Our Creator

Losing the Culture War
by Bill Dietrich

I love this country. I want the best blessings God has in store for this country and all of us who call America our home. I believe in my heart all Christians feel the same way. Many of us see the way our culture is steadily becoming more Godless and profane and we are deeply concerned, bewildered, even angry at times.

As a result, many have described the conflict between Christian values and those of the Popular Culture as a “Culture War”. Indeed, there is a deep rift between our respective values. Many of us have chosen to confront the major problems we see at this time, seeking to bring about change in the attitudes and lifestyles of the opposition.

We have drawn battle lines in such areas as Legalized Abortion, Homosexuality, Same-Sex “Marriage”, Evolution and Assisted Suicide to mention a few. We have fought to protect our Freedom of Religious Expression in our schools and in the workplace. These are areas in which government is actively promoting conduct which is absolutely contrary to our Biblical standards. Under the guise of “freedom of speech”, today we are told we must tolerate unprecedented filth in Movies, Rap Music, Radio and Television. Evolution is being taught in our schools as though it is an undisputed fact.

If our struggle against the moral meltdown in our values is truly a “Culture War”, are we winning or losing? I believe we are losing. But why?

Do we not have enough troops on the ground? Are we outnumbered by the enemy? Are we using the wrong strategies? Do we as Christians agree on our objectives?

If the polls are true, the vast majority of Americans profess belief in God. Most claim to be Christians, so we’re not really outnumbered. It is obvious, however, that our “silent majority” appears content to remain silent for a variety of reasons. Some are too busy with their personal and professional pursuits and some see no harm in going along with whatever is fashionable in the popular culture. In far too many cases, faith has a low priority and is felt to be a personal and private part of one’s life.

Others have a sense of inevitability about cultural change and have essentially given up on trying to influence the culture. Still others lack the discernment to realize the problem exists at all.

Yet most Americans say they want the best for this country. So if we could just mobilize our troops, train ourselves effectively and inspire each other to go out and carry the fight to the enemy, we should win, right?

Wrong.

Let’s define “winning” first. If we get everyone to give up the hedonistic lifestyle and start living in accord with Christian values, can we declare victory? Or what if we could at least get them to stop polluting the airwaves and entertainment outlets with graphic immorality? Maybe we could persuade schools to stop teaching evolution and “tolerance” for every sort of immorality. And maybe kids could speak the name of Jesus in school without being reprimanded and silenced.

I won’t hold my breath for that to happen.

Even if it were possible, would our culture be any better off? Do we really want unbelievers mimicking the behavior of believers without coming to faith in Christ? And if they did, how long do we think that would last?

Don’t get me wrong. I would be elated if we lived in an environment less hostile toward Biblical Truth. I believe we should continue to fight to protect our First Amendment rights and exercise those rights in the way Christ commanded us. His commission however, directed us to make disciples, not simply to influence people to live according to Godly principles and live their lives without accepting Christ as their savior.

The only way lasting change in our culture will occur is through the power of the Holy Spirit living in the overwhelming majority of our population. When more and more people truly surrender to Christ, then and only then will we see a change of heart and a corresponding change in our culture. If we are successful in getting people to change their behavior without surrendering to Christ, we have done them a great disservice. In effect, we are promoting the notion that you can achieve a righteous society without Christ at its center. We would be supporting the very lie that many people now live by.

The final point is this: Should we achieve a level of success in the transformation of our culture, it will not be a permanent victory. As we have seen throughout Christian history, a culture that fails to perpetuate its faith through teaching its children about Christ will ultimately find itself in the situation America is facing today. When The Enemy is unchallenged, he will regain his lost territory. He does not rest in his battle against Christ and His children. As parents and grandparents, we must dedicate ourselves to teach our children the Truth of Christ and equip them to live in a culture that will try to defeat them.

I pray we can all get ourselves on the battlefield, and strive to be victorious through sharing the gospel with as many people as possible. Righteous behavior is a result of a person surrendering to Christ. When a person tries to be a “good person” outside a relationship with Jesus, they are deceiving themselves and will remain lost until they come to accept His gift of grace.

Copyright 1/7/2008 William C. Dietrich

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