Last week this column asked if God was giving up on our country and addressed on why He may be doing so. This week, this column will speak on how to fix it.

The answer is not in who we elect to office or what party is in control, or even in bipartisanism. The answers to America’s problems is in the hands of the Christians.

There is a misconception with many Christians today. We seem to think if a person isn’t some terrorist, serial killer or child molester; God understands their shortcomings and is okay with them.

Many Christians will quote John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

God does love everyone. Jesus, God’s Son, did die for everyone’s sins. These actions, however, do not indicate that God is okay with a person’s actions. Taking John 3:16 for what it says, a person

does not receive any benefit from God’s love or Jesus’ death until they believe in Him.

Examining the rest of the chapter will reveal the standing each person has with God before they believe. John 3:18 tells us a person “is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

“Condemned already” does not sound like God is okay with them. The last verse of John chapter 3 (v36) gives a summary of the chapter, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Christians need to understand; just because a person may hold Christian values does not mean God approves. If they do not believe in what Jesus did on the cross, the wrath of God abides on them, and they are living in a state of condemnation before God.

America will be rescued when people are saved by putting their faith in Christ and move from being condemned to redeemed (John 3:18; Acts 26:18; 1 Peter 2:9).

How is this done? People are saved by hearing the word of God. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). For people to be saved Christians must do more than live the Christian life in front of them, we must tell them the gospel.

However, there must be a change in the heart of the Christian first. We must realize God is not okay with the sins in our lives either. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me… Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee” (Psalm 51:10,12).

In the same passage, God explains He wants our hearts broken, “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:16-17).

When was the last time you cried your eyes out over America or your unsaved friend? When was the last time you cried over your own sin?

If we tie all these verses above with 2 Chronicles 7:14 it is no stretch at all to see the solution to our nation’s problems in not in either political party, but in Christ; and if in Christ then also in the hands of the people which are called by His name – Christians.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.

Christian, if we want to see the United States go back to being a Christian nation, we need to get right with God, and then start getting the gospel out to others, so they too may be saved. We cannot put the cart before the horse. We must fix ourselves first. We must stop thinking God is okay with our sin and, therefore, repent. We must humble ourselves before God; He wants our broken heart. We must fervently pray for ourselves, our nation and our neighbors. We must understand the standing the unsaved have with God.

Then sinners will be converted, and our land will be healed.