CHRISTIAN AND THE NATION – “PURSUING CHRIST IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION”
August 13, 2026Each of us are born into a certain family, culture and nation. This process is not in our hands. As Christians, if we understand Bible, we can fairly say that, such a birth is not some random act of chance or happenstance. I believe that God, for His own purposes and reasons, has placed us in the family that we are born into.
When we become Christians, we are called by God to be His disciples, followers, salt, light and His ambassadors, proclaiming the gospel, backed by a life that is reflecting our faith in the LORD Jesus, in the family, in the culture and in the nation that we are born into. Now, when we look at the Church in India or any other nation, we see that we are not living upto the standards of the Bible. There is a serious erosion of Christian witness. There is corruption of heart, mind and life. We can see compromise life distinctly in the lives of Christians and the Church. The degree of intensity may vary from person to person and from nation to nation.
Our life in this world is a struggle, since we are still in flesh and blood. However, the problem that Church all over the world, and India in particular is facing, is not the normal struggle of being in flesh. It appears to me that, we have accepted the standards of the world, and are living and conducting our lives by the systems and customs of the world, with absolute comfort, and without any qualms of conscience disturbing us. In simple words, we are running the Christian life and it witness by the principles of the world. What was once seriously considered as a taboo and unthinkable, is now the norm and the normative. The world is warmly welcomed with open arms into the Church. Don’t you think so?
If ever we as Christians wish to be true and strong witness to the saving power of the LORD Jesus, in the land we are called to live, we are to first repent of our sins. We are to surrender ourselves to the LORD and allow Him to work in and through us.
– “1 For this reason I make request to you, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you will give your bodies as a living offering, holy, pleasing to God, which is the worship it is right for you to give him. 2 And let not your behaviour be like that of this world, but be changed and made new in mind, so that by experience you may have knowledge of the good and pleasing and complete purpose of God.” – Romans 12:1-2
If we want our nation that we live in, to be blessed by God, we ought to repent and return back to the LORD, and to His principles, values and ethics in the conduct of everything that concerns our life and our living. Yes, “THE NEED OF THE HOUR”* is *”A TRUE CHRISTIAN REPENTANCE”
– “14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14
Two words – IF and THEN – define the whole verse, and reveals to us the heart of God towards the fallen man, and His unconditional love for us – IF MY PEOPLE, WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME…
– WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES
– AND PRAY
– AND SEEK MY FACE
– AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS
“… THEN I WILL…”
– I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN
– AND I WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN
– AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND
The words of our LORD are plain and simple. They are not confusing. God wants us to truly HUMBLE ourselves FIRST, then PRAY sincerely, SEEK God’s FACE with all our hearts, and TURN FROM all our wicked ways. Then the LORD WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN, WILL FORGIVE us our SIN, and WILL HEAL our LAND.
How about us this morning dear brothers and sisters? Can we do what the LORD Jesus is asking of us? Doing what the LORD wants us to do is the best thing we can ever do from our side. Most importantly for the good of our nation. Come let us return back to our LORD in true repentance. Even so the LORD help us.
