The Sin of Nations

Let’s talk politics! Many outside the Church (and inside) would say that politics should never be conflated with religion. But indeed, politics is the “noise” of governance–and governance is the superstructure given to man by God that we may steward His creation. Politics is a social mechanism that is woven throughout the Bible. We do well to govern according to, and in alignment with God‘s sovereign will. In doing that the righteous are actively seeking the favor of God. So, yeah-let’s talk about politics!

Sadly, we continually see leaders failing to govern in accordance with God‘s word. The present leadership of China, the present leadership of Russia, and yes, the present leadership of the United States are governing poorly, as much of what they are doing is evil in the sight of the Lord. The president is opposing the will of God as he promotes abortion, even in light of the recent Supreme Court decision. Moreover, he is choosing to encourage and facilitate abortions contrary to the will of God as revealed in the Word of God – “You shall not commit murder” (Exodus 20:13). For Christians the law of God must always transcend the will of the Supreme Court. The president is doing evil in the sight of the Lord, despite his frequent assertions that he is a devout Christian, or even that he is a devout Catholic, whatever that means to him. For this, for governing contrary to the will of God, he will be held accountable.*

For many reasons the present administration will likely be seen by many as a valley upon the landscape of the presidential office for many, many years to come. Of course, the president is not alone, the hands of many on the left are compromised. Many on the right are compromised as well, and in their moral evolution have begun to show greater signs of embracing the cultural evil (known to many as “wokeness”). The moral void in prominent leaders is marked by an absence of a fiber of moral integrity, and an acceleration in the promotion of human depravity. Generations of incremental degradation have preceded, and brought us to this point in time. What is it with the democratic party and their rabid response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade? Their continued embrace of sexual deviancy? Sadly, I have come to expect that if the democratic party is in favor of something it is likely opposed to Scripture. The present Marxist-Socialist-Democratic ideology brings only further concession: economic, spiritual, and moral compromise. My prayer for them is the same as it was years ago, that they be pierced by the Spirit of God and bow the knee to God and His authority.

One of the problems of a nation having poor leadership in power is that the consequences of his actions affect the citizens or the constituents of that nation. That was seen in Babylon when Belshazzar loses the kingdom because he is arrogant–and the people suffered. We see Joshua and Caleb are both subject to 40 years in the wilderness because of the leadership (and the spies) of the Hebrews who did not want to go in and take the Promised Land–and the people suffered. David took the census–and the people suffered. The people of the Northern Tribes were subject to captivity in exile because their leadership did evil in the sight of the Lord–and the people suffered. The people of Judah were taken into exile, even the ones who were righteous, because the leaders did evil in the sight of the Lord–and the people suffered. Both the Northern and Southern kingdoms had been under evil rulers, the evil rules of their leaders and as a nation would suffer for those actions. 

In a similar way we will all suffer under the hands of an unwise or ungodly government. We will suffer due to our slack view of sexuality, and abortion, and corruption. Embracing evil comes at a great cost, and we are paying it now; and we will continue to be accountable because, we are not seeking the favor of the Lord upon these United States. Daniel communicates it well, “We have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances,” and “Therefore the LORD has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the LORD our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice” (Daniel 9:5, 14).

We add to the predicament of suffering when as a nation we corporately wash our hands daily in evil. When we, as the constituents nobly affirm sexual immorality, murder, and idolatry; how could we expect to gain God’s favor?

Daniel, once again sums it up well, “As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not entreated the favor of Yahweh our God by turning from our iniquity and acting wisely in Your truth” (Daniel 9:13).

We need to turn away from that which is evil in the eyes of the Lord, and follow His truth… in that we can hope to gain His favor once again… if there is still grace.

There is a persecution of the truly righteous today, and it will continue to increase because we are not in alignment, and we choose not to be in alignment with the culture’s ideology. So be it.

“When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, 
But when a wicked man rules, people groan” (Proverbs 29:2).

Well. The people are groaning.

*Notable examples are his pressing to codify through congress a pro-abortion policy into national law, a demand that doctors perform abortion against their own personal convictions, providing federal funds in order to pay for abortion, and effecting policies which more easily allow for parties to travel to other states in order to receive abortions, or to receive them in states in which anti-abortion laws have been enacted. 

[Edited September 3, 2022}