I am cautious in suggesting what Paul might write today, since the letters he wrote were inspired by the Spirit of God and carried divine authority. Yet, we can be certain that if Paul were alive in our time, he would not remain silent—he would write to the churches in America, urging them back to faithfulness in Christ and away from the snares of our culture.
What follows is a Pauline-style epistle modeled after the average length of his letters (something between Galatians and 1 Thessalonians). It addresses the condition of the modern American church in a secular, pagan-leaning culture, balancing rebuke, encouragement, and gospel hope.
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The Epistle of Paul to the Churches in America
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, not by the approval of men, to the saints who are in America, called to be holy in a land of idols and distractions: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Thanksgiving and Prayer
I thank my God through Jesus Christ for those among you who still walk in faith and truth, for your labor in serving the poor, and for the courage of some who hold fast the gospel though mocked by your neighbors. Yet I pray without ceasing that you may grow in discernment, for many voices cry out in your land, and not all are of Christ.
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On Paganism and Idolatry
Beloved, I would not have you ignorant: though your nation boasts of progress, it bows to idols as in the days of old. Your people worship wealth, power, and pleasure; they sacrifice their children to convenience; they bow before the gods of entertainment and self. Do you not know that those who serve idols become like them—blind and deaf to the truth of God (Psalm 115:8)? Flee these things! For what fellowship has light with darkness, or Christ with Belial?
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On the Witness of the Church
Some of you live as citizens of heaven in the midst of a crooked generation, shining as lights. But others love the world and so dim their witness. You are called to be ambassadors of Christ in a land that mocks His name. Yet too often you are conformed to the culture rather than transformed by the Spirit (Romans 12:2). Remember, brothers and sisters, you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your bodies.
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On Leaders and Shepherds
I hear of teachers among you who love fame more than truth, who build kingdoms for themselves, who traffic in smooth words and fill their barns with treasure. These are not shepherds after God’s own heart but hirelings who will abandon the flock in danger. Judge them by their fruit. Did not our Lord say, “The greatest among you shall be your servant”? (Matthew 23:11). Let your leaders, therefore, be examples in humility, not lords over your faith.
Many among you have made the work of a pastor into a profession, though it was never so intended. Some settle in palaces they call churches, drawing crowds to themselves but neglecting the command to go and make disciples of all nations. They have ceased to travel, ceased to labor in the fields, and instead build empires of comfort. With their airplanes, great houses, and fine cars, they live as kings while Christ’s body suffers. Brothers, such luxury is not the way of the cross. Not all who stand in pulpits are truly called—let each one examine his heart, lest he be found serving himself and not the Lord.
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On Division
Reports of division grieve me deeply. Some claim allegiance to parties, others to movements, still others to men. Is Christ divided? Was any president, philosopher, or nation crucified for you? No! It was Jesus Christ who gave Himself for your sins. Do not boast in men; boast in the cross alone.
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On Holiness in a Secular World
I urge you, walk in a manner worthy of the gospel. Let there be no sexual immorality, greed, or drunkenness among you, as is common in your land. For God has not called you to impurity but to holiness. Let husbands love their wives as Christ loved the church, and wives respect their husbands. Let parents raise their children in the instruction of the Lord, and let children honor their parents. Shine as a contrast to the world, that the name of God may not be blasphemed because of you.
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On Endurance and Hope
Do not be surprised if the world hates you, for it hated Christ first. Stand firm, therefore, in the evil day. Cling to the Word, pray without ceasing, bear one another’s burdens, and look not to earthly kingdoms but to the city whose builder and maker is God. For the return of the Lord is nearer than when you first believed. Encourage one another, and as you see the day drawing near, do not forsake gathering together.
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Closing Exhortation
Brothers and sisters, examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith. Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Let your love be without hypocrisy. Share the gospel with boldness, for your land is filled with lost sheep. Be ambassadors of reconciliation, not partisans of division. Above all, remember Christ crucified, risen, and coming again.
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Final Greeting
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. May He strengthen you to stand blameless in a pagan nation, until the day He appears in glory. Amen.
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