Nobody likes to have a spotlight shine on their own huge sins.

We recoil at even the thought of it, and understandably so.

We naturally want to preserve the lie that while “nobody’s perfect” and “we’re only human” just like “everyone else”, we’re really not nearly as bad as this obviously awful dude over here or that glaringly godless guy over there. By our nature we desperately want to believe (and spread the belief) that there is something inherently better about us; something in and of ourselves that distinguishes us from “those poor, pathetic” folks that we like to place in the “really bad” category.

We do this as individuals by setting our favorite individuals – beginning with ourselves – aside in a protected, inherently superior class.

We also do this with our favorite cultures – which, for most American Christians is quite naturally the American culture.

In this manner we strive to shield our favorite people (us) and our favorite culture (ours) from serious accusation of serious sin. We tend to think of this approach as loving and patriotic.

But biblically speaking, the approach of shielding our favorites from serious criticism (and therefore serious self-examination and potentially repentance, which is the only true path to restoration) is anything but loving. It is hateful.

One of the great beauties accompanying many of the ugliest and most initially unwanted revelations of sin on an individual or cultural level is the much-needed clarity that comes as a result. With that clarity comes great opportunity – one of the greatest opportunities of all, actually: The opportunity to repent. (See: Will we repent or will we be destroyed?)

Now think of the alternative path for a moment: The one we would always naturally choose for ourselves and our favorites if we were left to our own devices. The path down which we are not confronted by the clear revelation of our sin. The route by which we would never be corrected for our error and chastised with warnings of where our “happy path” of proud self-determination actually ends.

A self-sacrificial, passionate desire to see the lost and dying repent and find true life is what inspires Christians, out of true love, to confront and correct those for whom they care so that the beautiful Gospel command to “repent, believe and be saved” might be heard, and, by God’s grace, embraced by those who are blessed to hear it.

This is why here at Fire Breathing Christian we try to lovingly (in the sense of true biblical love) confront and correct the culture and those therein, always while remembering that “there but by the grace of God go we” and that every good thing that we think, know, experience and do is a gift given by God’s grace alone.

We do this because we love the American culture in which we’ve been placed and because we love the people who make up that culture. Above all, we do this because we love the Lord who has commanded and equipped us take forward His Gospel-fueled Great Commission to every lost and dying person and culture, so that they might be saved and become lovingly obedient to Him in all things.

Yesterday’s post, 51,000,003 reasons why America owes Nazi Germany an apology, seemed to strike a chord with many. In doing so, it’s presented a fine opportunity to take a moment to contemplate why it is that we do what we do; why it is that Christians confront and correct as best as they are able with the true and complete Gospel message.

Ours is a culture saturated with false religion masquerading as Christianity. This false religion seems content to do little more than escort America and Americans to their respective graves. So it is that when something like this little (and quite imperfect) blog comes along, the messages here can be incredibly jarring and painful to those who have been raised, coddled, and left as insecure, apathetic spiritual infants by a “Gospel in a Bottle” religion that has nothing better to offer at the end of the day. (See: Beware the “Gospel in a Bottle”.)

So as we contemplate and encourage the contemplation of the truly horrific condition of resent-day America, please know that we do this out of love.

True love.

Love for an America that is even now proudly begging for the wrath of God.

Love for Americans who have been profoundly betrayed and misled by a phony “Christianity” that has no power to save anyone from anything…except perhaps true salvation through the true Gospel. (See: How “Judge Not!” Phony Christianity Has Fundamentally Transformed America.)

When we are confronted with the reality that our culture’s warped twistedness radically exceeds even that of Nazi Germany in many core aspects, we are naturally pained. Greatly pained. And greatly saddened.

But what then? What comes after that? What are we after the initial jolt of pain comes and goes?

Are we broken and repentant?

Or are we proud and defiant?

Are we begging God to forgive us and committing to submit to Him completely so that we might actually find true peace, joy, prosperity and life?

Or are we presuming the favor of the God whom we have clearly mocked and rejected in the most heinous manner, heaping even more judgment upon our heads?

That’s where we’re at now. That’s our crossroads – a crossroads that itself only exists by the grace of God.

He has no need to offer this opportunity. He has no obligation. He has no need for America and no need for any American. (See: Roaring into Post-America Christianity.)

He could let us go right on unconfronted and uncorrected to our doom – a doom that we completely deserve.

Yet he has by His grace given us this great opportunity to be broken, to be appropriately ashamed, and to repent. (See: How to truly love (and really save) America.)

True love compels us not to shield America and Americans from that opportunity.

True love compels us to clearly proclaim and pursue that opportunity.

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If you’d like to read more along these lines, please head on over to the Fire Breathing Christian site, where everything from theology and education to movies and pop-culture is tackled head on from a Christ-centered and Gospel-fueled perspective.

Thank you for your time. interest, and support!

Soli Deo Gloria,

SAB

© 2015 Scott Alan Buss – All Rights Reserved.