U.S. Capitol. Washington, D.C. (Image by Harold Mendoza)
“So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” ”
Even as we might disagree politically with our progressive friends, I think the average American Christian has done a bang up job of trying to respect their “rights”, under U.S. law, to engage in what we well know are sins against God. For the most part, we really haven’t worked with fierce intention to overturn policies like Roe v. Wade, Obergefell v. Hodges (the 2015 ruling on same sex “marriage”), or other such laws. Instead, we have simply sought to reach the hearts and minds of those who would take advantage of their “right” to engage in those sins. We’ve discussed with them the spiritual and practical implications of their choices, and we have hoped that, in response to the Gospel, they’d come to repentance. Other than that, we’ve tried to mind our business and live quiet lives, all while knowing the days are evil.
Anti-abortion activist protests outside Supreme Court. (Image by Maria Oswalt)
Slippery Slope v. Mudslide: Legislating Evil
Yet, even as evil is a reality in this fallen world – even as we know that unbelievers are going to do “unbeliever things” – recent events have jolted me into sincerely considering the implications of our willingness to “respect” one’s “right” to do evil as a matter of public policy. I’ve long suspected a “slippery slope” was at play, but we’re in the midst of a whole mudslide! I’ve finally taken real stock of the implications of codifying evil into our society, and I now see that it not only begets a monstrously different level of evil, it works fast! No good can come of tolerating such political moves, as evil then not only exists among us, when legislated, it quickly becomes normalized. Those who practice it no longer have any shame, they audaciously move to “groom” our children to embrace their wickedness, and they become haughty, self-righteous and merciless towards those who disagree with them. Evil soon becomes “good” and good is almost immediately considered “evil”. Woe to them (Isaiah 5:20)!
Thankfully, in America, not only are there many of us who disagree with the evil laws our government has forced upon us, we’re in a providentially unique position to do something about them.
America is not a theocracy. I know this. Yet, that only means we can’t establish a law requiring all American citizens to worship the One, True God. Even if we wanted to, we wouldn’t be able to rightly establish such a law before the Lord given that God is seeking true worshipers, who worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). But it doesn’t mean that we can’t exercise the rights we providentially have to advance the truth of Christ and His righteousness. After all, even such an advantage was available to and utilized by Paul the Apostle each time he appealed to his Roman citizenship (Acts 16:37; 21:39; 22:25-27).
What I’m speaking of, to be clear, isn’t using our rights to insist in on our own way, of course. I’m not advocating that we use our present freedoms to be merciless, to pervert justice, to repay evil for evil, or even to fashion America into “heaven on earth”. I’m speaking of our opportunity to insist on God’s ways at the most fundamental level, where murder, gender confusion, sexual immorality and such other sins are not codified as “rights” and social norms. What I’m speaking of is our willingness and unique ability to seek the “welfare of the city” and to cast down every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God to make it obedient to Christ (Jeremiah 29:7) ; 2 Corinthians 10:5) even through our political activities. I’m speaking of ridding ourselves of the compromising mindset that causes us to utter drivel like, “I disagree with abortion, but that doesn’t mean I have the right to tell a woman she shouldn’t have one”.
For example, God’s commandment against murder applies to all men. Even pagans, having eternity written on their hearts, know that murder is a sin or “moral wrong”, and they would agree that such deserves to be punished. It’s why most states in the United States would charge one who murders a pregnant woman with double homicide. Yet, via Roe v. Wade, we have codified murder and, for decades, permitted image bearers to murder other image bearers – even still innocent and voiceless image bearers who can’t defend or speak up for themselves – without due penalty. If one thinks on these things rightly…if one follows these things to their logical conclusion, they too can see that such a law is unjust, so it is only right to strike it down!
Anti-abortion activist. (Image by Maria Oswalt)
Faith v. Fury: Blessing Those Who Curse
Of course, if we abolish such wicked laws, we cannot do so ignorant of the backlash sure to come. According to California Governor Gavin Newsom, his state’s proverbial “daughters, sisters, mothers and grandmothers will not be silenced” if Roe v. Wade is overturned. They are “going to fight like hell” to protect their “right” to murder the unborn, and those who oppose them will “hear their fury”.
Being provoked, to such rhetoric I say: BRING IT!
May California and any other state’s “daughters, sisters, mothers and grandmothers” bring their fury! In fact, I also invite their sons who identify as their “daughters” to bring their fury as well! Bring ALL the furies! Because when they do, many of us will gladly raise them the love of God in both word and deed.
Before 2020, I might have been more tolerant of these matters, again, attempting to respect their “rights” under the law. I might have just pegged their outbursts and fury as just another example of the world being the world. But I’m indignant to their cries right now. I’m grieved, frustrated and appalled by them, because as I’ve reflected on the events of the last two years, I realized the folks whose rights I’ve tried to respect as my fellow Americans had no problems attempting to dismantle mine. (I’m speaking now merely as a U.S. citizen.) Consider it. There was no regard for how we felt…no patience…no mercy. No respect for our rights as fellow Americans. Instead, the crowd that spent two years telling us that we didn’t love our neighbor if we didn’t wear a mask or choose to be vaccinated also had absolutely no qualms about destroying the livelihoods and lives of their neighbors. Consider that while they championed policies to restrict and punish us for attending church they found a way to keep their appointments, even during lockdowns, to murder in utero their own children, the neighbor closest to them.
There are people who actually thought it “good” to burn businesses and cities to the ground as they protested injustices real or imagined. There are people who actually celebrated as their neighbors lost their careers for exercising their right to refuse the unlawful, federal mandate for a vaccine that doesn’t even vaccinate! There are people OPENLY boasting of their intentions to hyper-sexualize, confuse and pervert the innocence of young children. There are people who have had absolutely “no chill” and who have had no problems crossing the line our Constitution put in place to ensure our protections.
Now, at the time of this writing, there are abortion proponents audaciously trying to galvanize support in response to the prospect of Roe v. Wade being overruled, and they dare challenge us to respect their “right” to do evil? DECLINED. Besides, the last time I checked, the 1973 ruling for Roe v. Wade was by nine, “cisgender” white men who, by their own standard, had no right to even address the matter. To be sure, this ruling wasn’t in the best interest of women, the unborn or our nation as a whole. (This is perhaps why Norma Jean McCorvey (aka “Jane Roe”, Roe v. Wade’s namesake), never even had an abortion and went on to become an anti-abortion advocate.)
Nevertheless, after all they have done, at least in the past two years, to oppress, silence and undermine others and their rights, it’s been amazing to witness them crying foul and threatening us with their wrath if an unjust and wicked law is undone. Lord knows, through Roe v. Wade, our nation’s been complicit in the murder of millions, yet its proponents curse us even as they bring curses upon this land!
And so, I propose it’s time we BLESS them like never before.
Even as they will mock and persecute us as they insist on their evil wills, I pray we would boldly use whatever means, both spiritual and practical, to BLESS them. BLESS them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, BLESS them by unapologetically sharing the truth, BLESS them with good works that benefit them individually and BLESS them, while we can/where we can/as we can, with policies which honor God that they, too, ultimately benefit.
They want to bring a curse upon us all by codifying murder into the laws of our land? BLESS them with a BAN!
They want to curse us and our youth by using the law to parade their illicit lifestyles before the eyes of our children? BLESS them with an OUTLAW!
We have seen how eager they are to do evil, bind our conscience and infringe upon our rights. May we repay their evil with good by advocating for and establishing policies that would strike down their legal ability to heap additional coals upon their own heads.
Whatever sins they choose to enjoy, it will have to be on their own time and on their own dime. But while those who aren’t under the strong delusion remain, and for as long as the Lord keeps our freedoms intact, I pray we’d be more willing to speak up, especially now that we can clearly see how far left of center some of our fellow Americans wish to take us.
(Washington, DC. Image by Harold Mendoza)
I Said All of This to Say (And What I’m NOT Saying)…
While our more progressive neighbors have been merciless towards us these past two years, being willing to threaten our lives, livelihoods and personal safety (and that of our children) to advance their own agendas, we will not respond in kind. We will fight, but our war is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). I just pray that we are righteously indignant and provoked by the Spirit enough to fight the spiritual battle before us as we should.
Call out sin. Hold wicked leaders accountable. Refute lies with the truth. Pray against and strike down unjust and wicked laws. Share the Gospel in response to those who promulgate every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God!
I’m not speaking about legislating morality, as just laws already help us maintain good order and peace. I’m speaking of NOT legislating immorality and no longer tolerating such. What one endeavors to do in his private life, he will certainly give an account to God, even as we are charged by God to lovingly share the truth that he might repent. But when one seeks to make his sin of choice the nation’s burden, we are well within our rights to use the means the Lord has providentially given us to cast it down.
But let’s be clear, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, even some unto death (2 Timothy 3:12; Revelation 2:10). And let’s be real, even America will have her day and perish. And yet, our love must still abound and we must still proclaim the truth that will NEVER pass away (Matthew 24:12, 24:35). While America still exists and those who fear God remain in this land, I’m simply encouraging us to be the standard the Spirit of God lifts up in response to what is clearly the enemy coming in like a flood (Isaiah 59:19). The aim here isn’t to make America a utopia, but to stay, a little while longer, the agenda of those who seem bent on making it “hell on earth”.
*Originally published at Pyrolithos Foundation May 5, 2022
Update: Truth + Fire is no longer in partnership with Pyrolithos Foundation as of October 2023.
