1. Canada
If Canada is not yet a sinking ship with its fate sealed by an icy ocean of secularism that floods our country, it’s close. Though there’s still a sliver of hope that Canada or the provinces might avoid catastrophe, the hull of this nation is fast approaching critical stress, and if not released soon, will crack.
But why are we in this position? Why is it that men are ridiculed and hated for promoting Christian views and preaching Christian values while the secularist, the lover of things like abortion and post-modernism—sin—is praised and welcomed in our society? Why is it that our nation has descended deep into the depths of moral ambiguity? Our premiers and Prime Minister, belligerently intoxicated on the elixir of power, are confidently leading us into a wasteland. How is this permitted to happen?
There is a proper time and place to force our trojan politicians and bloated bureaucracy to atlas the blame, true. But I think the guiltiest party is the watchmen, the pulpit, who have failed miserably in their critical task, and whose judgement I do not want to endure.
If this pandemic has manifested any blessing, it’s this: the portrait of character revealed. We now know the essence of each church in this province and the country; it’s not good. The Church is commanded to be like Christ, like a lion (Revelation 5:5), bold, fearless, and indomitable. We are a lampstand (Revelation 1:13-16) for the Light in a world that loves to consume heavy darkness. But the pulpit has rebelled against this order—the churches won’t even open.
2. Law
The church’s command is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20). That’s its first and definitive priority. But to adequately and obediently preach this gospel, men must first be convinced of their sin and subsequent need of a Saviour (Romans 7). However, because our consciences are so fallen and our nature so naturally corrupted, apart from a simple natural law that is inherent to all people, we cannot reason on our own that we are lost. It’s for this reason that Paul concludes that before the written Law descended from Heaven, there was no transgression, for there was nothing to transgress against (Romans 5:12-14).
Therefore, it is necessary that the church fiercely preaches about the Law which God revealed to his servants, the prophets, now recorded in Scripture (Daniel 9:4-10). This Law condemns us (Romans 4:15); it judges that we have failed from conception (Psalm 51:5) and cannot measure up to the Law Himself, Jesus Christ. Though it might appear malicious or hateful to ordain such a document, it is, in fact, one of the highest orders of mercy granted from On High. What would we do without this law? Who could say what’s wrong? Any Aristotelian appeals to submit to nature and the laws that govern life, which I believe is a wise thing to do, would be countered in this modern age with the question, “Why not ascend beyond nature?”
More than that, this Law declares how to act. True, it’s a Law that’s concerned about the state of our hearts (Micah 6:8), but it describes the good actions that follow from a righteous heart and the bad actions which proceed a sinful one. It follows that if we study and know this Law, we are able to critique the actions of government.
But the church in our country has transformed into a hive, preaching a Satanic sort of “Social Justice” while completely neglecting to read God’s commands. There is no Law in the sermons; there is no justice in the services. Instead, emotions and cultural and political trends dominate the sanctuary. How then can the church critique the actions of our Federal and Provincial Governments? What Law can they structure any criticism on? Not only so, but the government engages in social justice every day; many of our churches agree with arresting Pastor Coates, Stephens, and Pawlowski! When the government legislates a policy in violation of Scripture, what do we hear from our pastors if not, “Romans 13! Romans 13!”?
3. Repentance
The church has the heavy command of preaching repentance in a hostile world, for repentance is the only way to understand the truth of Christ (Acts 2:38). There are few things as difficult as telling a man who delegates to charity, is a trusted and upstanding citizen in his community, and is welcomed by all his friends, that he is a naturally depraved creature destined for an eternity in Hell unless he be saved by Christ (Matthew 13:42). As uncomfortable as it might be initially, it’s the truth, and the church is required to say it.
But of course, how can this doctrine of repentance be championed if the church silences the Law? Again, on what grounds can a pastor say, “Be saved by the Lord Jesus and you’ll receive forgiveness of sin.” if he refuses to talk about the Law (like Exodus 20:3-19), which actually shows us our evil? There are none! And we’re witness to the consequences. Churches are no longer concerned about repentance or preaching about the salvation of Christ Jesus. Rather, they seek an atonement from their previous “injustices” against the radical left, Marxists, and other groups that label themselves oppressed by Christianity. It’s no surprise the sanctuaries have trodden this path. The crowds in a church that proclaims repentance are never as large, their offerings are barely enough to keep the doors open, and the maiden sermons of sin and justice do not make a person feel as good as the woke churches do.
But because the church no longer preaches repentance in the name of Jesus Christ, they no longer preach the gospel. They cannot do so any more than a bachelor can be simultaneously single and married. The purpose of the church in this country has been remade and perverted into something it’s not supposed to be. The new (false) God loves “tolerance, peace, unity” at the sacrifice of truth and justice.
But if the church will not preach repentance, if they will not point the society, according to the standard of Scripture, in the moral and spiritual direction they are to pursue, why is it any surprise our country’s in the position we’re in? The members of government are leading us into a place of darkness, and the church is silent! The checks on the parliament’s power are vaporizing before our very eyes, all because the church is content to lay low, to keep quiet, and to capitulate to the thoughts and ideas of the modern age.
The solution, of course, is simple: live and preach Christ and His Gospel.
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