“Ignorant Christianity” is Destroying America

Originally posted on September 4, 2015

1 Peter 1:13-16:
"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

If you Google the term “ignorant Christianity,” you’ll likely find articles accusing Christians of intolerance and bigotry. But I’m not speaking to those who wish to see Christianity fall—I’m speaking to those of us who claim to be Christians. It’s within this group that I believe we find the real “ignorant Christians.”

The “ignorant Christianity” I’m referring to describes those who claim to believe in the Word of God but either don’t understand its teachings or choose to ignore them. We live in a time of major change, both in our country and the world. A nation once built on biblical principles now turns away from them. Ignorant Christians are those who support these shifts—whether through indifference or a literal misinterpretation of the Word. Despite what the world teaches, God has not called us to be tolerant of everything, compromising our beliefs and His commands. Would you describe Jesus as compromising when He drove the money changers from the temple, flipping tables and cracking whips? Or when He told a man who wanted to follow Him as a disciple to let the dead bury his own dead and simply to follow Him?

In Matthew 16, Jesus tells us that anyone who wants to be His disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him daily. This isn’t a message of compromise. Jesus didn’t say to live as you please, make sure you and everyone around you are happy, and just say you believe. He said to deny yourself—to give up desires that don’t align with Scripture and take His stance in everything. Yes, Psalm 37:4 says God will give you the desires of your heart when you delight in Him. But the following verse, often overlooked, says to commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will do this. Only through commitment do His desires become ours.

Just to be clear here, I am not suggesting that we are always called to flip tables. As firm as we should be in our standing on Jesus’ principles and teachings, we should also follow His lead on love and acceptance. This blog is not saying to show hatred to others or to refuse anyone to our tables. I am speaking specifically to the individual Christians who compromise their own beliefs for their own happiness.

So how does “ignorant Christianity” relate to the decline of America? Let me share three key characteristics of ignorant Christianity:

1. Ignorant Christianity chooses personal beliefs over biblical doctrine.

In Mark 7, when religious leaders question why His disciples don’t follow the traditions of the land, Jesus quotes Isaiah, saying, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” They put aside God’s commands to follow their own traditions. These were the top religious leaders, people who knew Scripture better than anyone else. Yet, they let tradition shape their beliefs rather than Scripture.

We see the same thing happening today. People who claim to follow the Bible will change their beliefs to fit the customs of the world. You might hear, “God is loving and wants me to be happy,” even when their lifestyle contradicts Scripture. Whether it’s something as small as our entertainment choices or as significant as views on marriage and sexuality, too many Christians ignore biblical teachings for worldly approval.

2. Ignorant Christianity explains God’s expectations without Scripture.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Spend enough time on social media, and you’ll see people offering advice on what God wants for your life without quoting any Scripture. This is dangerous. Without Scripture as our foundation, it’s easy to be led astray. We are emotional beings, but the Bible warns us that our hearts are deceitfully wicked. What we feel isn’t always in line with God’s truth.

Even worse are those who misquote Scripture to fit their own narrative, omitting key verses to make their point. Take Psalm 37:4, for example. It’s easy to stop at “God will give you the desires of your heart” without mentioning the need to commit to Him first.

3. Ignorant Christianity lacks the desire or commitment to live by God’s Word.

John 2:4 tells us, “Whoever says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” That’s harsh, but true. Jesus said we’d know His followers by their fruits. You can’t call yourself a Christian and then live according to the world’s standards. Too often, Christians leave church and immediately conform to worldly behaviors, all in the name of tolerance and acceptance. But the only love worth risking our lives for is the love demonstrated by God when He sent His Son to die for us. In every decision, we should ask ourselves: “Does this honor God or mock Him?”

How “Ignorant Christianity” Is Contributing to America’s Decline

We print “In God We Trust” on our money and recite “one nation under God” in our pledge, yet we continually deny Him in our lives, laws, and commitments. We choose the easy path rather than the one that may offend others or cause us to lose worldly respect. As a nation, we’ve allowed the former minority to rewrite our beliefs to fit the sinful desires of the human heart.

History has shown that great nations fall when they turn away from God. From Babylon to Sodom and Gomorrah to Israel, when people deny Him, He removes His protection. And yet, we think it won’t happen to us because we’re a “mostly Christian” nation. But Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, and 1 Samuel 15:29 all remind us that God does not change. The God who allowed those nations to fall is the same God we serve today.

So where do we go from here? How can we change the hearts of a nation? It starts with each of us. While we can’t change those around us, we can change ourselves. And true Christianity is contagious—it spreads like wildfire. When we align our hearts and desires with God’s will, He leads and directs us. My desire is to see a nation of Christians standing firm in their faith. What are the desires of your heart? Are they aligned with God’s will, or the world’s?

What are you going to do about it?