At one time North Africa was predominantly Christian. Islam gradually gained ground when the church became passive. Today, in the greater part of North Africa, Islamic governments rule and have instituted laws making it a criminal offense to preach the gospel and convert people to Christ.
When today’s church becomes passive, tomorrow’s generations suffer. Throughout the last few centuries generations born and raised in North Africa have not had the privilege to hear the gospel. The church must take the blame. By default, through passivity, the church was lulled to sleep by the enemy.
Europe is another continent that was entrusted with the gospel in the early centuries and at one time had many strong churches that dotted its landscape. Today a good number of European nations are like cesspools infested with atheism, humanism and false religion. Not too long ago during WW II and the rule of Hitler, it is very possible that a strong church could have stopped him. Again, they were too passive.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the great German pastor and theologian, was asked in 1943 how it was possible for the church to sit back and let Hitler seize absolute power. His firm answer: “It was the teaching of cheap grace.”
Apparently this teaching resulted in passivity within the church that once again allowed the enemy to move in.
What can the American church learn from this?
Isn’t it interesting that now in our day there are doctrines floating around that engender passivity? The “no hell” doctrine, universalism, gay “Christianity,” the “no repentance” doctrine, etc., are examples of such. These types of teachings are coated with a greasy grace that diminishes pro-action and human responsibility, and they are dressed in a mushy sentimental love that is incapable of hating anything.
Combine that with big government dependency from large segments of our society who are willing to be bought out, and you have a recipe for moral and spiritual bankruptcy in the church and the nation.
It’s no secret that the White House opposes the gospel of Jesus Christ. After winning the last election one campaign manager boasted, “We’ve defeated Christianity.” Don’t kid yourself. The cards are being stacked up.
Yes, I know. True followers of Jesus Christ are not of this world. We’re just pilgrims passing through. We are part of another kingdom and we cannot destroy the evil that is in the world. An evil government is not the issue, though, unless you have a weak church. And that’s my point. The examples I’ve cited above are enough to put that sort of reasoning to rest.
This is the reason I am so encouraged by the pastors in Houston who are standing up to their bully mayor for her attempts to censor what pastors say about her gay-rights agenda. This is the kind of proactive righteous indignation of which we need to see more in our nation.
May the mighty church awaken and arise and may many more join their number. May we be bold enough to obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29).
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