A placebo cannot cure an ailing patient

The sincere Christian who is sensitive to the climate and character of our present American culture would have to be gravely concerned about the present condition of our society. Subjective, situational ethics have replaced biblical morality. Tolerance and indulgence have replaced absolute, objective truth. Independence and self-reliance have replaced faith and a dependence upon the sufficiency of God.

Antinomianism has replaced God’s standard of integrity and righteousness. Unbridled freedom has replaced God’s narrow parameters of decency and honesty. A secular worldview has replaced the biblical worldview. In short, the revered principles upon which this nation was founded have been cast into oblivion’s depository.

Our noble history has been rewritten. Our Christian heritage has been discarded. Our values have been replaced. Our educational system has been rendered ineffective. Our cities have become dens of iniquity. Our media cannot be trusted. Our health care system has been abused. Our airwaves are filled with profanity. Our cable networks are filled with salacious programming. Our creed is greed; our god is gold. An honest appraisal of our future is frightening.

In essence, our culture is in chaos. Ideally, the church’s mission is to save the society. Christians are to be the saving salt that prevents the world from tending toward corruption.

But is the church in a position to be that saving salt? Are we really that light that shines brightly enough to dispel the darkness that is beginning to permeate the world? Can a lukewarm church exert the power necessary to rescue the world from its moral and spiritual decline?

Jesus said, “... but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

An impotent, anemic church cannot reclaim a decadent society any more than a placebo can cure an ailing patient. A powerless church cannot rescue a faltering nation any more than an illiterate pedagogue can teach a student to read.

I know it sounds crazy, but there are many churches that should forget trying to change the world until they get their act together. If your church is marked by dissention, discord, immorality, immaturity, and impotency, what do you have to offer a self-absorbed society that sees nothing in your fellowship that commends Christ to them?

In Luke 4:23 we find the phrase, “Physician, heal thyself.” Jesus feared the people of his hometown of Nazareth might use that phrase in relation to him, because of the belief that a prophet is not honored in his own county. The phrase alludes to the readiness and ability of physicians to heal sickness in others while sometimes being unable or unwilling to heal themselves.

Before we can propose to change the world we must make sure that we are distinctively different from the world. The world must see in us something that adorns the gospel of God (Titus 2:10), something that makes Christianity attractive and appealing.

There was something attractive about Jesus to His followers. It was His purpose, because He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem where He was determined to make atonement for our sins. It was His passion, because His heart beat with an unqualified compassion for the souls of men. It was His purity, because His life was the epitome of integrity and righteousness. It was His power, because He worked the works of God among men.

The church must emulate His purpose, His passion, His purity, and His power. When we are able to effectively follow His example the world will begin to ask us to give the reason for the hope that is within us. That is what Peter says will happen when we are living for Christ as we should (see I Peter 3:15).

The problem is that the world has not noticed anything so remarkable and compelling about our lives that they are inspired to ask us to explain the reason for our hope.

All of this simply suggests that we need revival. Once the church is truly revived all heaven will break loose; and the church will be able to change the world.

We often speak of the revival at Pentecost when 3,000 people got saved. I am of the strong opinion that the revival occurred before Peter preached his renowned sermon recorded in Acts 2. It took place in the upper room as those 120 disciples “tarried” as Christ had compelled them to do. I have an idea that they confessed their sins, reconciled strained or broken relationships, got in one accord, and prayed until the Holy Spirit filled them.

In fact, the Spirit shows up at least 60 times in the first 20 chapters of Acts, acting to possess, empower, and compel people. Enlivened by the Spirit those early disciples went forth to share God’s story in their own language and to undermine the ecclesiological and political powers of the day.

We need to learn from the first century church and realize that we cannot change the world until God has changed our lives and given us the subduing, elevating, overcoming, and conquering power of the Holy Spirit. God will never be able to use a lukewarm, anemic, powerless church to change our society.

However, an individual or a church that is wholly committed to Christ and empowered by His Spirit was in the first century and is today an amazingly formidable force in the hands of almighty God!