The Real State of This Nation

What is the real state of this nation? After tragic events in late 2012 and then President Obama’s recent state of the union speech, I must admit that the hypocrisy of this nation’s leadership (regardless of political party) is stirring my heart. And probably yours, too.

We were all shocked by the horrific shooting of several children and adults in Connecticut. My heart was so heavy—so burdened—as I watched reports of the carnage.

I can’t imagine what the parents and other loved ones of those killed by an evil man must be going through. I'm a father and grandfather, and I shudder at the thought of such an unimaginably painful time in dealing with a tragedy like this.

But there is one thing not to be so burdened about regarding such a horrible event. You see, even though the wicked gunman (who took his own life) will answer to the God of creation for his sins, we know that such tragedies occur because of our sin in Adam. That’s why there is so much evil in the world.

When horrible things happen, it's not God's fault—it’s our fault. God’s Word is clear about this:

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. (Romans 8:22)

With such a tragedy, I think, “Oh Lord—look what our sin has done to this world!”

If you recall, this latest horrific shooting happened just before Christmas—a time when we especially remember the event of God’s Son becoming the God-man, and God Himself providing the sacrifice for our sin and offering a free gift of salvation:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

But as I pondered these truths from Scripture and watched the evening news, I must admit I became a little angry with our president. What he said after the shooting was good, and many of us shed a tear with him, so why be angry? Because he was being hypocritical.

You see, the President has supported and signed legislation to force companies—and even ministries like Answers in Genesis—to provide a pill to employees that would terminate the life of a baby. Such abortion pills stop a fertilized egg from implanting in the mother’s womb. Once it’s fertilized, that’s a human being.

Answers in Genesis, of course, is working with our legal team to deal with this shocking, immoral government mandate. In the meantime, and even though our Statement of Faith is clearly against abortion, we decided to strengthen the wording of our Statement (which is one that all AiG staff members must sign).

This is the same president who adamantly supports the killing of children in the mother’s womb. Around 55 million children have been murdered in America alone since the legalization of abortion in 1973. It occurred to me recently that this figure is over twice the entire population of my homeland of Australia!

On the same day that this horrific killing of 20 beautiful children (and some adults) took place, probably 3,000 children (who didn’t have names) were brutally killed in their mother’s wombs. Now, does President Obama shed tears for them each day?

On January 22, 2010 (the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision), the White House website quoted President Obama:

Today we recognize the 37th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which affirms every woman’s fundamental constitutional right to choose whether to have an abortion, as well as each American’s right to privacy from government intrusion. I have, and continue to, support these constitutional rights.

The same president, at a press conference to discuss the shocking school shooting, quoted the Bible. He read a passage from 2 Corinthians:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.

For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 4:16–5:1)

I don’t recall atheists objecting to the President for quoting Scripture in public. Now, how could he get away with that, but God is not allowed in our public schools—including the school where this massacre took place?

With President Obama quoting Scripture, I considered this extremely hypocritical and inconsistent. Let me quote another Scripture:

And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?’ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:4–6)

Now, would President Obama ever quote that passage from Matthew? Of course not. He has made comments like the following that he stated last May (taken from the White House website): “I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.”

So, for his own purposes, the President will pick and choose his Bible verses!

As I pondered the massacre and the President’s attempt to console people by quoting the Bible, another news item caught my eye. Atheists had sponsored a billboard in New York City’s Times Square. It had a picture of Santa Claus with the words “Keep the Merry,” but there was also a picture representing Christ with the words, “Dump the Myth.”

The atheist group’s mission is essentially to stop the real message of hope getting out to this dying world. It’s spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote a belief in, well, nothingness! And a belief that people are nothing but animals!

The more that atheists promote their beliefs of meaninglessness and purposelessness, and that we are just animals, and that when human beings die they cease to exist, then the more we would expect to see people looking on life as having no value.

Actually from the atheists’ perspective, why would they even worry about such a shooting tragedy? After all, from their perspective, when people die, they won’t even know they were alive. So why then does it even matter?

America is increasingly shaking its collective fist at God and His Word (as the current administration is doing) as it:

• removes God from the education system
• deletes reminders of God’s Word from public places (e.g., nativity scenes, crosses, Ten Commandments displays, etc.)
• abandons Christian morality
• makes it legal to kill thousands of unborn children every day

As a result, we will see God removing the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit in this nation. Romans 1:18–32 is a description of what will happen.

This nation continues to shake its fist at God by rejecting the truth that the only true marriage is between one man and one woman. The President is an ardent supporter of “gay” marriage, which is an abomination to the Lord (see Romans 1).

God’s principles don’t change. If you read the blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 28, I believe you will see America in many ways, past and present.

This is what really needs to be shouted to this nation: “So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.” (Joel 2:13)

America’s problem is a spiritual one! God’s people need to repent of the rampant compromise in regard to His Word, and return to the Bible. The nation needs to repent of the shocking disregard of God’s Word, including the sanctity of life and marriage.

At Answers in Genesis, we will—with your prayers and financial support—do our best to call the church and our nation back to the authority of the Word of God!

More than ever, this nation needs Christians who will boldly shine the light of truth as much as we are able. We also need to pray for our leaders, that they will repent of their sin of disregarding God’s Word and then commit their lives totally to Him.