Great Balls of Fire
Or Will Our Land Be Healed?
Written by Chris Hohnholz
With all the recent discussions of Christian Nationalism and “Christianizing” the nations, here is a thought to consider: any theology and practice that seeks to engage the culture in hopes of transforming a nation into a Christian nation must also account for God’s purposes, specifically insomuch as He may have judged a nation and given it over to destruction.
This isn’t defeatism, it’s recognizing Biblical truth. In the book of Judges, God repeatedly gives Israel into the hands of her enemies because of their rebellion. At one point in Judah’s history, God tells Jeremiah not to even pray for them as He will not listen to them in their time of trouble. Paul writes in Romans 1 that there is a time when God gives over a nation to depravity as a judgment against them. This is biblical truth. This is our history.
By all means, engage the culture. Proclaim Biblical truth against the evils of our age. Call people, cities, states, nations, and governments to repentance. Vote for people and public policies that find their basis in Scripture. Do all of it and more.
But, do not forget that the hand of God will not be swayed by anything or anyone if He has determined that He will judge a nation and its people. Therefore, your theology must include the possibility that God will not relent in His judgment. We must also be preparing our people for a time when (not if) God brings that judgment down upon our lands and gives us over to evil rulers for a time (or until the nation is destroyed).
Are we willing to prepare our brethren for such a time? We must be. It is biblical and it is historical. To deny such a thing could happen is the highest of hubris. Teach, therefore, both things. Seek to influence and change culture, primarily through our first and most important task of preaching the gospel, but also be ready to endure the downfall of a nation and the inevitable persecution that comes.
This is not pietism or defeatism. If you think otherwise, then I encourage you to revisit Scripture before you defame your brethren who speak of this as biblical reality. Until then, I would argue you are going off half-cocked and are perhaps being arrogant in your presumption that you can “succeed” where so many Christians in the past “failed.”
Just a thought, do with it what you will.