By David Ettinger
No Real Revival
I appreciate Christians who pine for revival here in America, but I don’t think you’re being realistic.
The very word “revival” indicates resuscitating something that once existed. Though the United States was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, we were never a “Christian nation.” This includes the Deists among the founding fathers with their immoralities and shoddy theology.
Throughout America’s history, there have been several “revivals,” but what, in reality, were they? They consisted of limited waves of religious furor that swept over pockets of the land, stayed for a while, and then died. Those who did not actually come to faith in Christ retreated to the mud they previously wallowed in once the fervor subsided, as did the nation.
True salvation is an individual affair accomplished one person at a time, and that individual perseveres for a lifetime in the best and worst of times. When has America as a whole ever been characterized by citizens who fit this description?
Those seeking national revival, I ask you: What norm are the “revived” supposed to return to? America’s norm has never been “Christian,” but one where people live as they please.
Who Will Be Revived?
Here’s another question: Who exactly will be “revived,” especially since they’ve never trusted in Christ in the first place?
- Let’s start with President Trump, who I support, pray for, and believe has been an excellent leader. Sadly, however, I don’t believe he’s saved. In the coveted Great American Revival, will he and his wife Melania come to faith in Christ? Will his daughter Ivanka, who converted to Judaism, be saved? Will all of President Trump’s children and grandchildren be saved?
- What about President-Elect Biden? Will he be swept up in the Great American Revival and give his life to Christ? Will his wife Jill and son Hunter do the same? And what about the Biden grandchildren? Will they all come to faith in Christ?
- What about the “Squad”? Will Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaid, Ayana Pressley – and other “Squadders” – suddenly see the error of their ways and fall on their knees before our Savior?
- What about all the other unscrupulous and self-serving politicians on both sides of the aisle? Will they be overcome by the tidal wave of the Great American Revival and embrace Christ?
- What about the angry adherents of Antifa and Black Lives Matter? Are they going to lay down their arms and seek peace with all people once they get “revived”?
- What about the media? Are the staffers of The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, and all other unbelieving journalists going to instantly become Christ-followers and use their talents to disseminate the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?
- What about Hollywood? Once the Great American Revival captures them, surely they will begin producing TV shows and movies which focus on hope and the goodness of our God. Surely in their board meetings the first question they ask will be: “How can we best glorify God in our upcoming project?”
- And then there’s the education system – from preschool all the way up through PHD-candidates. Once revival washes over them, will they make the Bible their standard of study and the foundation upon which all of their teachings are based?
- Then there are our heretical churches that reject the deity of Christ. Surely they will put an immediate end to their heresies, embrace the Word of God, and teach it, and it alone.
- And this not to mention how the Great American Revival will dramatically change the face of businesses, financial institutions, law-enforcement agencies, and all other aspects of society.
Really?
Do you really see this happening? Don’t tell me that God can bring this about. Of course He can. He can also prevent the most precious of His children from dying terrible deaths, but doesn’t (for His glory’s sake).
No, far from national revival, America is moving more and more toward national apostasy, and this is the reality Christians must embrace as we race toward the end of this age of human history and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Yes, keep praying for your loved ones, friends, work associates, and our leaders, but remember that salvation is on an individual basis; it doesn’t come in waves over the masses. Just as the Babylonian-exiled ancient Israelites were to “seek the prosperity of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord in its behalf” (Jeremiah 29:7), believers should pray for the U.S.
However, don’t affix your aspirations to a hope which will never become a reality. America is drifting further and further from God and will not turn back.
And Yet!
And yet, there is a coming Kingdom God Himself will establish! It will endure for 1,000 years (Revelation 20-1-6; Isaiah Chapter 11, among others), and will be marvelous!
This Millennial Kingdom will be a reality, and we must pray for as many individuals as possible to enter it. Citizenship is attained by confessing Jesus Christ as Lord (Romans 10:9). And in that Kingdom there will be no need of revival, because:
“They will not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ “for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, declares the Lord, for I will forgive their wrongdoing, and their sin I will no longer remember.”
And that, Christian, is a reality to stake your hopes upon!
Ryan Callahan
December 30, 2020
Well said, David. It is sad to see how far our country has fallen. I know there is nothing impossible for God, however, He also has a will for fulfillment of prophecy. I pray for revival, but I also pray His will be done. God have mercy on America! Blessings!
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dettinger47
December 30, 2020
I agree, and may God’s will be done. Thank you, Ryan.
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Ryan Callahan
December 30, 2020
P.S. This is off topic, but just wanted to say it has been surprising how cold it can get here in Florida. It got down to 37 on Friday night here in Port Charlotte! It almost feels like the crisp Rocky Mountain air in Colorado. We got rid of our winter clothing when we moved. Wish I hadn’t! 🙂 Looking forward to temps in the 80s this week. Also, our new home is coming along nicely. Should be finished in March. It has been a blessing living here. It’s been quite a change, but Florida is feeling more like home every day. Someday soon we will head up to Orlando to visit Disneyworld. So much to do here!
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dettinger47
December 30, 2020
Glad you’re enjoying it here. Yes, there can certainly be some cold days here, so make sure to have some winter clothes on hand. I have a heavy winter jacket which I purchased in 2003 and it is in great shape because I only need it about 3 or 4 times a year tops.
Let me know when you come up here. My son is the main WiFi guy at Universal Studios and usually has complimentary tickets. Because attendance to the park is limited, his ticket situation is week to week. But let me know when you’re coming, and I’ll see if Aaron can secure some tickets for your family. (At $180 a pop for both parks, Universal and Islands of Adventure, my son comes in handy!)
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Ryan Callahan
December 30, 2020
Awesome, thank you! I may take you up on that someday! What a cool job your son has!
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Blue Collar Theologian
December 30, 2020
David, I agree there is no national revival for the USA. I do not understand the 7 mountains adherents and those who are seeking national revival rather than for individual hearts to be stirred toward Christ. Keep speaking Truth, David!!
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dettinger47
December 30, 2020
Exactly, Mandy. I’m with you all the way!
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Bruce Cooper
December 30, 2020
There’s an awful lot of truth in what you say David and it’s actually very sad when you stop to think about it. And the scary part is that you’ve just scratched the surface. We, as the Church, are not to return insults with insults but we often do and we are to bless our enemies, but we often don’t. I read through 2nd Timothy this morning and Paul had a much different mind set than most of us have today. I’m thinking there will be a lot of “refining” coming in the days ahead. God’s blessings on you and yours brother.
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dettinger47
December 30, 2020
Great points, Bruce. I agree!
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ladysheepdog
December 30, 2020
Not sure what to think about things. The talk is in both directions. Revival and wrath. I remembering reading in the Bible about evil and righteousness both increasing in the end times. I’m not finding the exact passage, so if anyone knows let me know. I pray we all endure in God’s will, however things pan out.
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dettinger47
December 30, 2020
Thank you for reading, and for your thoughts.
The verses you refer to may be Daniel 12:4, 9-10.
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seekingdivineperspective
December 30, 2020
Hmm… most of what you asked are things I have been praying for daily – the salvation of some very unlikely souls.
I pray not so much for “revival” as a spiritual awakening, and I know God can choose to save many, many people (though they may still be a minority) as He did on Pentecost, when 3,000 were baptized in one day. You’re right, salvation comes one soul at a time, but there have been times when many answered the call for repentance in a move of God. Last night my daughter-in-law and I watched a video of a recent service at their church where 70 people were baptized – one at a time – after a very clear salvation message. It gave me hope that God is still at work.
As for the corruption in our political world, I keep thinking of what God did with the late Chuck Colson, who was in the middle of Watergate, was convicted, and went to prison, where he was born again, wrote the best-seller by that name, founded Prison Fellowship, and served the Lord the rest of his life, impacting many thousands. If God could do that then, He can do it again, and I’m praying that out of this mess dozens – maybe hundreds – of Chuck Colsons would be raised up “for such a time as this.”
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dettinger47
December 30, 2020
I’m with you on all the examples you gave, but that’s not what I’m writing about. When most people speak of “revival,” they’re speaking of a great and plenteous multitude numbering in the multi-millions here in the States. That is, the conversion of practically the entire nation. There is no precedent for this. Thousands, yes; millions and millions no.
Much thanks for the great insights, and have a blessed 2021!
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Tom
December 31, 2020
Thanks, David, for all of the good points and arguments. I was a member of an independent fundamental Baptist church in the 80s and early-90s and the pastor often pined for a national revival. His thinking was based upon the popular notion that America was at one time a “Christian nation,” had strayed (compulsory prayer in public school outlawed, abortion and pornography legalized), but could once again return to that “Christian nation” status. That paradigm was not based on historical realities as you ably point out. A dangerous consequence of this “Christian nation” notion was the advancement of American “civil religion,” whereby American citizens of all religions could join together and sing in unison “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful,” exchange currency imprinted with “In God We Trust,” and pledge allegiance together to “…one nation under God.” The distinctives of Biblical Christianity were set aside for “shared belief” in a nebulous “supreme being.” We saw another dangerous consequence when, as secularization advanced, Chuck Colson and others called upon evangelicals and Catholics to set aside irreconcilable doctrinal differences and join together as “brothers and sisters in Christ” to fight the “common enemy.”
Whoops, I’m starting to soapbox as I easily do with this topic. Thanks for this post! Yup, the notions of “Christian nationalism” and “national revival” are based on an erroneous paradigm.
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dettinger47
December 31, 2020
Thanks, Tom. If only more Christians were fervent in reading their Bibles daily, they would see that their national leanings don’t square up to the Word of God.
Have a great 2021, Tom!
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Tom
December 31, 2020
Yup, absolutely zero sign of any kind of nationalistic/territorial chauvinism in the New Testament.
Thanks, David, and have a blessed 2021 as well!
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heavensreef
December 31, 2020
Thanks David……agree this is an individual thing. And yes we are moving towards darker times. Don’t like to sound like a negative one, but it is true. Just look at where we are in the US and the world stage…..all leading us more into darkness. I am so thankful though, that GOD never leaves us and will see us through all of it. Drink in HIS living water daily as we all patiently wait for HIS return! AMEN! Blessings on your New Year!
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dettinger47
December 31, 2020
Amen, Maxine. Well said, all of it. And blessings to you as well for 2021!
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jarilissima
January 5, 2021
I very much enjoyed this post. So true. And I think too many people confuse the word “revival” with “trend.” If you can hop in and out of it, it’s a trend, not a revival. For instance, all the popularity with certain Christian music is a trend. Progressive Christianity is a trend. Easy come, easy go.
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dettinger47
January 5, 2021
Love your point about a trend. Great food for thought!
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