We may not like it but it is true. There is an old saying: "Love is blind but the neighbors ain't." American Christians may regard themselves as the moral light of the world. Actually we are in the deep freeze of apostasy. Will we ever be able to see ourselves as the Eastern nations see us?

Pornography streams into American homes via the Internet. I have been given to understand this is not permitted in China. We look with horror at China's persecution of Christians, and well we should. Is the Chinese government persecuting Christians because it regards Christianity as a destructive moral force?

It is time for a reformation of Christian thinking. It is time for repentance in the churches of America.

Where are the good works that will cause the nations to glorify God?

For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. (Isaiah 62:1,2—NIV)

A popular edition of the Scriptures maintains it is the imputed righteousness of the Christians that will shine out like the dawn, that the nations will see.

Since there is no lexical basis for the interpolation of the adjective "imputed," and since it is impossible for the nations to see imputed righteousness, we may conclude that the editor is biased to the point that all scholarly competence is dismissed. This is too bad, because the edition has helpful features and reflects no small amount of research.

How many believers would understand that the insertion of "imputed" is a most damaging alteration of the meaning of the passage?

The Eastern nations are correct when they regard our behavior as degenerate. Our behavior is degenerate because we think imputed righteousness is the righteousness of the Kingdom of God, not realizing that imputed righteousness is a temporary help, an introduction God gives us so we can pursue the long, arduous journey toward moral transformation.

Apart from the moral transformation of the members of the Body of Christ it is useless for Jesus Christ to return. If He had desired to bring righteousness to the nations by Himself He would have done so two thousand years ago.

It is time now for the members of the Body of Christ to come to maturity as measured by the stature of the fullness of Christ.

The nations are waiting in their moral chains. How long will we keep them from the freedom God is preparing for them in the Christian people, in the sons of God?

To be continued.