Baal-Berith in the Pulpit

Gary responds to a Facebook reel from an individual in clerical garb defending abortion.

The New Testament does not accept neutrality as a Christian response to man and his world. A fellow-Jew, beaten, robbed and left for dead, is ignored by a priest and a Levite. These “religious” men, in order to protect themselves from ceremonial uncleanness, “passed by on the other side” (Luke 10:32). Isn’t this similar to today’s claim of neutrality in the social and political realms by many Christians who want to protect their “spirituality” or their church’s tax-exempt status? To be involved in such secular issues like voting against men and women who support abortion and homosexuality—two grievous sins that destroy pre-born human beings and disrupt and ravage the God-ordained family—would mean spiritual defilement. To work for a political candidate would mean less time spent on witnessing, Bible study, prayer, and church services.

Some might want to assert that while personal social activism is permitted, political social activism is neither mandated, encouraged nor approved by Scripture. It is in politics that Christians are to remain neutral. The Bible mandates, approves, and encourages both social and political activism. Our failure to involve ourselves means that we neglect Jesus’ instruction to the lawyer who asked Jesus about the identity of his neighbor:

“Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him,” And Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same thing” (Luke 10:36–37).

Political decisions, unlike the single decision of the priest, Levite, and Samaritan, affect millions of citizens. The pregnant woman is our neighbor. The unborn child is our neighbor. More than one million pre-born babies are killed each year in the United States. To choose neutrality and base it on the teaching of the Bible is to go against the “go-and-do-likewise” ethic given to the lawyer who asked about the identity of his neighbor. How can we say that we are acting as Christians—in the name of neutrality—when we allow legislation to pass that permits a doctor to do harm either to a mother or an unborn child?

Myths, Lies, and Half-Truths

Like the Bereans of Paul’s day (Acts 17:11), Christians should check the veracity of all opinions against the only reliable standard of authority that God has placed in our hands: the Bible. This may mean a change in belief systems for some. There is no novelty in this. God confronted Peter directly about the inclusion of Gentiles into the household of faith (10:9–16). Paul confronted Peter “to his face” on a similar matter (Gal. 2:11–14). There are times when we all need to be knocked off our horse of mistaken opinions (Acts 9:4). “Testing” is a biblical mandate (2 Cor. 13:5; 1 John 4:1).

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Gary responds to a Facebook reel from a “minister” in clerical garb defending abortion. Despite using a Bible verse to “prove” his point, this minister is not teaching truth about what the Bible actually teaches about life in the womb.

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American Vision’s mission is to Restore America to its Biblical Foundation—from Genesis to Revelation. American Vision (AV) has been at the heart of worldview study since 1978, providing resources to exhort Christian families and individuals to live by a Biblically based worldview. Visit www.AmericanVision.org for more information, content and resources