“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” –Proverbs 14:34
In a previous post Righteousness Exalts a Nation, but Sin, Corruption and Evil Destroy Nations, I shared how righteousness is key to building a peaceful, progressive and thriving nation and happy people. Sin, unrighteousness, oppression, racism, inequality and wickedness bring disaster and woes to nations and peoples.
“When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.“
Proverbs 29:2
It doesn’t take much to see how far America continues to reel, stagger and crumble from the ongoing shaking. The seven mountains (spheres of influence) pillars of culture or spheres of society: religion, family, education, government, media & arts, and business are being shaken.
The word righteousness in Proverbs 14:34 is not referring to an individual’s right standing with God but to a nation that adheres to God’s righteous standards as found in His moral law. While government is necessary, it doesn’t say democrats or republicans exalt a nation but righteousness.
“There is no business more serious than government.”
– Myles Monroe
Government is necessary and has a role in God’s purposes to establish and maintain order. We can see that in Genesis 1:1-2. The earth lacked order so God formed order out of chaos to bring harmony. The lack of government brings disorder and chaos.
The righteous ethical standards in this passage is referring to is based upon God’s moral law. 1 Timothy 1:8-11 (TPT) shows the purpose of the law in civil government:
“We know that the moral code of the law is beautiful when applied as God intended, but actually, the law was not established for righteous people, but to bring conviction of sin to the unrighteous. The law was established to bring the revelation of sin to the evildoers and rebellious, the sinners without God, those who are vicious and perverse, and to those who strike their father or their mother, sinners, murderers, rapists, those who are sexually impure, homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, those who break their oaths, and all those who oppose the teaching of godliness and purity in the church! They are the ones the law is for. I have been commissioned to preach the wonderful news of the glory of the exalted God.”
1 Timothy 2:8-10, shows that the law was given to be a standard for righteousness. A plumb line for both the church and civil society “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line” (Isaiah 28:17). There will be no crookedness/sin in the kingdom of Christ. Without the righteousness standards of the law permeating society, it is harder to get people saved because there is a lack of the knowledge of sin. Romans 7:7 shows that the law brings the knowledge of sin.
When any nation turns from these moral laws they will be under the negative sanctions of God according to Deuteronomy 28 as we can see by reading the biblical history of Israel and the nations (read, I and II Kings).
If the church is to have a transformational impact on society, it must awaken from its slumber. I urge you to continue to pray that God will heal our nation, 2 Chronicles 7:14, “ 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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.“
As we walk in the light, the glory of the Lord will rise upon the Church.
Blessings,
Dr. A
Note: All Scripture references are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.
BEYOND CHURCH WALLS 