By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post # 344 ~
This country is in dire straits, is in extremely grave danger. And it’s not because of Russia, China, Iran, AI, climate change, drugs, bad schools, crime, debt, or nuclear war. It’s because of sin. It’s because most people in this nation have turned away from God. They are idolaters – they love self, money, pleasure, food, sports, clothes, and possessions instead of loving God. Exod. 20:2-5
This is the depressing and sobering reality of our country’s spiritual state. And as Christians, we must be like the prophets and declare to the lost that sin is the root problem, that it results in deadly consequences, and that they need to turn to God for mercy (Luke 3:7-18). In this and the next post, I will share what this sin looks like, how it progresses, the reasons we are being severely judged, how God judges it, and how He wants us to live.
Some sins and manifestations of sin in the United States: lawlessness; stealing; anger; self-righteousness; immorality; evil is good; good is evil; racism; factions; lack of true justice; violence; violence against Christians; hate; loving food; loving fortune; loving fun; loving fame; loving things; not loving others; sensuality; homosexuality; lewdness; people doing what’s right in their own eyes (libertarianism); hypocrisy; a false gospel; false religions; false churches; impatience; rudeness; sorcery; adultery; swearing; silly talk; course jesting; pornography; foolishness; laziness; the evolution lie; drunkenness; disputes; witchcraft; bragging (pride); malice; bitterness; lust; boys in girl’s bathrooms and vice versa; and drag shows.
There’s not fearing God; greed; murder; abortion (over 63 million babies killed since 1973 – Guttmacher Institute); selfishness; disobeying your parents; bribery; rich people not helping the poor; communism; misinformation, disinformation, deception (lying); inventing evil; corruption in the government; evil government spending; slander; gossip; not paying taxes; transgenderism; not respecting authority; Satanism; prostitution; gluttony; trusting in your self; trusting in your looks; flaunting; insolence; terrorism; strife; carousing; insensitivity; cruelty; not trustworthy; covetousness; immoral movies and music; human trafficking; and governments not being “a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.” Rom. 13:4
I am talking about our nation’s sins, and the negative and synergistic effect of it is growing and getting much worse. And God sees every single sin, and as a country, He is judging us. “God will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.” Exod. 34:7
Rom. 1:20-24 tells us how sin begins in the life of a person and collectively in a country. It starts when a person doesn’t honor God as his Creator, doesn’t thank Him for who He is and for the world that He made. This is pride and is evident when a person worships the creation instead of the Creator. And this is disobeying the great commandment – this person is not loving God with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength. Mark 12:30
Sin in the life of a person who rejects God and continues sinning gets worse and worse. God speaks of this downward spiral, that He delivers the sinner over to impurity, immorality, and homosexuality. Then He gives him over to a depraved mind – the person isn’t thinking right, he’s out of his mind, he’s crazy, he has no common sense (Rom. 1:24-28). This wicked, worsening, cumulative sin, this descent from not fearing and honoring God to sexual sin to depravity is what we have been witnessing in the United States for close to 60-70 years. It was impurity and immorality in the ‘60s and ‘70s, homosexuality in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and depravity these past 25 years.
The last stage of this nation-wide degradation is when this full-blown, full-grown sin, this homosexuality and depravity, is approved and promoted (Rom. 1:32). This is what we have been seeing and hearing in the United States – in families, in schools, the media, the news media, the arts, music, movies, businesses, and the government. That people are applauding this sin but not praising God is a clear sign to Christians that He has given this nation over to her sin. God has also given the devil more freedom to carry out his wicked plans (Job 1:6-12). The devil’s demons are adding fuel to the fire by further corrupting the fleshly minds of sinners, which leads to even more evil and unrighteousness. 1 Tim. 4:1-2
This sin, like a metastasizing stage-4 cancer, has infected the entire country. “In the last days difficult times will come. Men will be lovers of self, lovers of money… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:1-4). 2 Tim. 3:12 tells us what discerning Christians have been observing these past 20-30 years – “Evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse.”
Sadly, the United States is so weighed down with sin that there’s no way God will allow her to return to a place of widespread godliness, sanity, civility, peace, and prosperity. This nation is now past the point of no return. This sin is piling up, and it’s a spiritually-sickening stench to our most holy God, and it should be to believers as well. And because of her serious and gross sin, God has been judging this country, and will continue to do so.
Let me sum up the reasons why God is severely judging our country:
1. This country is righteously being judged because of increasing and pervasive sin. This refers to that long list of sins I wrote out in the first part of this post. Mark 7:20-23, Rom. 1:29-31, Gal. 5:19-21, Eph. 5:3-5, 2 Tim. 3:1-5
2. This country is greatly being judged because of the breadth of her sin, but also the depth of her sin. We have been witnessing this worsening wickedness, from impurity to immorality to homosexuality to depravity. “God gave them over to… depravity” Rom. 1:24, 26, 28
3. This country is justly being judged because she, more than any other nation, is influencing and enabling this world to sin. She promotes, sells, and sends out evil movies, music, video games, and pornography. She is a bad example through godless TV shows and media platforms. She gives financial incentives for abortion, LGBTQIA+, and trans agendas. She sells massive killing machines, deadly weapons of war. And her false teachers peddle a fake and deadly false gospel. “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks… woe to that man (or nation) through whom the stumbling block comes.” Matt. 18:7
4. This country is being judged because historically speaking, God’s work has been carried out much more than any other nation. Look at all the churches and how God’s word has been taught and the gospel has been preached more than any other nation. In spite of all this, not that many people have truly listened and responded, especially in the past 60-70 years. Instead, they have rejected God and His truth and have loved their gods and listened to lies – thus she will be severely judged. “You, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. Nevertheless, I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.” Matt 11:20-24
5. This country is deservedly being judged because she’s increasingly becoming anti-Semitic. Demon-inspired people promote and push an anti-Jew, anti-Israel message. We hear it in universities, mosques, from politicians, in street protests, and even in churches. At this time, the leaders of this nation, in general, support Israel and the Jews, but it won’t be long before this country, as a whole, is anti-Semitic, and then God’s judgment will be more obvious and more severe. “The Lord said to Abram… ‘I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you… and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you, I will curse.’” Gen. 12:1-3
6. This country is rightly being judged because her churches are increasingly weak and unholy. We are to be salt and light, we are to have a positive influence on the nation, but this is not happening as in years past (Rev. 3:7-13). This lack of widespread moral seasoning is a major reason why righteousness is decreasing and unrighteousness in increasing. As churches go, so goes the country. Sad to say, our churches are going down, and so too is our country – spiritually, morally, and physically. “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world…” Matt 5:13-14
Upon reading all this, you may think I’m negative, pessimistic, and unbelieving. And you may think I am unaware of the fact that there’s a relative peace at this time in our country, that there does seem to be an awakening with young people. I do believe God is working, and that we may be witnessing a mini revival. Hab. 3:2c tells us, “In wrath, remember mercy”, and 2 Pet. 3:9 says that God “is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.”
But I’m talking about the big scheme of things, not about the reprieve it appears God has given us. If you are aware of the evil in our nation and understand God’s word, particularly the prophets, and that’s there’s not been wholesale repentance, I believe you will come to the same big-picture conclusion, that this country, collectively speaking, has rejected God and, consequently, is in critical condition. You will realize that this great and grievous sin is our nation’s worst problem and that she’s being judged by our holy and just God.
So how should we think and what should we do?
1. We are not to give up, we are not to quit, we are to persevere, and we should keep praying for our leaders that “we may lead a tranquil and godly life” (1 Tim. 2:2).
2. We are to share the gospel with people, we are to tell them that Jesus Christ is the only answer, that He died on the cross to pay for their sins, and then rose from the dead, proving His victory over sin and death. We are to tell them that all who repent of their sins and believe that Jesus died for them will be saved, will be forgiven of all their sins, and be given eternal life. Rom. 5:8, John 3:16, Rom. 6:23
3. We should have no expectation that there will be a long-lasting, great and glorious golden age. We live in the end-times, and things will get worse for unbelievers, and especially for believers, notably in the last few years before Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church. Matt. 24:9, 21
4. Our primary purpose is not to seek the kingdoms of men but the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33). Make disciples until the end of the age (Matt. 28:19-20). Preach the gospel “in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matt. 24:14
5. Pray for Christ’s kingdom to be established on earth. “Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matt. 6:9-10
6. Have hope. It won’t be long before your salvation is complete and you are in heaven in a new body with Jesus and all the angels and saints (Phil. 1:6). “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Rom. 15:13
P.S. This was hard for me to write, but I did so because I am convinced of the dreadful state of this nation. God is holy and just, and we can’t just think everything is all right – God is judging us because of all our sin. Here are three important posts: “A Sin-Wrecked World and the Coming of Christ”, “Processing the Present Tough Times”, “Sinners and Saints in the End-Times.”