Righteousness Exalts a Nation

I don’t know about you, but I have been worried–make that very worried–about the election next week. The Lord ministered to me through our sermon this morning…with encouragement, comfort and conviction.

Our text was a single verse, Proverbs 14:34, which reads, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Our pastor had two main points:

First that the election is not ALL-important, meaning it is not the only thing that matters. And second, that it is, nevertheless, still important to a degree.

The pastor reminded us that it is not a presidential candidate or party which exalts a nation. It is righteousness. Nations such as China may have a totalitarian government, and yet the Gospel is sweeping across the nation, bringing revival and blessings in spite of the law of the land. Other nations, such as ours, guarantee freedom to worshipers, yet gross sin still abounds throughout the land.

Our nation will not stand or fall based on the results of this election. We need to be committed to praying for our nation and for our neighbors, and we need to be sharing the Gospel freely. The Gospel is what transforms people and nations, not politics. This election will not so much determine who we will be as a nation as it will reflect who we have already become.

In spite of this, the election is still important. We should not be like those who throw up their hands and say, “Whatever will be, will be.” Sin is a disgrace to any people, as the text says.

We will share in the reproach for our leaders’ sins, even if we did not vote for them. If the Lord judges our nation, it will impact us all. The Bible makes it clear that all sins are not equal. We should vote to protect life.

We need to repent, as a people and as a church. Our pastor reminded us that if we will, God may yet hold back his wrath for a generation, as He did in the time of Josiah. Or He might not. We cannot know whether that tide may yet be stemmed by our repentance, or if it is already too late.

As a litany of our nation’s sins was read from the pulpit, I was cut to the heart. Idolatry, taking God’s name in vain, desecrating the Sabbath, sexual immorality, perversion, murder of the unborn, discord, theft, drunkenness, gross indebtedness, gluttony…the list goes on and on. Surely we, as a nation, have sinned before God.

As I listened to him preach, I felt like Isaiah, who said, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips,” Isaiah 6:5.

You see, it is not only that I live amongst a nation of sinners. I, too, am a lawbreaker.

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, saying they were like whitewashed tombs, full of dead men’s bones, with an appearance of righteousness but full of hypocrisy on the inside.

As I reflected on the sins of our nation today, I knew that I, too, am an American.

Greedy, disrespectful toward my parents, unsubmissive toward my husband, prideful, lazy, a lover of money…the list could go on and on, but you get the picture. Our problem isn’t just “out there”. We all need to be daily repenting of our sin.

As we approach the election on Tuesday, let us remember that a nation is exalted by righteousness, which only comes through Christ. We need to repent….of our personal sins, of our corporate sins as an American church, and of the sin which is a disgrace to our people. We need to cry out to the Lord for revival in our land.

“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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14