America’s Future and Our Response

Perspective: Josiah Busenitz

In recent days, I’ve seen a photo shared on the internet that really sums up the perspective that many Christians have with regards to our times. It pictures a massive, towering wave bearing down on some poor soul.  The wave is labeled 2020. Unfortunately, there’s a wave behind it that’s even bigger! It’s labeled 2021! Sadly this is how many feel with respect to recent events that have occurred with our government and the changes in leadership that we’ve now seen. Last year was hard enough but now it seems that with a change in leadership 2021 may be no different. It’s hard not to live with a defeatist mentality or at the very least be discouraged.

May I encourage you today though? Our hope is not in man or government. It’s in the God who controls all that and has already won us the greatest victory this world has ever known—the salvation of man from the punishment of his sin. We faced the opposition of Almighty God because of our sin, but God in love saved us from His own wrath in Christ!

I’ve been reading through Acts as of recently and have been struck by the hope that spurred on those first evangelists of the church. Luke writes that Peter was “filled with the Holy Spirit” and declared with boldness the victory that God has accomplished through the salvation that’s in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:8-12). Peter didn’t open his mouth to talk politics. He wasn’t interested in getting caught up debating trivial matters or engaging in worthless speculation that so characterizes our age. Instead, he was about preaching Christ—His life, death, and resurrection. Hence, why many opposed him. In fact, the religious leaders wanted Peter and John censored (Acts 4:17). Hardly different from our own day! But it was not because they identified with any kind of political party. It was because they identified with the Man named Jesus. They understood that hope for this world does not rest with government or its leaders but in Jesus Christ. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

America’s greatest need is not a gifted and godly leader as great as that may be. It’s not even that it would retain its Judeo-Christian values. The world’s greatest need is a Savior. Its greatest malady is sin. Its greatest predicament is eternal punishment. And its one great hope is God’s gift in Jesus Christ. Our message must be clear. It’s not a more moral America people need. It’s a saved America. May this drive the content, emphasis, and urgency of our message in the days that lie ahead. May our activism be for the gospel! Anything of lesser importance will not do.