As I sit at the G3 Conference this week, I think about the raging debate between the Christian Nationalists and the Non-Christian Nationalists. While I am neither Christian Nationalist, in an official sense, (the term still seems not to have no definition) nor am I dispensational or anti-Christian Nationalist, I find myself in agreement with most of the speakers on what we as the Church face today.

The theme of the conference is the Sovereignty of God—a doctrine that the Church needs to hear more than anything today. God doesn’t just see what is going on, the moral decay and a culture being given over to the deepest of depravity. He is in complete control of it, and His plans will not be thwarted. That being said, this does not equate to the church’s isolationism or abstinence from engaging the culture and the chaotic political realm. God is sovereign, yes. He ordains not just the end but also the means to the end. While I have an eclectic view on the many doctrines in this debate, I believe both sides of this debate could find common ground in this—God has called us to be salt in light in every facet of the world we are assigned to dwell in this age.

The Church is not a social club or a political entity but rather the body of Christ on Earth, bound by divine mandate to reflect God’s righteousness and spread the Gospel. In a world increasingly hostile to these sacred objectives, the Church faces seductive attempts to dilute its message and compromise its biblical values. Whether these threats emanate from a secular culture bent on degrading morality, a corporate America hell-bent on advancing the LGBtQ movement, or even a government that seeks to force affirmation of abominations like abortion and homosexuality, the Church must not bend its knee to Baal. It must, at all costs, act in good faith toward God and remain steadfast in obedience to His commandments.

Now, let’s dispense with the myth that adaptation equates to relevance. The Gospel is eternally relevant, unchanging as God Himself. To think we need to change it to fit the impulses of a frail and careless culture is not only arrogant but perilously foolish. The Apostle Paul, writing to the Church in Rome, a hub of worldly power and temptation, urged them to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Our mandate is transformation, not accommodation.

When other institutions pressure the Church into affirming sin, they are, in essence, urging us to reject the holiness of God. And what is at stake is not merely our social or political standing, but the eternal states of our souls. In matters such as these, the Apostle Peter’s words resound with compelling clarity: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). When the government insists on celebrating the abomination that is abortion, forcing us all into submission at the risk of the expense of our jobs and livelihoods, or the twisting of God’s design through homosexuality, our duty is not to the state but to the King of Kings.

Let’s delve into the paradox of God’s sovereignty coupled with human responsibility. Our God is not a passive observer—He is the sovereign Lord of history, fully in control of all events and outcomes. Yet, mysteriously, He has chosen to use the obedience and faithfulness of His people to accomplish His will. This often means facing suffering, persecution, or public scorn. The early church didn’t expand through cultural capitulation but through sacrificial love and uncompromising fidelity to Christ, even when that meant martyrdom.

The strategy of appeasement is futile and unbiblical. To those who would argue for a more compliant stance for the sake of societal harmony, I point you to the early Church, to apostles who rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name (Acts 5:41). The history of Christianity is a chronicle of men and women who chose to please God rather than man, knowing well the cost of such a choice. The same courage is demanded of us today.

Part of that courage manifests in seeking the welfare of the society we inhabit. Christians are not to retreat into monastic enclaves but are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14). This means applying our biblical worldview rigorously to social and political issues, seeking justice, upholding righteousness, and promoting the common good in line with the divine will. This active faith may extend to the voting booth when possible where we choose leaders committed to restraining and punishing evil and defending the freedom to worship God rightly.

And in this struggle, forsaking the gathering is not an option. Hebrews 10:25 exhorts us to not give up meeting together, especially as we see the Day of the Lord approaching. It is in this assembly, fortified by the Word and fellowship, that we find the strength to confront the darkening world around us. Here, the voice of God will not be silenced, drowned out by the cacophony of a godless culture. Rather, it will ring out, clear and true, a voice of reason, sanity, and hope for all who hear. In a world teetering on the brink of moral and spiritual chaos, the Church is the fortress of truth, a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14).

As we come together to worship, we are not just fortifying ourselves but also raising a standard for the world to see—a standard of divine love, unshakable truth, and moral clarity. This is our Christian duty, not just for our own sakes but for a desperate world in need of the power of the Gospel.

So let the world rage, let institutions sneer, let governments legislate against us—the Church of Jesus Christ will not retreat. We serve a Risen Savior, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. The gates of hell will not prevail against His Church. Stand firm, beloved. The battle belongs to the Lord, and victory is assured. But let it never be said that when the world asked us to bow, we did anything other than stand.