Which way is it?

As the Church goes, so goes the world
OR
as the world goes, so goes the Church?

...I don't know of a soul who isn't looking to the current events and thinking "what on earth is wrong with people?" "the world's gone mad" "the whole country is going liberal" "would the real conservatives please stand up" "what about what the Founding Fathers said?" "separation of church and state?!?!" "look at the Church!" "there's less Christians now".........

And yes, I wonder about all of that too.

But I tried to start the examination with myself first.
Am I more liberal than I used to be? Have I obeyed God's Word as I should have? Have I let parts of it be washed away with liberal teachings 'about it' rather than what it actually says? Have I voted? Have I made my voice count? Have I taught my children? Am I letting television, radio, or games 'train them up in the way they should go'?

Has my salt lost its savour?

Am I salty? Am I a light on a hill? (Matthew 5:13-14) Or am I just like the rest of the world? Do I dress like them? Do I talk like them? Do I watch what they watch? Do I listen to the same sort of things that they listen to? Do I go to the same places that they go? Are my priorities similar to theirs? Do I believe every word of the Bible? (2Tim. 3:16) -Even most of the world believes SOME of it!- Do I really believe EVERY word of it?

Now, it is very hard,, in flesh, to live up to all of it. And that is why we so desperately need Christ's righteousness, BUT it is quite another thing to say "I don't believe that part of it". Is that where liberalism starts? With me? With my home? With my church? With my community? With my town? With my state? With my beloved country?

It really is a big deal to add to it or take away from it, isn't it?
Does it start with the world or the church?
...........OR WITH ME?