When God Abandons a Nation

We Are in the Midst of God’s Wrath of Abandonment

[17] Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone. (Hosea 4:17 ESV)

Idolatry is the natural state of man. Left to themselves, people will worship or idolize someone or something. On the top of the list of those things we place on pedestals of idolatry is self. Professing Christians are not immune. They idolize Christian leaders, their churches, their doctrine, their liberty, their self-righteousness, their denomination, their particular translation of the Bible, and anything else they can view as something that gives them a sense of religious identity. Tragically, most see nothing wrong with this. Genuine Christianity has been supplanted by religiosity and there are only a few left who see the difference. We lament over the growing apostasy in the Church, but should we be surprised?

There is a false teaching in the Church that God hates the sin, but loves the sinner. This teaching says that God hates no one, but what does the Bible say?

[2] “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob [3] but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” (Malachi 1:2-3 ESV)

[15] For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” [16] So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. [17] For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” [18] So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. [19] You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” [20] But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” [21] Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? [22] What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, [23] in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—[24] even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? (Romans 9:15-24 ESV)

God is Sovereign. Who are we to tell God that He can’t do as He sees fit? He is the potter and Man is the clay. So, the condition of the Church right now seems strange. It appears that God has lost control or maybe moving it in another direction. While there are pockets of genuineness in the Church, there is, over all, little tolerance for sound doctrine. If a teacher or preacher teaches the truth from God’s Word as our Lord did or as John the Baptist did, or as Paul and Peter and John did, then people become offended and either leave or get rid of the offensive teacher or preacher. Because of the overwhelming lack of tolerance for sound doctrine and a refusal to move from unbelief into submission to His Sovereignty over all things, God is in the process of giving the Visible Church over to its idols.

The Church, the genuine Church, has always preached the dangers of sin. We have always viewed the sin preached against from our pulpits and from the Bible to be against the reprobate sinners in the world. When we study Revelation we always envision that the sinners shaking their fists at God are from that bunch. However, over the last several years, it has become increasingly apparent that the fox is in the hen-house. Satan no longer has to deceive to enter our churches and homes and families. Instead, he is at home in them all because the world is there. The visible church is full of the world. Christians are called to be separate from the world, not be part of it while being in it. Because of this, the church and its professing Christians look just like the world. Their leaders use the world’s methods instead of being obedient to God and His Word.

I receive email and comments every week from people who have left their churches because they could no longer tolerate the encroachment of the world in them. In many cases they were not sure what was wrong, but they knew that something had changed and they were no longer being fed the pure milk from God’s Word. I was one of these as well. The extreme guilt trip that is laid upon those who have come out of the Scarlet Woman can be hard to take. However, God is doing this and He has provided a network of leaders all over this country to minister to and teach these dear saints until they can find a decent church. Many of us fear that the genuine church will have to go underground someday. If that is the case, then what about those who remain in the Scarlet Woman?

[18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. [19] For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. [20] For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. [21] For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. [22] Claiming to be wise, they became fools, [23] and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. [24] Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, [25] because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. [26] For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; [27] and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. [28] And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. [29] They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, [30] slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, [31] foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. [32] Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (Romans 1:18-32 ESV)

Now, if you don’t think that church people can’t act like this then you haven’t taken a stand for the truth while being in their midst. I have experienced the viciousness and the exclusion and the loss of classes or ministries because someone didn't like the truth presented to them as absolute truth. Most church folks won’t become as visibly evil as we read in the passage above. Instead, they will resemble the following.

[3] For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, [4] and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV)

Church hopping is a symptom of this as is pastor firing. In any case, when we tell the truth as the truth then unregenerate people who believe that they are real Christians will not stand for it because God’s truth demands action. It demands obedience. It causes sin to be exposed. Then those in our churches who are not of the Spirit, but of the flesh will either leave or will try to expose and expunge what they don’t like. Early in 2006 I was still teaching a Bible Study class for young adults on Sunday mornings. One Sunday in February I was preparing to teach when one of my students asked a question about election. We had not been discussing this and I was not prepared to discuss it in depth. However, I had been reading a book called The Doctrines of Grace by Boice and Ryken. So I took a step into a nightmare by reading from Ephesians 1, John 6, Romans 8 and 9, etc. I didn't try to teach anything, I simply read the passages. Before I could get halfway through there were two guys in the class who started taking turns trying to interrupt me with questions or simply by talking louder than me. For every question I simply read the passage that addressed it. The one making the noises began badgering me about not addressing his questions, but of course I was answering him via Sacred Scripture. But he and the other fellow would not back off. I tried to get back to my lesson, but it wasn't going to happen. So I simply asked each of them to show me from scripture where God is not Sovereign in election. Of course, they could not do it. That was the beginning of the end for that class. In just a few months the rumors begin to fly that massive changes were coming down from above, and so the exodus of many of our most faithful began. Right after that our Pastor did indeed start moving towards the Purpose Driven Church stuff and that ended that for my wife and I. After we left we found out from friends still there that the first fellow that was not letting me teach that day was arrested for trying to make a date with who he thought was a teenage girl he met in a chat room just a few months later. I never saw the other fellow again.

[1] But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. [2] For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, [3] heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, [4] treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, [5] having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. [6] For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, [7] always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7 ESV)

What we must remember is that God gives people over to their idols. They are given a spirit of stupor that blinds them. They cannot nor will they ever see the truth unless God allows it then they repent. Also, these people are in the visible church big-time. They may even be in leadership positions. They will not tolerate sound doctrine because their reprobate minds totally reject the truth because it condemns them. They are in the throes of God’s wrath of abandonment. They are blind to it and consider those of us who do stand on God’s truth to be self-righteous, legalistic hypocrites. After all, doesn't God just hate the sin while loving the sinner?

by Mike Ratliff

Therefore Make your Calling and Election Sure

[22] Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, [23] since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; [24] for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, [25] but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:22-25 ESV)

The Puritans had a term they used in their theological writings and discussions describing professing believers who fell away or were in some way not consistent in their walk. They called them “temporary believers.” This may be a little offensive to many these days, but there are untold numbers of Pastors, Deacons, Elders, Evangelists, or whatever in our churches in our time who would not even qualify for membership in a 17th Century Puritan Church. As I have stated many times, I grew up in Oklahoma as a Southern Baptist. I have seen literally hundreds (if not more) of “invitations.” In a large percentage of these invitations, people walked an aisle, prayed a sinner’s prayer, was Baptised, and made a full member of the church. All of this taking place in a just a period of days. I have also observed a staggeringly high percentage of those professing believers last only a short period of time before disappearing from church never to be seen again.

Is this problem a problem with the nature of Christianity? I contend that there is nothing wrong with Christiantiy. There is a huge problem with the way it is practiced in the USA in the 21st Century by large numbers of churches. The scenario that I described in the first paragraph is very common in our churches and has been for as long as I can remember. If we look at the writings and listen to the sermons of Christian theologians throughout the 20th Century we learn that those we know who were not contaminated with Christian Liberalism were constantly crying out against its invasion into our churches and denominations. The “Main Stream” denominations grew more and more liberal. This trend is culminating in our time with some of these denominations being more pagan than Christian. This liberalization of church doctrines that began in the 19th Century in this country caused those who resisted it to create a new form of Christianity called Evangelical. These churches strived to fend off the creeping pollution of liberalism, but ended up morphing into a what we see today with man-focused worship, light-preaching, and pragmatism. These churches decry doctrine in favor of being culturally relevant. They say they are missional. They preach a gospel that makes it as easy as possible for people to be saved. They have removed the barriers of guilt, repentance, God’s wrath against sin, and the coming judgment against all sin. Instead they preach a gospel that eases people into “decisions” to make their life better with Jesus. We have vast numbers of Christians who have never heard the words “regeneration,” “repentance,” “wrath,” “judgment,” or possibly even “sin.” What does the Bible say about our faith? Are we to simply make “decisions” and that makes us Christians? Is there more to it than that? Is that even Biblical?

[1] Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: [2] May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. [3] His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, [4] by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:1-4 ESV)

The Apostle Peter, without a doubt the leader of the 12 Apostles who followed Jesus Christ during His ministry, identifies himself here as a servant and apostle of our Lord. The word servant here translates the Greek noun δοῦλος or  “doulos,” which means a permanent slave. It is translated as “bondservant” in the AV and the NKJV. This describes a slave who has endeared him or her self to their master for life. It is a mark of humility for Peter to use this term about himself. We see in Paul’s epistles that he used it to describe his relationship with Christ as well. He then tells to whom this epistle, that we call 2 Peter, is addressed. It is written to all who have obtained a faith of equal standing with the apostles by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Who is this? I am being facicious. Of course, we know this is written to all genuine believers. What do all genuine believers have in common? They have obtained a faith by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. How did they do that?

In v3 in the passage above, we see that Christ’s divine power has granted all believers all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called them to his own glory and excellence… The answer to my last question is found in this verse. God called them. The word in this passage is the same word found in Romans 8:29-30.

[29] For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. [30] And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. [31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:29-31 ESV)

That word simply means to call or invite. The following is from one of John MacArthur’s notes on this passage:

“However, in the New Testament it always means the same thing. It is the effectual call to salvation. This saving call is based on the sinner’s understanding of Christ’s revealed majesty and moral excellence evidencing that He is Lord and Saviour. This implies that there must be a clear presentation of Christ’s person and work as the God-Man in evangelism, which attracts men to salvation. The Cross and resurrection most clearly reveal His “glory and virtue.” – John MacArthur

In the ESV translation that I used above the word “virtue” is translated as “excellence.” In any case, I believe this verse is key to our understanding how genuine salvation takes place. It is like a marker that is missing in the majority of the “decisions for Christ” that mega-churches are always using to show they are on the “right track.”

Those whom God effectually calls are changed. They are new creations. They are genuine believers because they are Born Again through regeneration. They did not make a simple decision and then are rewarded with eternal life because they prayed a sinner’s prayer. Instead we have the correct picture of God saving His people by calling them effectually which always results in their belief and repentance because they see clearly their sin contrasted with Christ’s Righteousness, His work on the Cross to save them and His resurrection which shows His supernatural power. This knowledge of Christ’s Righteousness is part of the gift of faith that is part of the effectual call. No matter what the order is of these “events” we believe in, we must agree that salvation is of God, not Man.

What is changed in these new creations? They are given very great promises and are made partakers of the divine nature. What does that mean? The promises are of abundant and eternal life and all of the wonderful things that go along with them. What does that mean that believers are partakers of the divine nature? This is just another way of saying they are born again. They are new creations. They are spiritually alive whereas before, they were spiritually dead. They have the Holy Spirit living in them. The last word on Romans 8:30 is “glorified.” This is the promise of a glorified body like Christ’s in eternity.

Notice also that the Born Again believer has escaped from the corruption that is in the world through sinful desires. Does this mean that all genuine believers will be free from these sinful desires? Not immediately, but over time God will use our struggle with these sinful desires to teach us humility and conform us unto the image of His Son via sanctification. It will take the rest of our lives.

[5] For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, [6] and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, [7] and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. [8] For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. [10] Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. (2 Peter 1:5-10 ESV)

Verses 5-10 in 2 Peter 1 give us Peter’s concept of how genuine Christians are to manage their spiritual walk. Our faith is given to us by God or, if you will, our faith is made alive by God at our salvation as a gift which enables us to be saved. Either way that we conceive of this, it is our responsibility to put ourselves into position to grow in Christ or grow in grace. Why? This is in obedience to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12) How does Peter tell us to do this? First, we are to supplement or add to our faith. That’s not something we hear everyday is it? What does it mean? The Greek word translated “supplement” or “add” here means to give lavishly and generously and never sparingly. This will make a lot of sense as we go through what we are to “add” to our faith. Remember, God has given us our faith and His Grace which is all we need to live lives of godliness. We are to add to what God has given to us by diligent devotion to our personal holiness.

The first thing Peter tells us to add to our faith is “virtue.” The Greek word translated as “Virtue” means moral excellence. It means to live a morally excellent life demonstrated before the world by living it out. It never means to live a cloistered pious life behind monastery walls, hidden from the world. Peter’s usage of this word here is describing believers adding to their faith, moral energy that performs excellent deeds. Do we, then, simply look around us for good deeds to do to show everyone how virtuous we are? Of course not! We are to turn our hearts to God, follow His lead and never hesitate to help others in ways that we would never do if we were self-focused. I believe that when we listen to God then obey Him we will find ourselves doing these things in total surprise to our own reason.

Peter then commands us to add “knowledge” to our “virtue.” This is speaking of knowledge of God, His Words and His ways. This is truth. We learn these things from the Word of God. We are to add to our faith, virtue then supplement those with Bible knowledge. What will we be like if do this? I believe being virtuous will be a lot easier for us if we have a clear and complete knowledge of God’s Word. We will know God’s ways. We will know what are not God’s ways. We will be able to discern what tries to pass for Christianity which really isn’t. How? We will know the truth from God’s Word. No lies from the enemy, nor his deceptions can find a home in our hearts if we are diligently testing the spirits against the truth from God’s Word.

Peter then tells us to add self-control to our knowledge. Peter is telling Christians that we must not be controlled by our fleshly desires. We must “hold ourselves in.” This speaks of athletes not wasting their strength and abilities on distractions that can only dilute. For the Christian, this means that they devote themselves more and more to personal holiness. They deny their flesh. They put to death their sinful desires. Instead they dedicate themselves to fulfillment from God and God alone by disdaining any focus that can become idolatrous.

After self-control, the Christian is to add steadfastness or perseverance. This describes patience in doing what is right, never giving in to what the flesh wants or to a temptation to give in by forcing their will over others. The picture from the Greek is describing one who will die rather than give in because of their vibrant hope. Hope is in the will and is inseparable from our faith. As we learn to add these virtues to our faith our hope will deepen and become more and more vibrant. This will enable the believer to withstand temptations that would have consumed them before.

To self-control we are to add godliness. This word means to live reverently, loyally, and obediently toward God. The ability to be godly is elemental within our faith as God’s Grace flows in and through us. In Peter’s progression of virtue, we have our faith from God to which we add virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, and then godliness. It is interesting that godliness, even though we have all we need to attain it in our salvation, we do not exhibit it in our character until we have learned to be the virtuous Christian Peter is describing. Our godliness will be manifest as we obtain moral excellence, knowledge of God, self-control and patience.

Next we are to add brotherly affection or brotherly kindness to our godliness. This is mutual sacrifice for one another. This means that genuine Christians should never treat other Christians shabbily. If there are needs then we should try to meet them. If encouragement is needed then we give it. If godly advice is needed then we do not hold it back.

The last thing Peter tells us that we must add is love. This is AGAPE. It is as if we will be totally selfless in our love to everyone as it flows from our brotherly affection which flows from our godliness which flows from our patience which flows from our self-control which flows from knowledge of God which flows from our moral excellence which flows from our faith which is a gift from God.

Peter then says, “For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Is this needed in the USA version of Christianity? It sure is needed in my heart. If we become this virtuous then the promise is that we will be effective in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Did you catch that? Why would this be true?

[3] Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established. (Proverbs 16:3 ESV)

The virtuous Christian Peter is describing in this passage is committed to God in everything he or she does. All is under Christ’s Lordship. They are godly in character and effective in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. That means that whatever their role is in the Kingdom of God, they are effective there. The opposite is true if we are lazy Christians who are simply awaiting Heaven, watching TV as our major pastime, seldom opening our Bibles, selfishly hoarding our resources and time for ourselves then we will be ineffective or unfruitful in the Kingdom. “For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.” I do not want my Saviour to return and find me in that worthless condition. “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”

I believe that Peter is telling us that genuine Christians will be drawn to become virtuous as he described here. They also diligently examine themselves to make their calling and election sure. However, false professors will do none of these things via the Spirit. They may very well do good works and look very good on the outside, but Jesus Himself said that not everyone who calls Him Lord, Lord are truly His. Only those who diligently grow in grace by practicing what Peter gave us here reveal themselves to be genuine. Many of us did not pursue this until many years after salvation. I am in this group. All I can say is God is patient and gracious. He had to take me through much to get me to surrender to His will in my walk. He did a mighty work there so that I could start this godly walk by His grace.

If this discussion has left you doubting your salvation then I suggest going to God in prayer, seek His face, ask Him to show you the truth. I believe that conviction of sin is one of the best indications of genuineness. After all, non-believers will not be convicted the same way. If you are convicted that you need to start doing what Peter tells us to here then I suggest that you begin with spending more and more time with Him in prayer and devotion. I have no doubt that He will do a wonderful work on your heart as you deny what your flesh wants, fasting from the world as you feast on Him.

by Mike Ratliff