Erosion. Slow. Inconspicuous. Imperceptible to the human eye. Things appear to be changeless, but in reality, they are in a constant state of change – steady, methodical, relentless. Given enough time, erosion has the power to change the landscape. Boulders that once stood dauntless, seemingly in a state of permanence, giving the appearance of being unchangeable, are reduced to small, insignificant rocks, that can easily be picked up by a human hand, thrown across the surface of a tranquil lake, making several skips over the surface before finally sinking to the bottom, where it will continue undergoing more erosion as the movement of the water continues to perform the work of erosion.

There is not only the reality of the work of erosion in the natural world, but also in the cultural, political, societal, and religious beliefs and practices of any given nation. The imperceptible work of cultural erosion changes with the passing of time, and before we realize what is happening, we are living in a nation with cultural practices that were foreign to us just a few years earlier. The same is true in the political, societal, and religious elements that give a nation its distinctive character. It only takes nothing more than a cursory look at our past to see how the work of erosion has changed the landscape of life in the United States.

When our nation was founded, those who had the vision of leaving the religious oppression of England had the dream of beginning fresh, with the idea of religious freedom as one of the major driving forces behind their audacious and outlandish actions. It was in 1620 that the Mayflower landed in what became known as Plymouth Colony. From that very meager beginning came one of the most powerful nations that has ever existed in the history of the world.

Early in our nation’s history, it was clearly evident that those who came across the ocean in the Mayflower, as well as those who followed in their footsteps, were intent on establishing a nation which would be guided by Biblical principles. Many statements by early national leaders made it abundantly clear that the new nation would be a Christian nation. This certainly did not mean that every individual person in the nation at that time, or any time subsequent, would embrace the Christian faith. But regardless of an individual’s choice of religious belief, the nation would be established and guided by Biblical principles.

For a while, the fact that our founding fathers identified the nation as a Christian nation was evident. Classrooms across the land used the Bible as a major source of the education process. Colleges were established for the training of those who sought to be preachers and teachers. Hospitals were built, oftentimes funded entirely by Christian philanthropists. Every aspect of life in the new country was directly affected by Christian principle.

Religious erosion then began its subtle, slow, methodical, relentless work of changing the religious landscape of the newly founded nation. It was inconspicuous at first, but over time it began to show. It has continued its assault on the religious landscape of the United States and has now achieved its destructive end. This was assertively and adamantly stated by a previous president. Barack Obama, in a statement made during a press conference in Turkey, the former president said, “The United States is not a Christian nation, but rather a nation of citizens who are bound by shared ideals and values.”

“The United States is not a Christian nation, but rather a nation of citizens who are bound by shared ideals and values.”. Barack Obama

Again, I state the obvious: being a Christian nation does not necessitate that every individual citizen of that nation embraces the Christian faith, but that they recognize and accept the fact that the overriding fabric of the nation is guided by Christian principles. That is the way it was, but it is no longer the way it is. There are so many now who call the United States home, who have no respect for our Christian heritage. Instead of coming to our nation with the desire and the willingness to assimilate into our established way of life, they now come expecting citizens of our nation to bow to their religious beliefs, their cultural traditions, their laws. They would have us become like them, embracing their manner of life.

So how far are we to go in welcoming them? Should we simply acquiesce to their beliefs and behaviors? Do we lose our identity in order to make them feel welcome? I strongly suggest that would be – actually, already has been – the erosive work of religious and cultural persuasion. Our country is losing its identity. So much so, in fact, that former president Obama makes that assertive statement quoted above.

Jesus taught His disciples that the world would hate them because of their identification with Him. Christians are being maligned and mistreated, simply because they adhere to Jesus’ teachings, and strive to live for Him. He taught us to go into the world, sharing with others His immense love and grace, showing the way to escape spiritual darkness by coming into His light. However, as we look at the direction of many mainline protestant denominations, we see clearly the effects of the erosive work of religious adaptation. We no longer stand on the Bibie as our final authority. We allow other factors to take precedence over the teachings of our Lord.

We are warned in the Bible to be very careful as to whom we listen, and where we turn to get our convictions and make our commitments. The apostle John warns about spiritual warfare in which we engage when we stand for Biblical truth. He said that we must test the spirits to see if they are from God, or from some other source. However, it seems to me that many are not only not testing the spirits but are actually welcoming them into our local churches as well as into our denominational beliefs and practices.

I believe it is time – past time – to take a stand against the onslaught of religious erosion. It is time for us to stand up against the spirits of those who oppose clear teachings of Scripture and stand up for Biblical truth. It is, after all, our only source of absolute truth. It could be costly, but our Lord deserves nothing less than our total commitment to Him.