One of the most important things that has to happen in order for us to take a stand for the traditional beliefs on which this country was founded and which have made our nation great, is that the Christian church in general, and Christians in particular, need to stand up and be counted and then network in order to effectively be salt and light in our communities, culture and government.

Christians need to step away from the idea that we are to sit idly by while the secular world completes and strengthens its monopoly on America’s institutions, chiefly local, state and federal government. Look at what has happen since Christians have acquiesced to the idea that so-called “separation of church and state” means that Christians collectively and through our churches are to have no role in the administration, policies and reach of government or in the public arena in general.

We gave them the public schools, where display of the Ten Commandments is illegal, but Gay and Lesbian Youth Clubs are encouraged. More and more, government chips away at parental rights, as it seeks to replace the family. How much more will we give?

Too often we as Christians sit complacently in our pews, with our fingers crossed, praying that God will bless our nation and will somehow fix the social, political and economical problems that plague us today. Or, the other scenario is that we just figure what’s going on “out there, won’t affect us “in here”—that somehow we and our children and grandchildren will be protected. Nothing I see anywhere tells me that idea is true, by the way.

Jesus has told us that we are salt and light—wherever we are, whatever we are doing. The question is, how salty are we and how brightly are we shining? Salt has many purposes. It cleans, it preserves, and yes, it stings. We are called to be salt in our culture, community and government, to proclaim biblical truth in everyday situations. Light exposes, reveals, and illuminates the way. We, as Christians, are called to do all that—to clean, to preserve, to sting, to expose, to reveal, to illuminate—in word and deed, that those around us may see our good deeds and praise, not us, but the Lord in Heaven.

Apart from the biblical mandate to do this, why else should we be involved in stopping the erosion of our freedoms and beliefs? What, for instance, does the Church gain from being salt and light in the community? First and foremost, by influencing our communities and culture, we make it possible to have communities and a culture that are open and receptive to the Gospel of Christ. We have no guarantee that the freedom that today allows us to preach the Gospel, to worship God according to the dictates of our heart, to have Christian schools, to send missionaries across the seas, and to do personal evangelism will be here tomorrow or at any point in the future.

As we speak the U.S. Congress is attempting to pass legislation that will very likely prohibit pastors from preaching the biblical truth on homosexuality. Such a sermon would be punishable under federal law as hate speech, as has already happened in other countries, including Canada. Groups all across this country are well funded, well organized and very eager to see Christians sidelined and silenced.

Secondly, when Christians get involved and influence their culture and communities, change really does happen. Time and again when we have found our corporate voice and corporate hands and feet, we have made a difference in changing our culture and our government. But silence and inaction, whether through fear, busyness or apathy, will not create the positive change we want for our families now or in the future.

If we remain silent on what we believe and why we believe it, this state and our country will continue along its present path. If we hesitate to get involved, it may also become too late for a change to occur. Take heart, however. We are not there yet. And if each of us will determine to seek God’s will for how He wants us to become involved in our culture and our government, we can truly make a difference and keep this land a place where the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be freely proclaimed for all the generations until the Lord returns!

For Wisconsin Family Council, I’m Julaine Appling reminding you the Prophet Hosea said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”