Thanks to five Supreme Court justices (six if you count their frustrated and ever-cautious chief justice), Roe vs. Wade is no more. Abortion is no longer a constitutional right in the United States of America. And the country is now reeling in tumult because of it.
Some are elated. Others are outraged. And many are just hoping we don’t unravel as a nation. How much more polarization, division, and unrest can we endure — and not completely fall apart?
As a Bible-believing Christian, I’m definitely in the pro-life camp. I’ve never been a fan of Roe and I am not sorry to see it overturned. Nevertheless…
Our nation is sick.
Think of a gravely ill patient in a hospital. Her condition is critical. Her breathing is erratic. She clings to life by a thread. To move her to a different hospital would likely kill her. Well…
That’s America right now.
We are a sick nation clinging to life by a thread. And I don’t know how much more change our nation can handle before we completely unravel as a cohesive nation-state.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting we sacrifice innocent babies for the sake of our political stability. I’m simply lamenting the fact that we’re not ready.
And much of it is our fault.
And, yes, I include us Christians in that assessment — especially those Christians who have been outspoken on political issues, particularly over the last decade. Not only are we partly to blame for our weak condition as a society, many Christians have actively contributed to the weakening of our nation.
Politically outspoken Christians have, more often than not, added to the polarization, division, and hatred that permeates our culture. And that means we, as Christians, have hurt people.
Now, I’m not one of those “safe space” activists who believes in squelching free speech, but I do take seriously these Bible proverbs:
- Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21)
- The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. (Proverbs 10:11)
- A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. (Proverbs 15:4)
The bottom line is that politically outspoken Christians have hurt a lot of people with their words. And this is something that should give us serious pause.
Let me say it plainly.
You can’t be truly pro-life without being pro-love.
And that love should be reflected in your speech as well as your actions.
If you are really, truly pro-life, then you should care about people’s lives. And that means you should be driven by love. Otherwise, what are you driven by?
Too many people become so passionate in their political views that they become bitter and hateful toward those who disagree with or oppose them. But if we ourselves to succumb to hate, then are we bringing anything positive or worthwhile to our nation’s politics?
Most outspoken Christians in the United States today have (by all observations) left love behind. They left it behind long ago.
Oh, sure, most Christians say they love God. And they claim to love (and most probably do) their family and friends. But what about their fellow Americans who don’t see things the way they do? What about those on the other side of the political fence?
This isn’t an unimportant consideration. According to Paul, love is the most important virtue. And without love, we are worth nothing to God. In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul wrote:
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
I Corinthians 13:1-3, NKJV
You can have all the “right” political beliefs. You can vote the “right” way in all the elections. You can be “pro-life” in your beliefs. You can post on social media, display the bumper stickers, and pontificate at family gatherings. You can even run for and serve in public office — or be a judge. Or even a justice on the Supreme Court! But…
If you don’t love your fellow human beings, then it’s all worth nothing in the eyes of God!
Nothing!
Let that sink in.
And yet…
Like most non-Christians, Christians today tend to put more stock in having and advancing the correct beliefs or agenda than in actually loving their fellow human beings.
This is of course about the time some will complain that I’m advocating weakness in the face of sin and/or will remind me of Jesus’ strong stance against injustice, sin, etc.
We can and should stand for truth and against sin. And we shouldn’t compromise on the truth.
Love is not about being in agreement. It’s not simply about feelings. As Thomas Aquinas said centuries ago, love is about willing the good of the other.
You can be anti-sin and still pro-love.
In fact, it’s being pro-love (truly pro-love) that leads us to being anti-sin.
When you, however, start hating those who are advancing lies, injustice, corruption, sin, or just plain wrongness… then you become part of the problem. You’ve left the moral high ground. And you become no better than those you oppose. In fact, in some cases, you may even become worse.
How many Christians today, for example, proudly chant “Let’s Go Brandon!” at rallies, on social media, or (in some cases) even in church!? For the handful of readers who may not understand what “Let’s Go Brandon” means, read this article: “‘Let’s Go Brandon’: Explained” (Today).
Now, if you’re a brother or sister in Christ, please tell me this…
When did it become acceptable for a follower of Christ to publicly express vulgarity toward a fellow human being?
And yet, it’s not only become “acceptable” but commonplace in certain circles of America today. A friend of mine told me he went to a gun store in southern Virginia recently and saw a sign that read: “Jesus is Lord” and “Let’s Go Brandon!”
Really?
Really!!?
Now, is it true that the Biden administration has advanced policies and beliefs that are counter to the Bible? Yes. And lest there be any doubt, I personally don’t usually agree with the Biden administration. But I take seriously the Bible’s repeated admonitions to love others and pray for them, including our political leaders (see I Timothy 2:1-3).
I therefore refuse to hate Joe Biden. He is a human being made in the image of God. And Jesus died for him. Just as Jesus died for me.
Whether we’re talking about Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders, Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Rachel Maddow, or anyone else…
As a Christian, you are to love your neighbor.
Period.
In fact, Jesus says you are to love your enemies.
Lest you think I’m making too much out of Christians’ uncharitable rhetoric and lack of love, consider this warning from James:
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
James 3:13-18, KJV
Tell me… would most people describe most Christians in America today as having “the fruit of righteousness” and as makers of “peace”?
If we as Christians want people to trust our intentions and our motivations, then we have to earn that trust. We earn that trust by being Christ-like, by manifesting the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control). We earn trust by being men and women of love?
Right now, the world outside the Christian community isn’t very inclined to trust us because we’ve given them little reason to do so.
American politics has devolved into ideological or cultural tribes battling for interests, advancement, or control. And Christians are playing right along. We’re doing the same thing, acting the same way, as everyone else in the arena.
And ultimately, we’re undermining the very issues and causes we say we care about.
Think about it…
If we want a nation that values the sanctity of human life, then we must become a culture (politics is always downwind from culture) that cherishes human life. And that means…
We must be a culture of love.
There is no other way!
And that means a culture that loves all its citizens — that values and cherishes all its members. Such a society cares for both the mother and the child in her womb.
And it also cares for those who are both pro-choice and pro-life.
Neither sin nor disagreement should cause us to stop loving one another.
That’s the society I want and it’s the one I’m praying for and working toward.
Will you join me?
Love to all.
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