When Judgment Comes

WHEN JUDGEMENT COMES

When the debacle comes, when there suddenly dawns on America a realization that we as a nation have frittered away our place of world leadership, when the judgment of God descends on our land and the reality of our folly becomes apparent to all—then we may be given the sight to view agonizingly our follies and our blindness.

From its inception communism has declared its intentions and mapped its course. It has proceeded to carry out its plans without ever deviating from its avowed purpose and ultimate goal, which is complete domination of the world.

We cannot claim ignorance of the terrible wants which have occurred in recent years. The plans and accomplishments of communism have never really been concealed under the bushel of subterfuge—except to those unwilling to see—and the entire world has watched as nations have succumbed and maps have been changed.

Freedom is a Christian concept, and it is obvious that freedom and communism are antiethical. In such circumstances how obvious it should be that it is the Christian faith alone which has the dynamic to save.

We have willfully chosen to ignore facts and to embark on a course which will spell the doom of America. We have no one but ourselves to blame. In 1933 our government took official action, giving diplomatic recognition to a nation which officially denies and defies God. The supposed advantages of this step are now lost by increasing evidence that the judgment of God is descending upon us for our compromise with evil.

Americans have been wilfully ignorant of communism and its aims. We have thought we might “win” this embodiment of satanic cleverness by developing a spirit of mutual understanding and good will. We have confused the natural friendliness of the Russian people with the implacable evil of their rulers. We have thought that diplomatic relations would make possible cultural and social exchanges which would break down the barrier.

Our grave mistake has been in confusing people with a philosophy of dealing with an evil system as one would deal with wayward friends. Most serious of all, we have ignored communism’s attack on the sovereign God, and have thought that we could do business with his enemies without harm to ourselves.

America is by no means a “Christian nation.” One need only look around to see the devastating effect of sin in our midst. But America does offer freedom to Christianity and to the Church, and she has from the beginning of her existence given official recognition of God and honored him as supreme. The Bible in our court rooms and “In God We Trust” on our currency bears mute testimony to this.

Under the good hand of a beneficient God we have prospered as a people, enjoyed freedom, and been raised to a position of world leadership. But with increasing power and prestige we forget that God holds nations, as well as men, accountable for their actions. For America we believe the fatal turn was taken when we recognized Soviet Russia.

The childish argument that “recognition of a government does not carry with it approval of that government” has no relevance to the things of God. In communism we have the spirit of anti-Christ rampant, and we chose to try to do business with it.

As time has gone on, the inevitable deterioration has set in and gone on apace. There are those who now boldly say that “anti-communism can be worse than communism.” Now open attacks on communism and our own international policies are in turn condemned and ridiculed by a combination of well-meaning but ignorant individuals, the professional one-worlders and those definitely committed to left-wing philosophies, or worse.

But there is no excuse for ignorance, nor is there justification for letting some ill-advised alarmists divert one’s attention from a danger which is both real and evident.

Confused by subversive forces working from within and the agents of infiltration and intrigue to be found everywhere today, many people feel that America is in the gravest danger in her history. Compromised by official recognition of our political enemies, we are also confronted by the softening and degrading influence of immorality and greed run riot Our great educational institutions, once the bulwark of national integrity, have themselves sounded a note of uncertainty; for “academic freedom” is now often interpreted as godless license, and “tenure” has become a wall behind which some hide as they shoot at the spiritual and moral values which once made our nation great.

The Church, wherever she becomes more concerned with social engineering than with proclaiming the Gospel of redemption at the personal level, contributes to the confusion while she neglects her God-given task of preaching to the lost.

The solution to our dilemma does not lie in the realm of partisan politics. There are men who will rise up and join ranks regardless of party affiliations; men who see the cause of our danger and have the courage to call for a reversal of any and all policies that play into the hands of our national and spiritual enemy.

It is our conviction that there can be no permanent relief until we have severed all diplomatic ties with communism, Communist nations, and agencies. This would also require the expulsion of all Communist nations from the United Nations.

“Unthinkable!” is the loud chorus which would rise to such a proposal. “It would be giving up the great advances achieved for international brotherhood.” Within the political and church life of America, the overwhelming majority will arise to denounce even the suggestion that we cut all ties with international communism.

But what is the alternative—politically?

Against the devilishly ingenious and effective spread of communism, there is but one answer: separate from it and trust the Lord to take care of the consequences. We believe our present dilemma is due to a fatal mistake. If this is true, the mistake must be remedied at the place where it was made.

From a spiritual standpoint, what is the answer?

Problems can never be settled aright purely at the secular or political level. The ultimate solution of America’s dilemma has to do with our right relationship with God. The answer then lies in repentance, conversion, and healing.

And that is exactly what the Gospel of Jesus Christ does—it brings repentance for sin, conversion to Christ, and healing to the soul.

The answer to this dire crisis is a revival of true religion, a turning to Christ and a receiving of his blessings.

L. NELSON BELL

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