As self described Christians, what can we do about the situation in our country?

[Hoosierdood]

They wanted to be like all the other nations. Well they got their king and all the encumbrances that God told them they'd have to accept.
I also seem to remember something like...
There was no king in Israel and every man did what was right in his own sight.

That didn't turn out very well for them.
No absolute authority and everyone doing as they please. Hmm, I've heard that tune before.

I believe this was all Gods design to prove to mankind that no amount of governance can result in perfection. Romans 1 talks about how God “gave them over” to their sinful desires. Think of a dad who warns his son not to do something but the boy is hell bent on doing it. The dad says “fine, see what happens”. God as our father has done that somewhat to mankind.

He created us with the ability to choose. The first humans chose wrong, and that decision impacted us all. And throughout history, we have been proving that we are not able to make the right choices, but will consistently slide deeper into depravity. There is no solution apart from God destroying this world in the final judgement and creating a new heaven and earth.

As it pertains to this thread, the state of our country further proves this point. America who was founded on many biblical principles, given every opportunity to do right, and freedom to choose has turned from God just like every single nation and people before us. We had it good. Really good. And we screwed it up just like people always do. Is there anything we can really do? We can pray, we can do our best to be the change that is needed, but in the end mankind will do what he always does.

 

[phylodog]

As a fairly new follower my approach is simply to reasonably and peacefully resist the evil currently permeating our society wherever and whenever I can. I will continue to peacefully resist or protest until such time that I am forced into another mode. I’m hopeful that day never comes.

 

[courier6]

To further clarify...

The promise in 2 Chron 7:14 was given specifically to Solomon as he was consecrating the temple that he had built. God appeared to him and made a promise that if He ever sent plagues or disease or drought due to Israel sinning, that if they would repent and turn back to God, he would heal the land (i.e. take away his judgement). This was a promise directly to his people, Israel, and more specifically to Solomon.

The Church is not Israel. We cannot take the promises given directly to Israel and claim them as our own. Now, we can take general principles based on how God deals with his people, but that is not our promise. I hear people take 2 Chron 7:14 out of context and claim it as their own all the time. Stop doing that.

That being said, if we are in Christ, he has given us the spirit of adoption, and we are now children of God. We are His people. But we are still not Israel. Israel rejected their messiah, and so the invitation to enter a relationship with the Father was issued to the Gentiles (Luke 14:15-24). And so believers in Jesus, his death, and resurrection became the New Testament Church - the body of Christ. But we are not Israel, and cannot take the promises given specifically to Israel and apply them to ourselves.

Further, there is a niche group who view America as God's chosen nation, just as Israel was God's chosen people. Thus, they take promises that were made to Israel like 2 Chron 7:14, and they try to apply them to America. Stop doing that too. America is not God's chosen nation. America is not more special in the eyes of God than any other nation. I believe God has blessed us somewhat due to core values that our country was built on. But America is not Israel either.

This is all dispensationalist non-sense. The ecclesia are God's people and the promises are conferred to the church. Dispensationalism as you mention is a crackpot idea thought up by Scolfield in his Bible notes. All the Church forefathers from the beginning knew the Church was God's chosen people.

Only once people started following a man's Bible notes was dispensationalism invented and it leads people to bad theology like this.

There is no longer a distinction in God's view between Jew and Gentile. The Church has been grafted replacing the old tree. America has fallen as a Christian nation and we are seeing God's wrath start to pour out against our nation. It happened many times in the OT, they fall away from God and look what happens. It's happening to the US, right now before your very eyes.

 

[Hoosierdood]

This is all dispensationalist non-sense. The ecclesia are God's people and the promises are conferred to the church. Dispensationalism as you mention is a crackpot idea thought up by Scolfield in his Bible notes. All the Church forefathers from the beginning knew the Church was God's chosen people.

Only once people started following a man's Bible notes was dispensationalism invented and it leads people to bad theology like this.

There is no longer a distinction in God's view between Jew and Gentile. The Church has been grafted replacing the old tree. America has fallen as a Christian nation and we are seeing God's wrath start to pour out against our nation. It happened many times in the OT, they fall away from God and look what happens. It's happening to the US, right now before your very eyes.

It’s true, I am a dispensationalist

 

[45sRfun]

This is all dispensationalist non-sense. The ecclesia are God's people and the promises are conferred to the church. Dispensationalism as you mention is a crackpot idea thought up by Scolfield in his Bible notes. All the Church forefathers from the beginning knew the Church was God's chosen people.

Only once people started following a man's Bible notes was dispensationalism invented and it leads people to bad theology like this.

There is no longer a distinction in God's view between Jew and Gentile. The Church has been grafted replacing the old tree. America has fallen as a Christian nation and we are seeing God's wrath start to pour out against our nation. It happened many times in the OT, they fall away from God and look what happens. It's happening to the US, right now before your very eyes.

But dispensationalism is fueled by headlines of earthquakes, wars and other major events. These types of things are big attention grabbers. So people flock to read all about it.

If anyone reads Revelation 1:1, which sets the tone for the whole book, they will see that Revelation is talking about 1st Century events and is history to us, other than some present/future stuff near the end. Look also at the time references in Revelation 22:7, 10, & 12. It already happened. We should not try applying history to the future.

Jesus returned on the clouds, an old testament metaphor for God coming in destruction, sending a nation to destroy another nation, in 70 AD to destroy Israel (we could call that the Great Divorce, had C.S. Lewis not already used that title for something else). God, in 70 AD divorced the adulterous OT bride, stoned her to death according to OT law, and proceeded to adore a new bride, made up of both Jews and Gentiles. The only Bible prophecy yet unfulfilled is Jesus final return, and there are no signs preceding that.

 

[Cameramonkey]

But dispensationalism is fueled by headlines of earthquakes, wars and other major events. These types of things are big attention grabbers. So people flock to read all about it.

If anyone reads Revelation 1:1, which sets the tone for the whole book, they will see that Revelation is talking about 1st Century events and is history to us, other than some present/future stuff near the end. Look also at the time references in Revelation 22:7, 10, & 12. It already happened. We should not try applying history to the future.

Jesus returned on the clouds, an old testament metaphor for God coming in destruction, sending a nation to destroy another nation, in 70 AD to destroy Israel (we could call that the Great Divorce, had C.S. Lewis not already used that title for something else). God, in 70 AD divorced the adulterous OT bride, stoned her to death according to OT law, and proceeded to adore a new bride, made up of both Jews and Gentiles. The only Bible prophecy yet unfulfilled is Jesus final return, and there are no signs preceding that.

No DIRECT signs. But if you know what to look for, you can possibly get an idea its coming "soon". (for those watching The Chosen will get it)

I did a college level study of Revelations twice through. It was eye opening.

 

[armalitesheepdog]

That's a lot of words just to say "Can we shoot them yet?"

Well if that is in fact a plan we better be sure the Chief LEO and Prosecution is on board.
Otherwise we are incarcerated and the people we disagree with will still run free......
Its ok to dream though

 

[Lpherr]

No DIRECT signs. But if you know what to look for, you can possibly get an idea its coming "soon". (for those watching The Chosen will get it)

I did a college level study of Revelations twice through. It was eye opening.

That could be applied to many things. But...

 

[Tombs]

No DIRECT signs. But if you know what to look for, you can possibly get an idea its coming "soon". (for those watching The Chosen will get it)

I did a college level study of Revelations twice through. It was eye opening.

The issue to me is that if you read history enough, there's been countless other times that would have fit, and many that believed they were living in it.

The canary in the coalmine for me is when AI reaches a point it starts governing nations. Based on my understanding, that would be the best fitting definition of the anti-christ, that will eventually pave the way to the beast.

 

[JettaKnight]

As self described Christians we must follow the Ten Commandments.
We must follow the lead of the Holy Spirit and we must pray that God will intervene.

What else, if anything, can we do without violating the law and our principles.
And when are we justified in taking action to save our nation?

It is God's battle as I understand it and we are certainly in a battle against the evil of this world but what part do we play?

Last night I listened to a recent Tucker Carlson podcast about our countries dictatorial leadership and I am convinced that he is spot-on. You might enjoy listening to it on YouTube.

Why do you think God needs America?

Why is your Christian walk dependent on American politics?



Plenty of good Christians live in oppressive countries. However, I'm not saying to just give up, but do what you can within the means you have available, and in a Christian way.

But, on the other hand forcing other Americans to abide by Christians values makes us Pharisaical - which isn't healthy. And this mix of politics and Christianity isn't healthy either - we're now attacking other Christians because they don't vote the right way on things that certainly aren't clear in scripture. (abortion and marriage are clear; race and economy isn't)

 

[JettaKnight]

That is why you will fail to change anything. You think you are the majority. You are not. You've heard of RINOs, right? Guess how many CHRINOs there are in America. Plenty of churches with rainbow decor this month.

I care less about the Mainstream "accepting" Christians (they've self segregated), and more about the Right-wing Christians that only care to call themselves Evangelicals because it aligns with their politics. Those are the ones that never darken a church door, then pick and chose what to believe just as much as the mainstream folks. They like the conservatism, but the love your neighbor and humility not so much.

 

[JettaKnight]

No DIRECT signs. But if you know what to look for, you can possibly get an idea its coming "soon". (for those watching The Chosen will get it)

I did a college level study of Revelations twice through. It was eye opening.

If anyone fully thinks they understand eschatology then they are a fool. (and probably would try and represent themselves in court)

1 AD Jews had everything they needed in scripture too, yet they still crucified the Messiah. Do you really think that we are somehow better at predicting the future and interpreting signs and scripture? The last two hundred years are replete with failed prophecy and discounted theology.

This is all dispensationalist non-sense. The ecclesia are God's people and the promises are conferred to the church. Dispensationalism as you mention is a crackpot idea thought up by Scolfield in his Bible notes. All the Church forefathers from the beginning knew the Church was God's chosen people.

Only once people started following a man's Bible notes was dispensationalism invented and it leads people to bad theology like this.

There is no longer a distinction in God's view between Jew and Gentile. The Church has been grafted replacing the old tree. America has fallen as a Christian nation and we are seeing God's wrath start to pour out against our nation. It happened many times in the OT, they fall away from God and look what happens. It's happening to the US, right now before your very eyes.

More and more I think dispensationalism will become one of those things that fades completely out of favor - like post-millenialism.

The only thing that is certain is that Jesus will return. How, when, will I be here, what happens - no one can say for sure, and I'm 99% that no one has it figured out correctly. (Nevertheless, it's still fun to try and figure out.)

 

[JettaKnight]

But dispensationalism is fueled by headlines of earthquakes, wars and other major events. These types of things are big attention grabbers. So people flock to read all about it.

If anyone reads Revelation 1:1, which sets the tone for the whole book, they will see that Revelation is talking about 1st Century events and is history to us, other than some present/future stuff near the end. Look also at the time references in Revelation 22:7, 10, & 12. It already happened. We should not try applying history to the future.

Jesus returned on the clouds, an old testament metaphor for God coming in destruction, sending a nation to destroy another nation, in 70 AD to destroy Israel (we could call that the Great Divorce, had C.S. Lewis not already used that title for something else). God, in 70 AD divorced the adulterous OT bride, stoned her to death according to OT law, and proceeded to adore a new bride, made up of both Jews and Gentiles. The only Bible prophecy yet unfulfilled is Jesus final return, and there are no signs preceding that.

More and more, that's where I land - those prophecies already came true. I grew up pre-millineal, grew into dispensationalism, attend a post-trib church now, but find myself being amillineal.