'"Unfortunately, countless people are confusing God's patience with His approval. "Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever" (Thomas Jefferson). God, not the government, has the final say! America has been desensitized one generation at a time, one court decision at a time, one compromise at a time, and we are drowning in a cesspool of relativism. "The wicked freely parade and prance about while evil is praised throughout the land" (Psalm 12:8).' - Shane Idleman
Just to give you a clearer sense of the stupidity of cherry-picking historical quotes Shane chooses to quote Thomas Jefferson. The same Jefferson who rewrote the bible, removing all of the miracles of Jesus and any reference to His deism. The bible actually says to let Jefferson be anathema to us because of his destruction of the word. Idleman is correct that the wicked freely parade while evil is praised throughout the land. The problem is he thinks this only occurs on the other side of the political spectrum. He can easily spot that log in the eye of a Democrat but republicans are righteous in his view and that is where he remains as wrong as the rest of the NAR dominionist crowd. The evil is in the world and it does not pick sides. None are righteous, not even one. All have turned away. Mario Murillo, infamous dominionist, recently said that anyone who votes Democratic is going to hell. Greg Locke soon after said that Democrats are all demonically possessed. The inference obviously is that their side is fine. Their side is good. Their side is righteous. It is not and is just as evil.
"There are times to encourage, motivate, and uplift, but there are also times to confront, challenge, and contend for what is right"that time is now! We are experiencing the rapid deterioration of a nation right before our eyes. This is not the time for passivity, but for prayer...to weep, fast, and petition God. Woe be to the church who is in a hurry to burn through a sermon, scurry through worship, and head to the nearest restaurant. We've heard these questions before, and we will hear them again: If not now, when? If not here, where? If not us, who? God said that He looked for a man from among the leaders who would build a wall and stand in the gap before Him on behalf of the land that He might not destroy it, but He found no one (Ezekiel 22:30). This was true in Ezekiel's day, and it's true today. God is still looking for men and women to do what is right." - Shane Idleman
This is the kick Shane has always been on. He sees the modern church as performative and rushing to the diner instead of wailing at the altar. The problem is that he is part right and part wrong. Sure, the church is performative but so is the travailing part if you are merely interceding for politics. As for the reference to Ezekiel, Shane seems to hope you do not bother checking but I have. Remember the context Shane provides is that this country is going to hell in a hand basket and God is looking for some good Christians to stand in the gap but has yet to find them - just like in the days of Ezekiel 22. Problem? Let's actually read the entire context from God's word:
'And the word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, say to her, You are a land that is not cleansed or rained upon in the day of indignation. The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord God,' when the Lord has not spoken. The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice. And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads, declares the Lord God."' - Ezekiel 22:23-31 (ESV)
Who has conspired to devour human lives? The false prophets! Who has done violence to the law? The priests! Who has profaned the holy things of God? The priests! Who has taken the treasure and precious things? The false prophets! False visions and divining lies! Destroying lives to acquire dishonest gain! Smearing whitewash to try and cover up the egregious sins! Claiming God has spoken when He has not! Extortion and robbery from the pulpit! Extorting the sojourner without justice! Shane - God is speaking about the church! He is looking for people to stand in the gap against the sins of the church - not the sins of the country.
"For those who believe we should remain passive and silent, I challenge you to read the writings of the Old Testament prophets. They lamented, shed tears, and pleaded with the people and the leaders to turn from their sins and to turn back to God"they spoke the truth in love. Even Jesus wept for Jerusalem when He saw that her destruction was near. One of my great concerns is for the pulpits of America. Many are exchanging truth for tolerance, boldness for balance, and conviction for cowardliness. We don't want to offend; we might lose our audience. But we are not to seek the applause of men but the applause of God. Pastors (and Christian leaders alike) must take responsibility for the spiritual health of our people. The pulpit inevitably sets the tone of the religious climate of the nation. A culture void of God simply reflects the lack of conviction in the pulpit as well as the pew." - Shane Idleman
So, we come to the great biblical disconnect. Shane confuses matters belonging to the people of God with people who do not belong to Him. The prophets preach repentance to a faithless generation of God's people who turned from Him to idols (repeated throughout their history). Dominionism fails as a theology because it is based on a poor understand of history and a worse theology. The lost are just that, lost. The bible assures us the things of God are utter foolishness to them. Romans teaches us that the ONLY way they can be saved is by hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not the politics of Shane Idleman. Lining folks up to tell them they are voting wrong is not the gospel. It never will be. Shane Idleman's truth is no better than the false complacency we see in many apostate churches today.
