The Daily Word of Righteousness

Togetherness, #2

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16—NIV)

Many American Christians do not trust the United Nations or the move toward a one-world government. This is because of their fear of losing their liberty. Yet they may realize somewhere back in their mind that it is nationalism that causes war and poverty.

Christianity was not born in a democracy but in an empire. True Christianity can flourish under a dictator and an economic system other than capitalism.

But won't the Christians be persecuted when there are dictators? Yes, they will, and we need to be keenly aware such persecution is being carried on today in many parts of the world and do what we can to help our brothers and sisters in the Lord. When one Christian suffers the whole Body suffers.

However it is in the democratic-capitalistic systems that Christians suffer the most. Yet they do not realize it because their suffering is spiritual and invisible. Their spiritual vigor has been destroyed and they sleep on in complacency.

The Christians of America are not setting enough of a moral example to really change their government or their society. Christian doctrine overemphasizes grace to the point that Christian people are not concerned about righteousness and holiness of personality. Therefore the light of the witness is not coming forth.

Also God is not hearing their prayers for their country because the believers are not keeping His commandments, the commandments issued by Jesus Christ and His Apostles. They are not lifting up holy hands before Him in many instances. Our nation is sliding into a moral nightmare, an age of horrors, due largely to the fact that the Christian churches are not bearing a witness of righteous, holy behavior.

The Christians are jumping up and down next to their pews practicing for an unscriptural "rapture" instead of forgiving those who have offended them, instead of behaving righteously and keeping the words of Christ. Many believers seem to be ready for any kind of emotional excesses but do not want to hear about discipleship, about patiently carrying their cross behind the Lord Jesus, about presenting their body a living sacrifice to God.

It is not out of Russia or the Muslim countries that the pornography and vile art are flowing but from America, Germany, France, England, and Scandinavia.

Which do we love, freedom or righteousness? These are not the same thing. Would we cry, "Give me righteousness or give me death?" Let us not be confused on this issue.

It is the unrighteous behavior of believers in the so-called free world that is part of the reason why Christianity is despised by the Muslims and some of the Eastern countries. They claim with reason that America is a decadent nation. To deny this is to live with our head in the sand. The Muslims refer to us as "the great Satan." They are not led to glorify God when they see how we behave.

To be continued.