“Lest We Drift Away”
In the brief space of this Newsletter, I will not be able to fully express all of the reasons, and provide all the points, for the disquietude that I have in my own heart concerning America’s future, but I will, at least, help the reader to see some of the antagonisms facing Bible believing Americans.
Not too long ago (June 2014), Dr. John MacArthur indicated his concern for America’s abandonment of the Scripture in a guest article written for the Christian Post newsletter:
“A recent Gallup poll found that only 28 percent of Americans believe that the Bible is the Word of God and should be taken literally…yet nearly 50 percent believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God while insisting that not all of its content be taken literally, but rather as metaphors and allegories that allow for interpretation …Allowing for interpretation seems to be key for our postmodern, pluralistic society, as 58 percent – representing the majority of self-identifying Christians in America accept that the Bible is the “actual Word of God” but insist, “multiple interpretations are possible”… Clearly, the prevailing belief in our culture is that while the Bible may be the inspired Word of God, it doesn’t mean what it says. It’s only authoritative as long as the reader is the final arbiter of what it actually means. Debates on Scripture ultimately all come back to the issue of authority, but the majority of professing Christians in America have rejected the objective authority of the inerrant Word of God and have replaced it with the authority of self.” (emphasis added)
Last Sunday I spoke from Hebrews 2:1-4: “ Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” (NKJV) KJV says, “… let them slip.” The only prevention or antidote for “drifting or spiritual slippage” is faith in, and obedience to, the Holy Scripture. And because families, schools, churches and governments have cast off the Bible as non-essential; chosen to expurgate from normal procedure; shunt it to the back-room; the past several generations of Americans have escaped the attitude forming, behavior adjusting, heart mending influence of the Word of God. In the last few years 70% or more of high school graduates have had no formal Bible training. This is terribly obvious!
As a result every facet of our society is drifting! Churches are drifting from the authority of Scripture; therefore they never present non-politically correct doctrine as absolute truth. Families are drifting from Biblical role models for raising children; therefore they justify why they never attend church or read the Bible to their children. Politicians are drifting from the clear Biblical instructions for effective government; therefore their motive for election is always selfish. Our court system is drifting from the Biblically stated purpose for civil authority; therefore the court never pushes back against the evils that are destroying us, such as claiming that reading the Bible in school is unconstitutional, while normalizing abortion and homosexuality, etc. We save the whales and kill our children! How tragically ironic!
Drifting always leads to irresponsibility, disrespect and fleshly indulgence, which engenders prayerlessness, Biblical ignorance and selfishness. Are you drifting? Do you read your Bible daily? Do you explicitly obey it? Do you pray daily? What will it take to awaken us form this terrible stupor? Oh, God, in your wrath, please remember mercy!
