THREE MAJOR CRISES
by Dr. Jim Brettell
The USA has been engulfed in three major crises for at least a century: 1) a moral crisis; 2) a public education crisis; and 3) a freedom crisis. These three crises explain the demise of the USA as the strongest nation in the world economically and militarily. These also may explain why the USA is not found anywhere in Bible prophecy.
The cause of our moral crisis, in general, is the American pulpit ministry that has opted for political correctness at the expense of truth. In the politically correct world, no individual or group is to be offended. We should agree that Christians should not go out of their way to offend anyone personally, but the truth is that Christianity itself is offensive. The apostle Paul references the “offense of the cross” in Galatians 5:11. Political correctness should not be an issue for the church. The issue is the proclamation of truth.
The cause of our education crisis is professional educators who have changed the goal of education from educating to socialization. They have sacrificed morality and truth on the altar of secular humanism and progressive theory. The end result has been a less literate, less functional, less “thinking” generation than ever before. The Bible is clear that only God is the source of knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction”. If we were to see true education reform, a return to biblical values and traditional academic instruction would be the first step.
The cause of our freedom crisis is a combination of political activism and progressive thought expressed in the view that our existing constitutional system is outdated and must be made into a dynamic, evolving instrument of social change aided by scientific knowledge and the development of administrative bureaucracy. With every reform and redefinition, freedom is diminished. When freedom goes, it all goes – our inalienable rights to life, liberty, property, and pursuit of happiness, and no more freedom to worship as we desire; no more freedom to evangelize; no more freedom to send out missionaries; and no more freedom to be a friend of Israel. John Dewey, the most thoughtful of the Progressives, wrote that freedom is not “something that individuals have as a ready-made possession.” It is “something to be achieved.” In his view, freedom is not a gift of God or nature, it is a product of human making, a gift of the state. The Bible, however, makes it clear that all human life is of value to God and He infuses that life with privilege, purpose, and meaning by offering salvation freely to all (Colossians 1:13,14). The concept of individual freedom and worth was understood by our Founding Fathers, and until we return to a biblical, constitutional view of liberty, the attacks on our freedoms will continue.
Can this downward spiral toward national disaster be turned around? The answer is yes, but there must be a concerted effort on the part of Christians to acknowledge these three crises and then determine to do something about putting a halt to all three – not one, not two, but all three.
The Arkansas Pastors Network is committed to doing our part to educate pastors on the biblical worldview answers to the crises that affect our nation today. Will you join with us in to “Stand in the Gap” for truth?