How Did We Get Here?

I am constantly amazed as a pastor how much we have allowed the philosophies of this world to influence our lives and the church. People ask me all the time, “How did we get to where we are today in our country?”

I believe it is largely the fault of the church, because we have been living in our Christian bubbles and ignoring the outside world. Evil has incrementally marched into every area of our culture—our schools, our universities, our media, our government—and we have done nothing about it.

For many years, the church has blurred the line between Scriptural truth and cultural acceptance. This compromise has diminished our witness, robbed us of our spiritual authority in this nation and neutered the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Jesus prayed in John 17:17, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” But today our lives are not proclaiming that truth. We seem to have forgotten that while we have to live in this world, we are not to be of this world.

The Bible has a strong warning for the American church today. In 2 John 1:7, John says: “Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

The apostle is talking first about those who are false teachers within the church, but I believe he is also referring to those who have gone out into the world and brought into the church worldly teachings that are deceptive and are against Christ.

We need to recognize that this is happening. The church today finds itself like the frog in the hot kettle, not knowing how it got there but in danger of being boiled. And many Christians are discouraged and wonder how we have gotten to this place.

I believe we’ve gotten here by buying into the greatest lie that was ever sold to the church: that, for the sake of peace, we shouldn’t talk about politics and religion.

You cannot separate politics from the Bible. The Old Testament is immersed in politics; it is about God creating a nation in the midst of lostness, with kings and kingdoms and rulers, and with prophets rebuking kings. That’s politics.

“We cannot remain silent just because the world has relabeled some of the vilest views and behavior as political. … These
are not political issues. These are moral and Biblical issues, and we cannot afford to be silent any longer.”

And Jesus Christ came to Earth in the midst of one of the most dynamic political empires the world has ever known—one that had grown corrupt and divisive. If you don’t think the church used its voice to impact that culture, read the Bible. Christ’s followers were put to death when they wouldn’t bow to Caesar or remain silent about Jesus Christ.

Today, we cannot remain silent just because the world has relabeled some of the vilest views and behavior as political. They want to convince you that abortion is a political issue, so we can’t talk about it. That the LGBTQ agenda and the erosion of the family are political issues, so we can’t talk about them. That the desecration of God’s creation of humans as male and female is a political issue, so we can’t talk about it.

These are not political issues. These are moral and Biblical issues, and we cannot afford to be silent any longer. We have sat on the sidelines while evil has prospered.

John continues with a strong warning: “Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 1:8-9).

He is warning us against complicity, telling us to be on our guard about these ungodly influences that we are allowing into our hearts, our minds and our homes.

What are some of these outside influences that are pressing in on the church and the family?

The first is secular humanism—the idea that we don’t need God because all of society’s solutions can be found through reason, rational thought and science. But that is a lie. The Bible teaches that man is lost and sinful, and he is separated from God. 

The second influence is Marxism in the state. In other words, bigger government and more control as the answer to all of our problems. In this election year, I can’t tell you how often I hear Christians say that their hope is in a specific person, candidate or policy.

That is anathema. The only hope we have is in Jesus Christ. A politician is not going to solve the problems of America. Political policies are not going to solve the problems in America. Only revival and salvation in Jesus Christ offers any hope.

The third influence is abortion on demand and the LGBTQ agenda. A few years ago, a disorder called gender dysphoria would have called for mental health treatment. Today, we celebrate it by allowing young children to mutilate their bodies because they think they don’t want to be who they really are.

They need help. They need hope. They need counseling. They need somebody to come alongside them and love them, not offer them drugs or surgeries that will distort their bodies for the rest of their lives.

“The moment you stand up against what the culture says is acceptable, you will experience conflict. But what the world calls radical Christianity, Jesus calls discipleship.”

John continues: “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching [that Jesus is Lord, that He is sufficient, that He is our salvation], do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work” (2 John 1:10-11).

He is not just talking about people; he is talking about these worldly ideals and principles. Don’t make a place for them. Don’t give them room. He says that if you welcome them, you are blessing them, approving of them, and sharing in their wicked work. By your passive attitude, you are telling your kids, “this is truth.”

John is saying that there is no middle ground. Either you are opposing them or you’re welcoming and blessing them.

People may ask, “But what about unity? Doesn’t the Bible teach we’re supposed to be united, even if we disagree on some things?” The Bible never teaches that we are to have unity at the expense of truth. We are never to compromise truth.

Someone may say, “But we’re supposed to love our neighbor. What you’re saying doesn’t sound very loving.”

We are supposed to love. We are supposed to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are supposed to reach out, minister, and serve those who are hurting, but we also need to keep our eyes open to make sure we are not compromising the Gospel.

Let me warn you: The moment you stand up against what the culture says is acceptable, you will experience conflict. But what the world calls radical Christianity, Jesus calls discipleship.

I am not talking about standing on a corner, waving a sign and condemning people. I’m saying that we need to come alongside those in our lives and love them—love them with the truth that sets people free. ©2024 Rusty Guenther

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version.

Rusty Guenther is lead pastor of First Baptist Church of Blowing Rock, in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.