What's Wrong: I am

There is a danger in writing the kinds of articles this special issue has focused upon. The hazard is simple: we can decide all of the problems are with "them", "those out there," "the media" and "the terrible government." Everyone else is at fault, needs to make changes and correct themselves, we easily conclude -- everyone but me.

A London newspaper once sponsored a contest asking people to write in and tell what was wrong with England. The noted Bible scholar and writer G.K. Chesterton wrote in two simple words: "I am."

How willing are we to consider that we may be contributing to the decline and fall of America? Is my moral conduct having a positive or negative effect upon this country? Let me suggest some areas that bear our most sincere and earnest self-examination.

The problem with America is me when I blame others for my mistakes and sins. Without doubt, one of this country's great problems is getting anyone to take responsibility for anything. A juvenile runs loose killing and maiming and we are told that he is just a product of his environment. After all, it takes a village to raise children, right? So the village failed him. Or the government failed, or his parents, or . . . . It is positively nauseating, isn't it? The language of "victimization" runs rampant in our culture today. People proudly wear and use their "victim" status to excuse every kind of moral degeneracy and problem.

Yet with no small degree of regularity I hear Christians use the very same kind of language to excuse their own errors and sins. "He made me so mad I just had to say a few things." "If she had not done what she did I would never have done what I did!" All such lame excuses say exactly the same thing: my conduct is not my own doing, so I am not responsible for it. Note the powerful confession of the publican in Luke 18:13: "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" There is no rationalization or excuse making here. The publican did not blame his circumstances, the Roman invasion of Judea, or even the racially prejudiced Pharisee standing beside him. He owned up to his sins -- the very first step in dealing with sin.

When Israel was taken into captivity in 606, 597, and 586 b.c. it was obviously an embarrassing time. Here they were, the supposed people of God, captured by a pagan nation and in . How could this be explained? What had happened? Ezekiel 18:2 tells us they resorted to using the proverb "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children's teeth are set on edge." It is not our fault. We are suffering for the sins of others. We are not responsible.

God's swift reply to this proverb, and His evident outrage at its use, speaks volumes to us when we try to evade personal responsibility. "'As I live,' says the Lord God, 'you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel'" (Ezekiel 18:3). It is rare for God to explicitly forbid certain talk and speech, but He did not hesitate to flatly state: "Stop saying that!" God deplores those who play the "blame game." Let us make certain that we are not casting around for convenient scapegoats (elders, preachers, brethren) for our own sins. To do so is to duplicate the spirit of our times.

The problem with America is me when I want others to play by rules and standards that I myself do not want to live up to. Recently the Dallas Morning News carried a story detailing how 80% of Americans agree adultery is terrible and should not be done. However, many who condemn adultery as wrong have committed adultery! In plain terms, the study revealed that people don't want others committing adultery and wrecking homes. No, that would be bad -- but they somehow exempt themselves from this prohibition. Regrettably, adultery is not the only issue that Americans address with such a ridiculous double standard. Everything from employee theft to cheating on income taxes to common courtesy is handled in the very same way. While others should do what they are supposed to do, I am going to do what I want to do.

The New Testament has a label for such conduct: hypocrisy. This is exactly the issue that Jesus addresses in Matthew 7:1-5: "Judge not, that you be not judged. . . And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." While this passage is terribly misused to condemn all judging (a false use of scripture, note John 7:24) let us not miss the point Jesus is making. Jesus tells us that we must not deplore others' sins while we engage in the very same ourselves. It is outrageous and absurd for us to urge others to moral virtue and doing right with no intent personally to live up to those same standards.

Check yourself. If someone asked if they should read the Bible what would you say? Now a harder question: do you read the Bible? What if someone inquired about church attendance -- would you say that it is important to meet with the saints? Now the follow-up question: do you meet with them? If someone asked if honesty and integrity are part of Christianity, how would you respond? Would that response be the "generic" answer for everybody because you know that you personally are not always honest? See how easy it is to want others to do what we ourselves will not?

Perhaps one of the worst ways this kind of hypocrisy plays out is when a parent demands his or her child do what they will not. Parents roll by the church building and dump Junior out for Bible class because "he should go to Sunday school." But do they come to class too? Of course not! They go to the coffee shop for breakfast or back home to get more sleep! These same parents will tell Junior to read his Bible, get his Bible class lesson and pray before he goes to bed. Sadly, Junior has never seen his parents do any of these things. His mom and dad are trying to get Junior to value what they clearly do not. All this does is make certain that our children learn to be the hypocrites we are. Can America really get any better when we raise another generation to duplicate our exact sins?

Finally, I am the problem with this country when I refuse to do what I can to help it. There is never a shortage of folks ready to decry America's moral decline. But how many of these same people are praying for this country daily? Paul urges prayer to be offered for "all who are in authority" (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Is that a part of your prayer life -- or would you rather verbally tear down this country than ask God to build it up? We are blessed with the ability and opportunity to influence our country's government directly from the ballot box. As Christians we understand what government should be doing (see Romans 13) and so can exercise our right to vote to place officials who will govern in line with the ideals of Romans 13. Do you do that? Or is it easier to vote for the candidate who promises more money in our wallets, rather than the one who is standing for morality on issues like homosexuality, abortion, and pornography? There are a host of other applications of this principle that we can make. In truth, when we live like Christians should we are permeating our society with the light of God's truth and that has a preserving effect (see Matthew 5:13ff). It is our obligation and privilege to do just that, and we need to make every decision in light of how valuable our influence can be.

In the years after the Civil War this country knew widespread moral disintegration. Politicians were widely held to be corrupt, and moral standards fell. Some who were troubled by these turns of events approached General Robert E. Lee asking for a solution. His idea? Reading the Bible! Stating that he preferred the Bible to any other book Lee said "There is enough in that to satisfy the most ardent thirst for knowledge, to open the way to true wisdom, and to teach the road to salvation and eternal happiness." What a prescription. Reading and living the Bible would surely make a difference! Am I willing to make that difference?

While many of us might wish we had positions of power and influence so as to make really "big" changes in this country, the truth is that the only change we can make with guaranteed results is a personal one. I can decide to do right, and that makes this country better off by one person. I can live as a Christian should and try to teach others to be same, and that helps this country by having one less person involved in sin and wickedness. I can determine to take responsibility for my actions, and that helps America by one person. Ultimately, that is how we make a difference in this country:one person at a time.