I often have a sense of hopelessness when I consider the moral climate of our society. The world is topsy-turvy. Many consider sin and sinful lifestyles to be appropriate and equate a love of righteousness with intolerance. This should not surprise us. Isaiah lived in days like this also. He said, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
But as morally impoverished as our nation is, it is not reason for despair. We should rather look upon this as a challenge and an opportunity. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said,
“Ye are the salt of the earth: 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. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.”
Many believer's long for a return to the values of a "Christian" culture. We must keep before us that Biblical Christianity does not create culture. Rather, it influences culture. There is no such thing as a Christian culture. There are, however, societies in which the influence of Biblical Christians has been more or less apparent. The New Testament does not point out a conflict between a "Christian culture" and a "pagan culture." Instead, Biblical Christianity is a leaven introduced into an existing culture which it then affects.
In the New Testament, believers did not seek to sterilize their culture or to silence unbelievers. They simply added their voices and changed lives to the cultural ensemble. But, oh, what an influence they had using those simple means! In Ephesus, the silversmiths started a riot because so many people stopped buying images of the goddess Dianna their livelihoods were at risk. Throngs of people turned from spiritism and witchcraft. All of this happened without the help of government, and at times with hindrance from it. The believers in Ephesus were shining lights in a dismally dark culture.
We may complain all we want about the decline in our society, but until we repair our dimmed light, our culture will continue in darkness. We may seek to use the power of our American citizenship to influence our society, but until we begin living as citizens from above, no one will take us seriously. Scandals involving Bible believing churches and preachers must end! We must not only keep ourselves from evil, but we must do all in our power to, "abstain from all appearance of evil," (1 Thess. 5:22).
How can we turn our blessed nation back to moral sanity? Jesus gave the answer when He said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."