Let the Spirit of Faith Arise for the Transformation of America
We have already addressed the legal question of whether the overturning of Roe v. Wade could lead to the overturning of Obergefell v. Hodges. And we have explained that the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe was a matter of law, not a matter of faith. At the same time, from a spiritual perspective, the overturning of Roe was absolutely a matter of faith, which is why we thanked God for answers to prayer when the decision was released. From that perspective—the perspective of faith—where do we go from here? To be clear, I am not talking about Christians "taking over" the society. And I am not talking about "dominionism" or establishing some kind of theocracy. I would oppose such a takeover on biblical, practical and moral grounds. That is not the plan of God in this age, and we would do more harm than good if we thought we could change America by taking over and imposing our will on the people. (I address these issues head-on in my forthcoming book The Political Seduction of the Church: How Millions of American Christians Have Confused Politics with the Gospel.) But there is no question that we are to be agents of change, shining light in dark places, confronting evil and injustice, helping the poor and the hurting, being a prophetic witness, praying and fasting and preaching and worshipping, bringing the presence of God into this dark and deceived world, and yes, ultimately helping to elect the best candidates for our communities. In fact, the kind of change that we bring is the kind of change that can last, since it is not accomplished by coercion, bloodshed, suppression or oppression. It is accomplished by liberation, enlightenment and inner transformation. It is accomplished by overcoming evil with good, overcoming lies with truth and overcoming hatred with love. And because the change is spiritual first, then moral and cultural and political, it is accomplished by a supernatural faith that invigorates our works. That's why now is the opportune time to let our faith rise. What can we believe God for? What can we ask Him to do next? If He answered decades of prayer in the overturning of Roe, something that seemed so out of reach for so long, what other prayers will He answer? Of course, the battle for life in America is far from over. To the contrary, the Court's momentous decision simply pushed the abortion debate back to the individual states. This means that, as pro-life believers, we certainly have our work cut out for us. There is so much we must do on a practical and education level, all while we continue to seek change on a spiritual level. But with such a massive spiritual victory, it's time for us to renew our faith and take hold of God's promises afresh. It's also time for us to judge ourselves rather than only judge the world. Perhaps some of the greatest, most dramatic changes could take place right in our own midst. Perhaps revival and reformation in the church is the place we start, leading to awakening in the society. Charles Spurgeon had this to say about William Wilberforce, the key Christian leader God used in England to outlaw slavery and the slave trade throughout the British Empire: "A healthy church kills error and tears in pieces evil. Not so very long ago our nation tolerated slavery in our colonies. Philanthropists endeavored to destroy slavery, but when was it utterly abolished? When Wilberforce roused the church of God and when the church of God addressed herself to the conflict, she tore the evil thing to pieces. "I have been amused with what Wilberforce said the day after they passed the Act of Emancipation. He merrily said to a friend when it was all done, 'Is there not something else we can abolish?' That was said playfully, but it shows the spirit of the church of God. She lives in conflict and victory. Her mission is to destroy everything bad in the land." We should walk in that same spirit today: "'Is there not something else we can abolish?" Can we see more people set free from addictions? Is there a way to reduce mass murders and violent crimes? Can families be strengthened? Can human trafficking be thwarted? Can we deepen racial harmony? Can we see our inner cities transformed? The list of possibilities goes on and on. But let's not forget the first words spoken by Spurgeon: "A healthy church kills error and tears in pieces evil." This means that while we do seek to bring about positive change in every area of society, functioning as the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matt. 5:13-16), we also recognize that we must make the church healthy. How can we heal others if we ourselves are sick? As I have said for many years, I'm not so much concerned with the presence of darkness in America as I am with the absence of light. So let's get our own lives and congregations in order. As our light shines brightly and beautifully from coast to coast, the nation will be changed. Dr. Michael Brown (askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is The Silencing of the Lambs: The Ominous Rise of Cancel Culture and How We Can Overcome It. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.
No comments:
Post a Comment