before the sun goes down

"Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in His sight" (I Chronicles 19:13).

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Tenet of Abolitionism—What Works (Part 3 of 6)

The second tenet of Abolitionism is Providential Trust.

Much of the Prolife Movement works according to a pragmatic mindset
claiming to follow what "will bring results", "what the experts recommend", and what they “feel works".  Most prolifers have swallowed this pragmatic mindset in one way or another, many without realizing it.  

This can be seen in various ways: 
  • Prolife politicians creating laws that merely incrementally trim and regulate child sacrifice (more on this in another post).
  • Prolife assurance that simply being prolife in position—voting for men and women who are labeled prolife, liking life-affirming memes on Facebook, sharing those memes on Facebook, giving to pregnancy centers, and supporting prolife organizations is sufficient to fight abortion.  That THAT is what works.
  • Prolife shunning of those who stand and plead outside of the abortion mills. Saying that, "Pleading for parents to not abandon their children to death has never saved a baby! It doesn't work!"   
  • Prolife dissuasion of using images of aborted victims in society, of calling abortion "sin" and "murder", and of bringing the Gospel into the arena of abortion.  Their reasoning: "It doesn't work to use those ugly graphic images.  People will just turn away from you. Graphic images will actually drive women inside to abort their baby." "It doesn't work to call abortion 'sin', or mention the judgment of God, or that Jesus is their only hope.  That could greatly offend a pregnant woman and she will turn and not listen to you."
This pragmatic mindset is accepted by most within the Prolife Movement solely because they are focused on what the "experts" (those who lead organizations) advise will save the lives of babies, instead of what the God of all creation proclaims in His word must be done in the face of great evil. 

They, intending to do well, want to do "what works".

Reminds me of those in Judah in the days of Isaiah, who gave the counsel to go to Egypt instead of the Lord. "That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!" Isaiah 30:2).  (Egypt pictures the world)

All this while God warned, "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!" (Isaiah 31:1).

The Prolife Movement has been fighting abortion this way for decades, and YET, it is still "legal" and accepted to kill babies in America.  Despite all their pragmatic thinking, this way is NOT working.  Over a million babies are murdered every year inside of law abiding abortion mills by doctors who are protected by prolife laws.  Over a million! And the culture becomes more calloused (and the church more complacent) over the daily slaughter of their neighbors while Prolife Organizations grow.  Abortion is more deeply entrenched in our society's thought and laws because of prolife legislation and propaganda (I will cover this in greater detail in a future post).  

As I have already stated, abolitionists base their reason for opposing abortion upon the word and attributes of God, rather than the advice and reasoning of man.  

As abolitionists, we also rely on God's infallible providence not the wisdom of the world, the pragmatism of fallible man, or the platitudes of professionals in how we work against the evil of abortion.

Psalm 20:7-9 
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God."
"They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright."
"Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call."

As abolitionists, my family chooses to put our trust in the providence of God not the pragmatism of man.  We rest in the spiritual means and methods that God has laid out for us in His word.  We look to the living and true God to lead us, knowing that He is our ever present, all knowing, and all powerful Guide.  He knows what will work!

It is He that is the sovereign LORD of all,
He that has created and sustained each of us, 
He that has redeemed us from our own wicked sin,
He that has granted life to these little ones in the womb,
He that knows the hearts of people and turns hearts toward the children,
He to whom every one of us will stand before and give account.

Can we not trust Him, "...seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;" (Acts 17:25)?  
  • It is the power of God working through His Holy Spirit that changes hearts (Proverbs 21:1; Zechariah 4:6; John 16:8). 
  • He has deemed people to be active participants in this arena (Exodus 3:8-10; Matthew 9:38; John 20:21). 
  • We are called to be faithful (I Corinthians 4:2), to walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11; Proverbs 2:7), to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), and to trust Him above our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-7): 
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."
"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
"Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil." 

We therefore shun doing wrong "that good may come" (Romans 3:8).  We reject unjust action, dishonest words, and iniquitous laws which purport to "get what we can."  We choose rather to HOLD FAST to righteous, practical means in order to expose the unfruitful works of darkness, warn the wicked, rescue the weak, and effect abolition.  

Instead of embracing the compromised methods of people who say we need to do "what works", we obey God and do right, and we happen to believe that when we do, that God's ways do work.

"Duty is ours.  Results are God's." 

I Chronicles 19:13 "Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight."

 So we go forward, crying out, "Watch what our God will do!"  

God's work done in God's way will work.

There is still time to win a battle before the sun goes down.


Abortion must be abolished.

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