Righteousness Exalts A Nation

“Righteousness exalts a nation…” (Proverbs 14:34).

While America was founded upon Christian values and Biblical principles, we have slowly become unfaithful to God. You can plainly see it in things like removing prayer from schools and the Ten Commandments being stripped from the courts that were founded on them. When political correctness becomes more important than the life of the unborn, you know we’re in trouble. Unfaithfulness to God has become evident in the chambers of our lawmakers as well. Our nation has been unfaithful to the God whose name is chiseled on our monuments and engraved on our currency.

The Bible says "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan." (Proverbs 29:2). I know you have heard them. People are groaning everywhere these days. From the restructuring the troubles of our battered economy to the urgent need for tax reform in our government, people desire change. But how does true change come? What can build up our nation? Do we want America to benefit from practicing Christ-like righteousness or be further disgraced by sinful practices and politicians? The Bible says in Proverbs 14:34 that “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Sin has brought us to the current state of our country. Whether it’s greed on Wall Street or laziness on Main Street, our governmental structures as a whole aren’t built on the principles of God any longer.

Righteousness must be the standard by which we build our nation. Christians cannot simply vote the economy on Tuesday and hope for Godly change on Sunday. For Christians, there is no such thing as a “church life” and a “political life”. They are one and must be governed by righteousness. Christians must vote righteousness and even run for offices in which they desire Christ-like change and integrity. Righteousness simply means to be in right standing with God. It means you are honoring Him and following His ways. Christians must always side with Biblical standards and never compromise.

The Reverend Charles Finney said, "The time has come that Christians must vote for honest men, and take consistent ground in politics or the Lord will curse them... Christians have been exceedingly guilty in this matter. But the time has come when they must act differently... God will bless or curse this nation, according to the course Christians take."

President James A. Garfield said, “The people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities... If the next century does not find us a great nation... it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces."

If Christians desire for America to once again be shaped and governed by righteousness, now is the time to step up. While we must pray and seek the Lord in private about the state of our nation, we must publicly take action if we desire true change. Christians must stand up for righteousness, not political correctness. Biblical principles must fashion our political agendas, not political parties, affiliations, or economy.

Minister and civil rights leader Frederick Douglass said, “I have one great political idea... The best expression of it I have found in the Bible. It is in substance of scripture, 'Righteousness exalts a nation; sin is a reproach to any people'. This constitutes my politics -- the negative and positive of my politics, and the whole of my politics."

If you truly want true change then stand for righteousness. God’s Word promises that righteousness will exalt our nation, but only if Christians take a stand. Biblical principles are a must for change we can believe in. If we really want to put our country first, then God must be truly first. Vote Righteousness.