Step Up

By

On Tuesday, May 4, 2021, I had the privilege of attending a rally in Columbia, SC.  Standing in the elegant hall downstairs, I listened to gifted speakers, including many pastors . I could hardly see them through the mask-less crowd but that didn't matter. Their powerful words, bursting with truth, were the important part. Each of them affirmed that we, the Christian church, must stop this particular abomination from continuing. We must step up. It is such a horrible thing that we cannot stand by and watch, not when it is our duty to spread the Gospel. Now what, you may ask, is so awful? What is this so-called "abomination"?

It's abortion. Thousands of innocent children are murdered in the U.S. every day and many Christians do nothing about it. We sit and talk about our supposed desire to do God's will while babies are being killed.  We say we want to make a difference, but when it comes to government, we step back. Why?

Firstly, I think it's because we are afraid of political filth. We don't want to let that muck splash up on us. However, it is possible to impact something as corrupt as the U.S. government without being corrupted ourselves. It's not easy to keep one's good character when surrounded by corruption, but it's possible. Jesus did it. George Washington did it. Ronald Reagan did it. And they all made a huge impact on our world. So if you believe the lie that you can't be a part of the government without being corrupted by it, think again.

Secondly, we think God requires us to remain quiet. What a fallacy! As Christians, we must stand up to injustice.  Remember when Esther risked her life to advocate for her people? She loved God with all of her heart, soul, and strength, and certainly did not see fit to allow the authorities to trample on anyone. We shouldn't either, especially when it comes to innocent unborn babies. 

The third reason we step away from government proceedings is we allow ourselves to be intimidated. Frankly, this is stupid. If God is for us, it doesn't matter how powerful the other side is! God wants us to criminalize abortion and save babies, so we should. Our constitutional republic is set up in a way that gives us substantial political power as citizens. Who cares if the government is big and mysterious? God is bigger! He's given us our orders, now we need to push forward.  

The fact that abortion has been going on for decades legally without the church shutting it down is proof of our lack of involvement in the government. Too few churches recognize our ability to make change or even care. But there are some Christians, such as the ones I rallied with in Columbia, who realize our calling and power. They are making a difference by serving in office, influencing leaders, and simply voting. We are not meant to isolate ourselves from the government just because it's uncomfortable. If we don't step up and do the right thing, then who will? 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Report: Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus

By
Image
An insane doctor in a stained, white lab coat stands before his worktable, on which is laid the gargantuan body of a hideous monster. He cackles madly as he pulls a lever down, and the grisly beast jolts and rises to stand on two green feet with bad toenails. The monster stares stupidly at the doctor for a moment, then utters three fateful words: "I. Kill. You." He beats the doctor over the head with a chair in less time than it takes to say, "unethical medical experimentation," and breaks a window to reach the outside world, where he will murder as many people as possible. This is not Mary Shelley’s story of Victor Frankenstein and his creature. There are three major differences between the modern stereotype and the original novel: the Creature’s appearance, nature, and the character of Victor.  Big. Green. Smelly. Not the Creature. Shelley never referred to him as green. He is probably grayish, if he isn’t a human skin tone, since he was crafted out of pillaged pi...
Read more

Kiss That Power Goodbye

By
"In 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a high school cheerleader could not be punished in school for using curse words on social media when commenting about not making the cheer team while she was off school grounds. Do you think students should be held to the same standard when exercising their First Amendment right to freedom of speech whether they’re on or off school property?"  My answer to this prompt: Public school speech restrictions are in place to protect innocent ears and inhibit conflict. They benefit schoolchildren. However, the favorable result of a policy is not the only factor to take into account when considering its expansion. Before all else, we ought to ask if the entity has the right to take this action.  In this case, the question pertains to the federal government and public school speech restrictions. Since 1979, when the U.S. Department of Education came into being, public schools have been government institutions. The government does not have the...
Read more

IR Debate No. 5: Human Rights: A Hollow Promise To The World?

By
States make few efforts to promote and protect human rights. First and foremost, it is important to understand why human rights matter. Every man, woman, boy, and girl is created equal and bears the likeness of God. Fundamental human rights are endowed by God, not by government leaders. State human rights policies affirm that which is already true.  The freedom of expression, right to life, the right to work and get an education, and freedom from slavery and torture all fall under the human rights category. Being generally agreed upon as beneficial principles, these rights also contribute to international norms. Most states say that human rights are good and they are working on them, but they are inconsistent.  Inconsistency holds people and policies back. For example, the right to life is a human right and thus, in theory, it is supported by all democratic countries. However, abortion is still legal in 173 countries out of 195. Many of these nations restrict abortion, but tha...
Read more