ENFORCING OUR HOLY WILL ON A SOCIETY -
One Opinion

By Colleen Donahue

MORAL GUARDIANS?

In recent decades "moral" citizens, and especially Christians, have plunged headfirst into the fight to maintain God's standards of decency and order in our country. The fights against abortion and gay marriage have especially been in the foreground. But is that our call to enforce our holy will on a select group of sinners by the power of the law?

When Jesus was among us he never condoned sin, but he also never assumed the position of moral guardian over any individual or culture. Even amongst his own people, the Jews, his encounters with them was more like a bishop with his priests.

I don't think that we can regulate the morality of a society in a non-Christian culture -- which America is. The Apostle Paul said that he had no interest to judge those outside the church (see I Corinthians 5:12) and neither should we. Instead, we should consider Christ's own example. We see Jesus making himself available to others for friendship with no questions asked. Like him, we are to demonstrate God's Kingdom by serving others.

HOW CHANGE SHOULD COME

We are called to be a holy people -- consecrated and set apart -- not to isolate ourselves from the culture but to serve it and ultimately win them over to Jesus Christ. When we abandon our role as faithful witnesses and try to change things using the world's tactics, then we have succumbed to change using our own strength and ingenuity rather than God's way. And what is God's way? It's always through Calvary love -- a way that is slow but sure.

When we try and enforce our holy will on a select group of sinners by the power of the law then we take on a violent mindset utterly opposite to the love Jesus showed us at Calvary. The Christian version of the "kingdom of the world" was the worst one that the world ever saw and did untold damage to the Kingdom of God. It tortured and killed all under the banner of Jesus Christ. The Church has nothing to do with the Kingdom of God when it wields the sword instead of loving others.

So what we perceive to be recent "moral wins" on the abortion issue in some states could well setbacks in the arena of love.