every right to peacefully assemble for their cause under the First Amendment to our Constitution. I acknowledge that many are not aware of the ulterior Marxist and anti-Christian motives of those involved in the mayhem. Regardless, anarchy and calls to upend the American republican system (to move to socialism) could not occur without the massive decline in Christianity in America.
The thinking of most young people has become twisted by the radical and anti-Biblical beliefs of socialism and Marxism.
As I was studying, the Lord drew my attention to Ephesians 6:17:
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
In considering that verse, I was challenged by the thoughts of another pastor and Bible teacher:
Exploring Ephesians & Philippians: An Expository Commentary v. Protection for What We Know (6:17a)
God gives us a helmet to protect our thoughts from Satanic influence and interference. Satan usually goes after the mind. Paul told his friends at Corinth that “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The protection God gives us from Satan’s deceptions, denials, and distortions is the helmet of salvation. Without this protection, our thinking—brilliant as it may be—is open to the damning influence of Satan’s rulers of darkness.
He went on to say:
Exploring Ephesians & Philippians: An Expository Commentary v. Protection for What We Know (6:17a)
Apart from God’s salvation, man cannot reach correct conclusions about psychological, social, philosophical, and spiritual phenomena.
Exploring Ephesians & Philippians: An Expository Commentary v. Protection for What We Know (6:17a)
Satan’s lies are diabolically clever. Under the influence of demonic insinuation and suggestion, man deliberately sets aside divine revelation in favor of human reasoning. Satan’s deceptions appeal to the unregenerate mind. They seem to make lots of sense and they appeal to human pride. To the unsaved, the theory of evolution is more plausible than the story of creation. Communism used to seem much more practical than Christianity (especially Christianity as distorted and disseminated by Satan’s dupes). A creed demanding works seems more logical than the cross. Humanism is more attractive than holiness. Psychology seems more reasonable than salvation. Satan never gives up his attacks on thought processes.
These words were written and spoken by this pastor and Bible teacher some 30 years ago but I believe they are ever so practical in the day and age in which we live.
My first challenge to each of us tonight is simply this:
Take the helmet of salvation!
Take the helmet of salvation!
Our first line of defense against the lies and deceit of the Devil is to know that we are saved and on our way to Heaven.
As I asked this morning, “If you were standing before God and He were to ask you, ‘Why should I allow you into Heaven?’ what would you say?”
If you cannot give a Bible reason in response to that question, then you need to consider whether or not you are saved.
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
With that, I would say...
Be transformed!
Be transformed!
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We should think differently from the world. Our thinking should be centered around and centered upon Biblical truth. If we think differently we are going to act differently!
The events that our country has experienced as of late have, in my mind, given new meaning to Christ’s words in Matthew 4:4:
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
But he knoweth the way that I take: When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot hath held his steps, His way have I kept, and not declined.
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
Give the helmet of salvation!
Give the helmet of salvation!
Why has there been a massive decline in Christianity in the United States?
There are many answers that could be given to that question but I believe that one of the answers likely centers around our failure to be obedient to the Great Commission.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Just think about it: When the Apostle Paul met the Lord on the road to Damascus, his life was turned upside down. He went from being an individual totally consumed with destroying Christianity to being an individual totally consumed with sharing the message of salvation.
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
What have our lives been consumed with?
That is a convicting question and one that I don’t necessarily want to answer for any one of us.
Now, if it is true that “…apart from God’s salvation, man cannot reach correct conclusions about psychological, social, philosophical, and spiritual phenomena,” then shouldn’t it be our desire to see as many come to a saving knowledge of Christ as possible? Shouldn’t that be what our lives are consumed with?
Even I need to be challenged with this and reminded of this on a regular basis. I need to constantly be reminded and challenged to keep Gospel tracts with me and pass them out. (Yesterday, we were in Gabe’s and…)
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Will we be able to see a calming of the mayhem in the United States? Will we be able to see a reversal in the decline of Christianity in the United States? I don’t know. But, even if we don’t, that should not change what we do and how we act. We should continue to be faithful to and for the cause of Christ!