I give our new House Speaker, Mike Johnson, the benefit of the doubt and have no reason to believe that he isn’t a true brother in Christ, despite his erroneous and unbiblical views on certain issues the Church and our nation face, particularly abortion. But he’s more than a fellow Christian, he’s a politician, and now one of the top three most powerful politicians in the United States, so he’s fair game. During a recent prayer call, House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed his deep concern for the United States, fearing divine judgment upon the nation for its moral decline. Johnson’s prayer, which certainly seems heartfelt and sincere, reflects a growing sense of urgency among many who see America teetering on the brink of spiritual collapse.

However, while Johnson’s intentions may be sincere, he’s missing the bigger picture and overlooking one critical point—that America is already experiencing the judgment and wrath of God and has been for a long time. And even more importantly, he is part of the reason why.

The escalating and widespread acceptance of sexual immorality in America most certainly mirrors the rotten LGBTQ culture of Sodom and Gomorrah—two cities that were ultimately obliterated by God’s justice. Similarly, Romans 1 portrays a society surrendered to vile passions and corrupted thinking as a direct fallout of abandoning God. These biblical accounts echo ominously in today’s America, where the sexual revolution has become the prevailing cultural norm.

And just as bad, the rampant practice of abortion in the U.S. resonates with the biblical narratives of societies defiantly transgressing God’s commands. The routine murder of innocent children, most often rationalized as personal liberty, reflects a profound moral collapse and blatant contempt for God, which parallel the transgressions of ancient civilizations documented in scripture that invoked the wrath of God upon them.

Yet, today it seems as if it is the Church that bears the brunt of this judgment and is affected most by it—at least in a temporal sense. The world, and in this context, America, is not disturbed by the rampant sexual immorality, the endless mass murder of innocent children, or the overall decline of biblical morality in this nation. The world revels in it—but God’s elect hates it. So then why does it seem that God is punishing the Church for the sins of the world if only God’s people have to endure the judgment that is being poured out?

First off, at the heart of this matter stands a profound truth as the Apostle Peter reminds us—God’s judgment begins within the very walls of the Church. The Apostle’s words leave no room for ambiguity. It is the Church, the collective embodiment of believers, that first endures the brunt of God’s righteous scrutiny.

The tribulations facing the Church in America, which is set against a backdrop of moral decline, are not mere coincidence but a deliberate process of purification. This judgment is not an edict of doom, but a resolute, divine summons—a call for the Church to rise, repent, and fervently reclaim its commitment to the unwavering principles of Christian doctrine.

The Church’s relative silence and tolerance of societal sins, such as sexual immorality and abortion, have not gone unnoticed. In allowing these practices to proliferate, the Church has, in a sense, contributed to the moral decline of the nation. Speaker Johnson himself played a significant part in killing legislation that would end abortion in some states and hold those who commit this heinous evil accountable. Therefore, this period of judgment is a time for the Church to introspect, confront sin and error, and realign with biblical teachings.

But secondly, we must grasp this undeniable truth—the world’s current blindness to the judgment it endures is but a fleeting ignorance. A day will inexorably dawn when, despite their defiance and scorn for God and His law, every person will ultimately bow the knee and with unreserved clarity, acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Sovereign Lord. This universal submission will transcend all resistance, affirming His supreme authority and dominion.

And even amidst these trials we face during this time, the Church’s greater hope in Christ remains unshakable. These times of trial and persecution are not random—they are purposed in the eternal decree of God Himself. They refine and fortify our faith, continually pointing us to our ultimate redemption in Jesus Christ. This hope is the Church’s strength, guiding it through these testing times.

Mike Johnson’s prayer, while earnestly expressing concern for America’s spiritual well-being, perhaps overlooks a stark reality—divine judgment is already upon us. The striking resemblance between America’s moral landscape and the biblical accounts of divine wrath is a stark, undeniable warning of the fallout from forsaking God’s path. In these last days, the Church’s role transcends beyond merely witnessing this judgment—it must remain as the proclaimer of God’s law and His gospel. And we must do so without tolerance or complacency of the sin around us, even if it costs us our lives.