Thursday, February 27, 2014

A Tough Decision is Coming

I usually do not spend my time dealing with political issues but today I need to post about an upcoming issue I believe each American Christian will have to deal with in the near-future.

I am sure many of you have heard that today Arizona's Governor has vetoed a bill that would have allowed business owners to refuse service based on religious conviction. This law was written to allow business owners to express their First Amendment rights. This proposed law was bound to be introduced after a Colorado baker would not bake a wedding cake for two homosexual men who came to him to make them a wedding cake. The baker now must make the cake or possibly face jail time.

Never mind that Colorado's constitution defines marriage as between a man and woman.

Never mind that AT MOST 3.5% of the population of our country (roughly the population of New Jersey) who claim to be homosexual are shifting the entire culture to their agenda no matter the cost.
 
Never mind that science seems to point to homosexuality as a choice rather than an inborn trait and, as such, would nullify the claim of homosexuals being a "minority group."

However, these are not the points I want to dedicate this post to today. Instead, I want to challenge the reader with the idea that within, I believe, five years the American Christian will have to choose if they will be American OR Christian. In other words, they will have to choose where their most basic, foundational loyalties lie. This is because I believe within those five years it will impossible to be faithful to both. Well, maybe not impossible, but I am trying to make a point.

My point is that very soon Christian's will not be able to uphold the Laws of the Land. For example, parents homeschooling their children may eventually have to break the law if they teach their children homosexuality is a sin (it has already happened in Canada). Biblically-based churches will possibly lose their tax-exempt status a punishment for their stand on homosexuals. With some new bills about bullying and cyber-bullying just around the bend, posts like this one could end up coming with a fine or punishment. There is a good chance pastors who preach against homosexuality could end up jailed (it has already happened in Sweden). These and more will be serious religious and spiritual issues that the unsuspecting church will have to deal with sooner than they think.

I am not attempting to be an alarmist. This is just the reality we live in today and there will be no turning back this tide. Yes, we should continue to evangelize those who pride has hardened their hearts to the point where God has left them to their own sinful desires (Ezekiel 16:49-50, Ephesians 4:17-19, Romans 1:18-32). Yes, Christ is stronger than any political agenda (1 John 4:4). But the cultural shift has already happened. The question is, "How will the believer respond?"

Nor am I advocating that Christians just "give up." Obviously, the church will not stop doing what it has been commissioned to do by Christ (Matthew 28:18-20). We must continue preach Jesus and salvation He provides any sinner through His blood and we must preach this no matter the cost and without regard to those who tell us to stop (Acts 4:18-20). The Church must remain faithful in spite of the pressure to compromise (Revelation 3:8).

So, with this in mind, the American church will have to come to realization that a converted soul is more important than a conservative vote. Believers must acknowledge that the nation in which they live is not an extension of the church. The Church must come to understand that our politics, which is based in the concept of compromise, do not mix well with our faith, which based in absolute truth.

Christians around the world live in country that is out-right hostile to the Christian faith. This is nothing new. If you are believer reading this, then I just would like you consider the idea that this may be coming sooner than you might imagine. What will your response be?

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