Righteousness Exalts a Nation

Righteousness Exalts a Nation

Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people. Proverbs 14:34 (NLT)

Saturday will mark the 250^th birthday of the United States of America. (The 200^th birthday does not seem like it was so long ago.) It is apparent that patriotism provokes more controversy today than it did 50 years ago. Terms and concepts like Christian nationalism, separation of church and state, and the proper role of Christ-followers in the public forum are debated intensely.

God’s word is clear that the greatness of a nation or people correlates with its godliness and righteousness. Church/state separation has been weaponized to suppress the church’s voice in public discourse.

We know that we cannot legislate righteousness or a transformation of hearts. Ancient Israel had all of the laws and statutes to guide and govern proper moral behavior, but the people still sinned and rejected God. Only the Holy Spirit can transform hearts from stone to flesh.

God’s word tells us that it is godliness, and righteousness that makes a nation great, but it cannot be mandated. Transformation will come about when the people of God demonstrate that what we preach actually works by living it out in our homes, places of work and school, in our communities and among our families. Jesus said: So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34–35 (NLT)

Beloved, we have to learn to fight spiritual battles with spiritual weapons. For too long God’s people have tried to use carnal, earthly weapons to have an influence. Remember, the battle is not ours, but the Lord’s.

Pray!

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 1 Timothy 2:1–2 (NLT)

If some people, including pastors, prayed for our political leaders instead of posting diatribes on social media, we might be surprised at the results. Paul’s call for prayer was not aimed at removing ungodly leaders, but rather so that God’s people could live quiet and peaceful lives, providing a way to demonstrate godly living before an ungodly world.

I was disturbed several years ago by a social media post by someone who hated the president. She said, “I pray for the president like David prayed for his enemies.” Let no one show him kindness, and let no one be gracious to his fatherless children. Let the line of his descendants be cut off; let their name be blotted out in the next generation. Psalm 109:12–13 (CSB)

Aside from the fact that Jesus told us to love our enemies, I am certain that this was not what the apostle Paul had in mind when he said pray for those who are in authority. Before anyone thinks that Paul would have written something different had he been living under one of our recent presidents, think again. Paul wrote this letter to Timothy while Nero was Emperor of Rome, who was barbarically cruel in his treatment of Christians.

We must never forget that we have received a commission to make disciples, to let our light shine. The key to righteousness in the nation, begins with righteousness among God’s people.

Whatever It Takes

When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:22–23 (NLT)

As a Christ-follower the primary way I see humanity is as those who are disciples of Jesus Christ and those who are not. There is something wrong with me if I view people first as left or right, liberal, or conservative, capitalist, or communist. We have a mandate to make disciples of all nations.

If we are more concerned with a person’s political views than the we are of their salvation, we have a problem. We live in a polarized world, but we must overcome our prejudices and our biases and look for, as the apostle Paul urged us, common ground with everyone in the hope of saving some of them.

In the United States, we are supposed to have freedom of speech, but that does not mean that it is profitable for us to speak our mind, or post on social media, our position on every political issue. Even though it is our right, doing so has the potential to close doors to share with our friends and neighbors what matters most.

Some of you may find this shocking, but just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should do it. “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 1 Corinthians 10:23 (NIV)

Our primary goal should be to win people for Christ. Everything else is secondary.

Being Salt!

Salt is good, but if the salt should lose its flavor, how can you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Mark 9:50 (CSB)

The Word of God declares that it is godliness or righteousness that makes a nation great. Yet, it will not come through legislation or coercion. Righteousness and godliness come into an individual’s life by the transformation of the Holy Spirit.

It does not take a vast number or even a majority of people to change the course of history. God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah if there had been ten righteous people. In Ezekiel, God sought for an individual who would stand in the gap.

We must be salt that does not lose its flavor. At times we may be an irritation, but God’s salty people are key to the godliness and righteousness of a nation.

Steve Ekeroth