Beneath every political struggle is an eternal spiritual war.

As we begin another exciting year of political and social conflict, Americans can expect great and numerous challenges as well as amazing opportunities. Indeed, conflict and misery often create many wonderful opportunities that times of calm withhold.

Once again, Virginia has become the frontline of battle in what is yet only political aggression. The Democrat-controlled General Assembly is expected to introduce legislation that will impose a multitude of drastic gun regulations, obliterate limitations on abortion, sponsor infanticide, repeal the death penalty, and many other dangerous initiatives. The response of citizens has been a massive, courageous demonstration of revolt, while Republican leaders timidly refuse to act or speak.

At the federal level, Senate Republicans are already allowing Democrats to set the table for the impeachment trial of President Trump. They appear ready to take their seats at the banquet table of their own demise. Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell first responded to the impeachment with a statement that there would be a quick dismissal of the dubious accusations. Before a week had passed, however, McConnell was singing a different tune. None dare predict how the fabricated impeachment charges will be adjudicated.

The fatal flaw of Republicans is their pathological willingness to accommodate the devious schemes of America's enemies. As Rush Limbaugh has famously said, "Republicans have an uncanny ability to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory." Again and again, we see the same pattern of promise and betrayal repeated with increasingly devastating consequences.

If there is a single root cause for the feckless capitulation to evil by those who profess to be righteous, it is that they allow themselves to be separated from the ultimate source of moral and spiritual strength – their Christian faith.. Upon this ground was the United States founded. The nation cannot long stand on any other.

Every citizen who understands American history realizes well that our government was never intended to be secular, divorced from transcendent moral law. And yet, it is. Beyond that, in an absurd perverse twist, government has become hostile toward the very beliefs upon which it rests.

Foolishly, many professing Christians have come to embrace the big lie that politics and religion are two separate worlds that must not be allowed to approach one another. On the contrary, true religion contains good and wholesome policies that promote human freedom, health and welfare; bad politics of sin and death are now the religion of the wicked and the godless.

Human history is seen by some as a continuous time-line of unique and ever-changing situations and conflicts. Others view history as an endless cycle of rises and falls, wars and tranquility, progress and regress. But the astute detect both – predictable cycles repeating amidst new situations with an ultimate end occurring at some future time.

The United States stands at a perilous point in world history, similar to that of ancient Israel during the time of the prophets. Coming certain destruction of the chosen nation was foretold. The people were warned to turn from their wickedness in order that they might survive. But the prophets' passionate warnings were ignored and God's truth was reviled. In furious rage, the prophets were persecuted and even torturously murdered for telling the unpopular truth.

Fearing for their own lives and loving the acclaim of infidels, the priests moderated their speech, ceased their condemnation of evil and eventually, joined in the wickedness of the lawless. The same cowardly course of compromise occurs in mainline churches in America today.

Likewise, France was once a wealthy, powerful and noble nation. But then, just twenty years after the Protestant Reformation, 70,000 Huguenots were murdered throughout mainly-Catholic France. The Gaullist nation has not been as great since. It's worth considering the high cost of government persecution of God's faithful people.

Two great threats to the continued legacy of American freedom are ignorance of scripture and ignorance of the fundamentals of our government. As the late Dr. Adrian Rogers once said, "Education is costly, but ignorance is deadly." Tragically, the citizens of the United States have relegated control of public education to the ignorant. But far worse, the Church has forfeited moral authority to immoral secular politicians.

It's no secret that the United States of America faces its most serious threat since our founding. Whether it remains free or succumbs to tyranny will be determined in the few short years ahead. If the nation is to survive, pastors, prophets, priests and Christians must reject the lie that religion has no legitimate place in politics. The practice of making endless apologies for "being political" when addressing moral issues must be disavowed.

No longer is it enough for the believer to present a good example of the Christian faith. We must boldly give voice to righteousness and truth. There is clarity in the timeless wisdom of God, strength in the Word of God, and power in the name of Jesus. The redeemed must say so while there is still time. History declares that only these few ever will, and great will be their rewards, now and forever.

The righteous must be more committed to truth than the wicked are devoted to their lie.

© Timothy Buchanan