“You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice. You have eaten the fruit of lies.” Hosea 10:13a

America has been on a spiritual slide into darkness for many years. At first barely perceptible, the slide is now apparent to all but the most demonically oppressed and possessed who are blinded to the grievous condition we find ourselves in today. Unfortunately this blindness includes many who consider themselves Christians.

Although I could chronicle myriad examples from decades ago let me start with some of the most recent outrageous and wicked examples of this spiritual slide. Exhibit number one is the Kathy Griffin stunt concerning President Trump that was immediately condemned by most people. The recent apostasy of Hank Hanegraaff into Eastern Orthodoxy and compromise of James White with Islam provide more proof. Next consider the shooting of Congressman Scalise and other staffers in Washington DC. As a last example I offer you a video game that is set to be released soon called Far Cry 5. All of these seemingly disparate examples are tied together by the verse in Hosea cited above.

The context of this verse in Hosea is God’s stated displeasure with Israel because of her continued rebellion. This rebellion is portrayed throughout the book within the theme of marriage and the patience of God through the long years of Israel’s spiritual adultery. Among Israel’s many sins were her practices of pagan idolatry, her trust in political alliances, and her social immorality where this continued open defiance of God was acceptable.

As pastor of a small church in fly-over country, I have watched with amazement the rapid transformation of America. Mr. Obama was a prophet in that he told Americans that he was going to fundamentally change America by offering us “change we can believe in.” The devil certainly was in the details and only the spiritually awake Christian understood in his or her spirit that this change was not going to be good. For eight long years I watched Mr. Obama serve as a portal to elevate evil and to lead the charge to enshrine evil as public policy.

One of the many truths that Christians fail to grasp today is that the progress that Progressivism offers is not progress toward stability, peace, or national wellbeing, but progress away from God. Progressivism is an intellectual cancer that destroys any understanding of God-centered morality and His objective truth that alone can guide a nation through the turmoil of ungodly national inclinations produced when God-haters and pawns of Satan gain influence. America has become like Israel in that we have plowed wickedness and we are most certainly reaping the consequences.

The examples I cited above are all related in that they are symptoms of wickedness. Griffin has been spewing hatred for years toward Christians and disdain for a God she doesn’t believe exists. At every step of the way her behavior has been applauded by certain segments of our society and resulted in her elevated status simply because of her evil bantering. In other words Griffin gained fame because of her hatred for God and Christians. In an effort to maintain her house of cards existence Griffin had to rely on a steady offering of increased evil that culminated recently in what should be a career destroying move.

Hanegraaff’s apostasy was not unexpected as he has shown signs of unorthodoxy for some time. Eastern Orthodoxy is not orthodox Christianity but you would never know that from the multitudes that came to Hanegraaff’s defense. Such muddled thinking is one reason why much of the visible Church has fallen into apostasy.

White’s recent acquiescence to a radical Islam represented by Imam Yasir Qadhi is perhaps the most surprising of all. But on the other hand no one is beyond falling into error. That’s why the Scriptures repeatedly warn us against following fallible man. White’s delusion has been entertained by many before him such as Rick Warren. Believing that dialogue with God-hating, Jesus denying, psychotic women abusers will pave the way for these murderous Jihadi beasts to accept Christ as Savior is beyond alarming. It is outright naivety at a point in time when the strength of the gospel is most needed.

The attempted murder of Scalise in broad daylight is perhaps the most stunning illustration of the political hatred that has been fomented by Progressives, race-baiters, and social justice miscreants for years. As appalling as this attempted murder is, Progressives such as CBS News’ Scott Pelley had the temerity to suggest that Scalise brought this on himself. In Pelley’s mind people who have a different perspective on moral issues than Progressives should not be surprised when more enlightened people want to murder them. As many have observed previously, the Progressivism that has captured the Democratic Party and its stepchildren Antifata, Black Lives Matter, Media Matters, as well as many more organizations, is a brain destroying anti-philosophy of moral depravity and evil without basis in reality.

One final example for your consideration involves a video game. The creators of Far Cry 5 are set to roll out a new version of their video game which will focus on the hunting down and murder of Christians. Of course the Christians being hunted are the radical, fringe, cultic Christians; the kind that everyone should despise and hate to the degree that their extermination becomes a civic duty. Germans were fed this same propaganda in the 1930’s and it resulted in deaf mutes that looked the other way while untold numbers of people were murdered.

Folks, here is the bottom line. America has become a captured operation. Our government is not by the people and it certainly is not for the people. Any viewpoint that is out of step with the new Progressive government handlers is being systematically outlawed. Hate speech laws give a legal foundation for future prosecution. All that remains is a perfect test case to spring it into action. A new Christianity is being shaped that is non-confrontational and culturally accepting and acceptable. This is a Christ-less form of pseudo-Christianity that is really not Christianity at all. Americans are being deceived into believing that viewpoints based on personal responsibility, an objective moral standard of right and wrong, and the belief that behaviors contrary to the Bible are sin, should be systematically persecuted and prosecuted. Christianity is quickly becoming anathema.

This explains the recent vitriolic rant by Senator Bernie Sanders against Russell Vought’s confirmation as deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget? What makes Vought such a distasteful candidate in Sanders’ mind? Vought is guilty of being a devout Christian and in Sanders’ universe that is a high crime which renders Vought and anyone else with similar beliefs unworthy of any government position.

The stage is set for a clash between right and wrong. The culture wars are reaching a fevered pitch. Demonstrations have a taken a decidedly violent turn. Progressives have unrelentingly attacked free speech such that today on most college campuses students are the first to march for censorship. How times have changed since the 1960’s when students marched for free speech.

As a pastor and watchman, it is my responsibility to say that the enemy is within the gates. The chaff is being separated from the wheat. The remnant is being identified. Take heart Christian and stand firm in your faith against this encroaching darkness. Put on the full armor of God and use the authority you have in Jesus Christ to rebuke the evil and warn the wicked to repent.

Dr. Mike Spaulding

Pastor, Calvary Chapel of Lima

Host, Soaring Eagle Radio

www.drmikespaulding.com

(Photo credit Wheel Barrel Kid)