.
When the gospel becomes embedded in the culture of a society, it loses its power to save from sin as intended by the Scriptures. The culture of Old Testament Israel was based on the Ten Commandments. But adherence to the Ten Commandments was never meant to “save” Israel. No one was able to obey fully the letter of the Law. Rather the Law was meant to lead the Israelites to faith in Jesus Christ who would enable them to obey the spirit of the Law.
When the culture of a society is based on the Ten Commandments as it was originally in Europe and in North America, it results in great material advancement for that society as history shows. However, it eventually robs the gospel of its power to save from sin within that culture.
The Ten Commandments are meant to lead us to Jesus Christ. But nations which call themselves “Christian”—by definition—should already know Jesus Christ. But they don’t really know Him personally as Lord and Savior. They have only the outward form of godliness but lack its power. Those who are born into Christian families or a Christian-based culture are often born into Christendom, but are not born-again into the kingdom of God. In such a way many become inoculated to the truth since they already identify as “Christians.”
Western culture is based on the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are meant to lead us to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. But if we already identify as a “Christian” by birth or by culture, then there is no pressing need for us to repent from sin, be born again, and follow Jesus—since we are already “Christian.”
This is what has taken place in Western Europe where the religion of Christianity once flourished but has now practically disappeared from the mainstream culture. And this is what is happening in America today.
Once the gospel becomes embedded in the culture of a society, its power to save gradually fades away. The focus of the gospel then moves on to nations which have never heard. There we see powerful moves of God as we read of in Acts. There the process will repeat itself. When the gospel of the kingdom has been preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, then the end will come. History is linear; it has a beginning and an end.
The Kingdom of God is not meant to appear on earth until Christ returns to reign. “Christian nations” on earth today, without exception democracies, are but a very poor reflection, a shadow of the reality to come. The Kingdom of God will be a theocracy over which the Lord Jesus Christ will reign.
Churches merge, close: ‘We no longer live in Christendom. We really have to accept that it’s a thing of the past’ – Baltimore Sun. https://tiny.iavian.net/jq1k