Adrian Rogers: America’s Only Hope Is Spiritual Awakening
Adrian Rogers: America’s Only Hope Is Spiritual Awakening
If we want to know what is wrong with our great nation, we should first look in the mirror. By and large, nations receive the kind of government they deserve. What we expect out of our Constitution and government today is not something they were designed to do. In this message, Adrian Rogers shares our only hope for this great nation.
I heard someone say the most important thing is the economy. Is it the economy?
Is that the most important issue? I’ve thought about that.
And friend, I had rather leave my children and my grandchildren, the legacy of a godly nation, children and my grandchildren the legacy of a godly nation than great wealth to be squandered in a godless society.
I believe it is what God says that it is.
It is righteousness that is our great need. Righteousness exalteth a nation.
Profound truth simply stated. This is love worth finding with pastor, teacher, and author, Adrian Rogers.
Proverbs chapter 14 and verse 34 is our verse for this morning.
It’s a wonderful verse, and it so well helps us as we face the future here in these beloved United States of America.
The title of the message today is the only hope for America.
The only hope for America is found in that verse. Proverbs chapter 14 and verse 34.
Righteousness exalted the nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
America is number 1, but unfortunately, America is number 1 in sexual perversion, number 1 in abortion, number 1 in crime, number 1 in the destruction of family values, number 1 in the enforcement of humanistic political correctness.
And I’m thinking about not only myself, but I’m thinking about my children.
I’m thinking about my children’s children.
If the Lord tarries, I ask what kind of a nation are they going to inherit?
Alexander Hamilton said this, people get the kind of government they deserve.
And if we want to know what’s right or wrong with America, we probably need to go look in the mirror.
You see, something has happened in America since our founding days, since 1776.
We’re trying to make our our constitution and our government do something today it was not designed to do.
I want you to pay attention.
We’re trying to make our government today do something that the constitution did not design it to do.
Now with that in mind, and I’m talking to you today about America’s only hope, there are 3 things that come out of this verse.
But I pray God, the Holy Spirit, will ride upon your consciousness, emblazon upon your soul and cause to reverberate through your thoughts this 4th July weekend.
Number 1, the righteousness which is the exaltation of a nation.
The righteousness, which is the exaltation of a nation. Look at the verse again.
Righteousness exalteth a nation. Learn this and learn it well, please.
Righteousness and liberty are inextricably interwoven.
You cannot have true liberty without true righteousness.
What God hath married, no man can put asunder. Now what is righteousness?
Righteousness is living responsibly under God.
You see, righteousness is my assuming my God given responsibilities as a citizen of the kingdom of God and as a citizen of this great country.
Now, I want you to understand that righteousness, and I’m going to call righteousness and link righteousness with responsibility, I want you to see how they are inseparably wed together.
Now what made America such a great nation is this, that America was born in a revival.
Don’t forget that. From 17/40 TO 17 70, there was a great revival that swept across America.
We called it the great awakening.
And Jonathan Edwards was preaching, and George Whitfield were preaching, and numerous other preachers.
And there was a a flame of righteousness. And out of that revival, schools were built.
And in those schools, principles were taught and character became very strong.
And and, uh, as a result, out of that, a nation was born.
Out of that, a declaration of independence upon Great Britain and dependence upon almighty God was put into our bosoms by our founding fathers.
Now to our founding fathers, they knew that the more character that you have, the more responsibility you will assume, the less government you will need.
To our founding fathers, therefore, the best government was the least government.
Now we have in America today given to us a constitutional republic, A constitutional government.
A republic that is a government based in law, a constitution, but it is where those who service in our government serve only as a representative body.
They represent us, the people, and they serve only with the consent of the governed.
It is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
But now listen to me very carefully. This kind of government can only work where there’s character.
This kind of government cannot work apart from character.
If there’s no righteousness, then this kind of government that we believe is rooted in Judeo Judeo Christian ethic, this government, we believe will not work.
Now you say, well, Adrian, you’re a Baptist preacher. What do you know about it?
Well, let me tell you what James Madison, the 4th president of the United States and the architect the architect of the Federal Constitution.
Let me tell you what James Madison had to say about it, and I’m quoting. Listen to it.
We have staked the whole future of American civilization not upon the power of government.
Far from it. We have staked the future upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves and to sustain ourselves according to the 10 commandments of God.
That’s the architect of the constitution. That’s the 4th president of the United States.
We, uh, we we’ve said our whole future is based upon people who have character and the basis of that character is the 10 commandments of God.
Which 10 commandments have been hauled down from the classrooms of America’s schools and called unconstitutional.
That is the posting of these commandments.
Liberty is responsibility assumed. Got it?
Liberty is responsibility assumed. Righteousness exalteth a nation. Doing your thing is not responsibility.
That is not liberty. That is license. And the ultimate result is a dependent mentality.
Real liberty always comes from within.
Real liberty is taking the policeman from the street corner and putting him in your heart.
The less God rules in your heart and in my heart, the more control we’re going to have to have from without.
What is the difference between freedom and slavery? The difference is where are the laws?
In slavery, the laws are on the outside. In freedom, the laws are in here.
Righteousness exalteth the nation, but sin is a reproach to any nation.
Now when we had this constitution, when it was born in the white hot fires of revival, America was born.
She announced her dependence with a firm reliance upon the protection of divine providence.
And something wonderful happened when this nation was born.
There was an industrial revolution and America began to produce great wealth.
Was that because our soil is richer, it rains more on America, uh, good old Yankee ingenuity?
Are Americans brighter? Do we have a higher IQ? Do we have bigger biceps? No.
There were certain principles of liberty that began to work in America, and we had this this industrial revolution, and and wealth was produced, and we got strength, military strength.
We could sing it and say it, protect us by thy might, great God our king.
Weren’t like we were are today.
The scream of the great American eagle today has become the Twitter sparrow.
Now, we’re saying we want to put women on the front lines if we have a war.
Did you know in the Bible, when God spoke about his judgment upon a nation, you know what he said about them?
He said, I’ll make the soldiers like women. That was God’s judgment.
God said, I’ll make the soldiers like women. That is, I’ll take away the strength.
Our nation became a strong nation.
Our nation became a wealthy nation and our nation had culture and our nation had prestige and Americans were admired all over the world.
Today, we’re scorned and hated and tried to buy our way through nations around this world.
I’m telling you folks that liberty and character are interwoven.
Liberty is responsibility and character assumed. Righteousness exalteth the nation.
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So there is the that is the exaltation of a nation. Got that? Now here’s the second point.
There is the reproach that is the humiliation of a nation.
The reproach that is the humiliation of a nation.
Righteousness exalted the nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
Now, the great American dream has begun to dissolve because of sin.
We came through the civil war.
We came through World War 1 with God’s help.
We were poor winners. We didn’t know how to give God thanks for what he’s done.
The flapper age came. The roaring twenties came. America, out of control, self indulgent.
Then in 1929, the depression came. The stock market crashed. What happened in America?
Hasn’t just happened recently. What happened in America happened a long time ago.
We wanted self government without self control. It can’t be done.
And at that time, out of the Great Depression, rather than going back and saying what was wrong and fixing it rightly, we tried to fix it in the wrong way.
And so we began there to give more and more power to the government.
We began to relinquish more responsibility to the government.
Remember, as character disintegrates, there is a loss of liberty and government becomes more and more powerful.
Now you watch it.
Where there is the erosion of character, sexual permissiveness and perversion and the disposal of unwanted unborn children and the breakup of the family and the obsession with material things and this craving for pleasure, sex and drugs.
At that time, government will get bigger and bigger and bigger.
Now you see, what government does and it’s a very it’s a very tricky thing.
Government, first of all, begins to provide for people.
And the people fail to realize the government can’t give anybody anything that at first doesn’t take away.
The government doesn’t have anything to give in and of itself.
It only can give what it takes away, but but we’ve been told the government will provide for us.
But as the government provides, ipso facto, as night follows day, it assumes more and more authority.
And the government that begins to provide, begins to regulate.
And so as we as there’s this growth of government, sin is a reproach to any people, the government begins to give what it, first of all, takes away.
And after the government provides and then controls, then it is free to oppress.
And then you have a totalitarian government and we have less and less freedom, less and less liberty because the weak character of the people has permitted it.
Liberty will last only as long as character and responsibility last.
Let me tell you 1 of the stupidest things upon the face of this earth for people to say it makes no difference what the character of our leaders are, so long as they can do the job.
They can’t do the job without character. I mean, it’s all rooted together.
It is righteousness that exalteth the nation. But as we lose our character, we will lose our liberty.
Now that’s the reproach that happens to a people.
Remember what Alexander Hamilton said? People get the kind of government they deserve.
Well, you say, but pastor Rogers, we still have a lot of blessings here in America. Yes, we do.
But the blessings that we enjoy are the residual blessings that our fathers have left us and our forefathers have left us.
But we’re living in the shadows of an age, and our liberties are fast receding over the horizon.
And it is time that we awakened in America. Now, what will happen if we don’t awaken?
What will happen? What is the reproach that will come to us? Well, it’d be the loss of liberty.
And with the loss of liberty, I’ll tell you what will happen.
There will be the disappearance of the middle class.
Middle class.
And, uh, those who are the very rich, for the most part are in the government, are associated with the government.
The very poor are those who are not in the government, who have to work to keep the government going.
Now in 1931, out of every 205 people worked for the government.
Today, it is more like 1 out of 5.
From 1 to 205 to 1 out of 5. Why? As character disintegrates, government grows.
And, uh, you see, today there is 1 governmental worker or bureaucrat and 1 dependent for every 3 workers.
What has happened?
Loss of character, a growth of government, and you work from the beginning of the year till just about this time just to pay your taxes.
I mean, since the beginning of the year, you’ve been working, If you’re an average American, from the time January 1st, we had New Year’s date up till about this time, you’ve been working just to pay your taxes.
Now I I’m not against paying taxes. We ought to pay taxes.
But, folks, it’s getting bigger and bigger and bigger. Why? Because our character’s getting less and less and less.
Our Constitution was written BY a people of character, for a people of character.
There is the righteousness, which is the exaltation of a nation.
There is the reproach, which is the humiliation of a nation. Learn this about government.
Our fathers knew it. They knew it well. Government is not here to meet your needs.
That’s not the that’s not the purpose of government. Read Romans 13.
The government is here to protect us from tyranny and to and to punish evil doers.
That’s the reason that our forefathers said this, that our government is here to provide the common defense, to promote the general welfare, not to provide the general welfare, provide the common defense.
You and I cannot raise an army. We have to provide for the common defense.
We are to promote the general welfare.
Give us a land where free born Americans can go out and do what the Bible says, work.
For if a man will not work, neither should he eat.
When we began to see the government as a cow to be milked rather than a watchdog to be fed, we’re in trouble.
The government is here, as our forefathers understood, to provide the general defense, to promote the general welfare.
Now when the government takes over, the government says whatever we whatever we subsidize, we’ve got control, and that would include, uh, education.
And so we send our children off to an educational system that’s outruled God, outlawed God.
And then now in in the place of the 10 commandments, we have values, clarification.
In place of good old fashioned Americanism, we have the glories of the well fair state.
Instead of a person standing up with patriotism for his nation, our kids are taught the glories of a 1 world government and a new world order.
Hitler said in 1920, give me the minds of the children and in 1 generation, I will give you the fascist super state.
Just give me the minds of children. That’s the reason why he started his youth corps.
Stalin in the early 1900, he did the same thing.
That is the humiliation, the reproach of a nation.
Now what has happened in America is this, that the Bible is out and humanism with its x rated textbooks is in.
Here’s what, uh, the human educators are saying about your children.
By the way, if you think that I’m just making this up, what I am giving you right now is taken from an address given at a childhood education seminar by a professor of educational psychiatry at Harvard University.
Here’s what he said. Every child in America entering school at the age of 5 is mentally ill because he comes to school with certain allegiances toward our founding fathers, toward our elected officials, toward his parents, toward a belief in a supernatural being, and toward the sovereignty of this nation as a separate entity.
It is up to you teachers to make all these sick children well by creating the international child of the future.
He’s sick. Your child is sick if he loves his parents, if he loves the founding fathers, if he believes in God, if he says America first.
He’s sick and the educators have got to reeducate him.
And these people are going to subsidize us and God fearing Americans are going to pay our salary to break into the plastic mentality of our children and rob them of the values of the parents.
There’s the righteousness, which is the exaltation of a nation.
There is the reproach, which is the humiliation of a nation.
Righteousness exalteth the nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
Here’s the third thing, and I can only touch on this.
There is revival, which is the restoration of a nation.
There is revival, which is the restoration of a nation. We need to take America back.
God is our only hope.
America needs a new birth of freedom, And that will come when we have the character that our founding fathers had.
We don’t have to be a majority. We are light and salt. Salt penetrates.
Salt purifies. Salt heals. Salt preserves.
We’re to be the salt, not the sugar. We’re to be the salt, not the pepper.
We are the salt. But Jesus said, if the salt loses its savor, it’s good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
Do you know what’s happening to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ today? She’s being walked on.
Walked on. Prodden under the feet of men. Why? Because we have become salt without savor.
You hear today so much about the separation of church and state, the separation of church and state, which phrase is not even found in the constitution, by the way.
What our founding fathers did believe is there should be no state church paid for with tax money and I’m for that 100%.
But not in their wildest dreams did they ever think about the separation of God and government.
No. We say 1 nation under God. God bless America.
We are endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, and we must remember that, friend.
Oh, may help us God help us to get back.
To say don’t mix politics and religion is like saying put the fish in 1 barrel and the salt in another.
Surely, our character ought to permeate our society.
We don’t just go out and demand liberty.
That’s like a 12 year old demanding the keys to the car.
It’s time we assumed our responsibility.
It’s time that we as believers began to train our own children, to care for our own people, the widows and the orphans.
Remember that the constitution was written by people with character for people of character, and we get the kind of government we deserve.
The powers that be are ordained of God.
Proverbs 29 verse 2, when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice.
But when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.