In the Old Testament of the Bible, we read about the history of God’s people – Is-rael. They were God’s chosen and covenant people. He had created them from one man, Abraham, rescued them from slavery, pro-vided for them in the wilderness, given them His law for them to live in right relationship with Him, and given them a home in a good land. In short, God was to be their King and all they had to do was trust and obey Him. Unfortunately, the book of Judges describes in detail how Israel turned its back on God and rejected Him as their King. In Judges 17:6, the au-thor of the book tells us, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
That very telling statement allows us to see the underlying problem in the spiri-tual, moral, and overall decline of Israel. I believe it also tells us a lot about where we are as a people today. First, Judges 17:6 says that in those days “there was no king in Israel.” As stated earlier, Israel rejected God as their King. They wanted autonomy. They wanted to make their own decisions and do things their own way. So, what about us? Let me step out on a limb, here, and say something that really is almost criminal to say in 2016 America. The God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit is God – the one true, the only God - whether or not you choose to believe in Him or like Him. He’s not just God for Christians or those who choose to believe in Him. He is Creator and King and Lord over all.
So, when we reject the Kingship of God in our lives, what is the effect? We become “god.” We decide the right and the wrong for our lives. We decide our own “truth.” That language and mindset has become the most prevalent in our society today. Do what’s “right for you.” What is true for you is true for you and no one has a right to tell you otherwise or impose their truth on your life. This sounds great but, in the end, does it work? When God is removed – from the individual life and from society as a whole – there is a vacuum - a need for a new “god.” G.K. Chesterton said, “When people no longer believe in God it’s not that they don’t believe in anything. They now believe in everything.” The whole point is this – what we’re seeing in the United States of America today is that when you remove God from everything, you remove the standard for anything.
This isn’t just an American problem, though, this is a human problem. We rebel against authority even if that authority is love and for our good. This is what happened in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve rejected God’s Kingship over their lives. Rebellion against God is the foundational human problem. We like to be in control over our lives. We like to do what is right in our own lives.
The only hope for America is not a political party or a candidate or a political agenda or legislation. I firmly believe thatthe only hope for America, and the human race, is if individuals repent of their sin – the sin of idolatry, becoming our own “gods” – and submit their lives to Jesus as King. My prayer is that we see a great awakening in this nation and that our King, who brings peace, would reign in the hearts and lives of people from coast to coast.
Daniel Atkins is pastor of Taylor Road Baptist Church in Montgomery. He is married to Kristy and they have three children: Sadie, Emma and Grady. Daniel became Senior Pastor of Taylor Road Baptist in January 2016.
