Introduction We are all soldiers in a spiritual warfare: Rev. 12:17 Satan is a relentless foe: Gen. 3; 1 Pet. 5:8; Acts 14:19; Heb. 10:33; 2 Thess. 1:4-6; Rev. 6:9 Today Satan’s attacks are far more subtle, but no less effective: Col. 2:8 Abortion: Rom. 1:31 Homosexuality: Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-10 Political correctness: Gal. 5:15

Introduction Christianity is considered odious and awful: 1 Cor. 4:13 Religious fundamentalism is now attributed to brain damage! (Salon, Jan. 8, 2019) Christianity is deemed so terrible that Christians do not deserve to be heard or inhabit “polite society.” This attitude is not held by a mere “lunatic fringe.” Sociopolitical upheaval is only one “wile” Satan uses “to make war” with those “who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” : Rev. 12:17; 2 Cor. 4:3-4

Christians in a Secular Age: Part 1 Introduction Colossians 2:4-10

Christians in a Secular Age Victorious in Christ There is plenty of awfulness in the world to make us sad & despondent, but we cannot let it get us down and tempt us to quit: Rev. 19:11-21 God wins! Jesus has already won the victory! 1 Jn. 5:4-5; 4:4; 2 Cor. 2:14-16 We must never lose sight of this F-A-C-T: 1 Pet. 1:6-9; 2 Pet. 3:13 Christians in a Secular Age

Christians in a Secular Age Satan changes his tactics Satan’s overall strategy remains the same from the beginning: 1 Jn. 2:15-17 “the lust of the flesh” “the lust of the eyes” “the pride of life” Satan’s old lies and methods of deception merely arise with a new coat of paint. God’s truth is stable and unchanging because it is eternal: 1 Pet. 1:23 Christians in a Secular Age

Christians in a Secular Age Nationalism and American exceptionalism Many seek to wrap the gospel of Christ in the American flag. Make no mistake: I believe America is the greatest country that ever existed, but it is far from perfect. Even though we are proud to be Americans, our first allegiance is to God: Phil. 3:20; Eph. 2:19; Heb. 11:13-16 In all of human history, only one nation ever had a special, covenant relationship with God: ancient Israel. Christians in a Secular Age

Christians in a Secular Age Nationalism and American exceptionalism God’s promises to Abraham: Gen. 12:1-3, 7 Multiply his descendants, make into a great nation: Ex. Give them a land in which to dwell: Josh. 21:43 Bless all the nations of the earth: Gal. 3:16, 29 Because of Israel’s disobedience, rebellion, and ultimate rejection of the Messiah; God terminated that special relationship: Matt. 23:31-38 (cf. Matt. 24) The descriptions applicable to ancient Israel are now applied to the church: Ex. 19:5-6; 1 Pet. 2:5-10; Eph. 2:21-22 Christians in a Secular Age

Christians in a Secular Age Nationalism and American exceptionalism God deals with the USA as He deals with all nations. God ordains civil governments: Rom. 13:1-7 God judges civil governments (nations): Prov. 14:34 God is sovereign over all the nations: Dan. 4:17 When nations do evil, God ultimately judges them when His longsuffering is exhausted: Gen. 18 & 19; Isa. 3-23 In fact, God ultimately judges and brings down all nations because all nations invariably become wicked: Isa. 10:1-12; Hab. 1:5-13; Dan. 5:27-28 Christians in a Secular Age

Christians in a Secular Age Nationalism and American exceptionalism “Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 6 ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?’ says the Lord. ‘Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! 7 The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, 8 if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. 9 And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, 10 if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.’” Jeremiah 18:5-10 “Israel’s prosperity was dependent upon her obedience to the Lord (see Deut. 28-29). God preserved a righteous remnant of Israel in order to accomplish His purposes in bringing the Messiah into the world. But that was not true for other nations. Where are the remnants of the Hittites, Amorites, Moabites, Jebusites, etc.? As painful as it may be for patriotic Americans to think in such terms, the fact remains that God’s principles of the moral government of the world apply to our United States just as certainly as they have to all other nations of people. God is not bound to a covenant to save a remnant of Americans and restore the former glory of our kingdom.” Mike Willis, Christians in a Secular Age, p. 9) Someday God’s longsuf-fering will be exhausted concerning the USA. When? 2 Kgs. 24:4 Christians in a Secular Age

Christians in a Secular Age ? “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.” —George Washington “God who gave us life, gave us liberty.” —Thomas Jefferson   “The Declaration of Independence laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity.” —John Quincy Adams Is America a Christian nation? The word “Christian” is only used three times in the Bible: Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16 It is always used as a noun to describe those who have obeyed the gospel of Christ: Acts 2:37-38, 47; 8:36-37; 22:16; Gal. 3:26-27 In this sense, America never was and never could have been “Christian.” Since the 1960s America has consistently moved further and further away from Bible-based values. Christians in a Secular Age

Christians in a Secular Age Conclusion In God’s eyes all nations are held to the same standard: Prov. 14:34; Jer. 18:5-10 My generation has witnessed a transition from a value system based on biblical principles to a pre-dominately secular value system. A secular value system will destroy our nation. Regardless of the future, Christians are assured of eternal victory in Jesus Christ: Phil. 3:7-21 Christians in a Secular Age

Christians in a Secular Age Spiritual values first: 2 Pet. 1:3-11 Heb. 10:24-25; Matt. 5:6; 6:33; Heb. 9:27; 2 Cor. 5:10; Matt. 5:14-16; Jn. 14:15; 1 Jn. 5:3; Matt. 6:24; Jas. 4:4; Matt. 10:34-37; 1 Thess. 4:15-18 Respect & obey parents: Eph. 6:1-3; Rom. 1:30; 2 Tim. 3:1-2; Ex. 20:12; Lev. 20:9; Matt. 15:3-6; 1 Tim. 5:4 Christians in a Secular Age