"But oh well, after all, what does it really matter? God is sovereign. We'll get the president He chooses. It's just the kingdom of man, and doesn't really matter. All that matters is the Gospel. The church lived under far worse circumstances, and it could survive worse still, if God wills it. We shouldn't get all upset. Just worry about preaching the Gospel, and let the dead bury the dead."Why am I not saying all that? Simple.
It's not Biblical.
"What?!" my betters might say. "Not Biblical? You mean you don't believe that...."
Let me clarify: that is not a Biblical way to battle evil.
Silence. Thought-bubbles: "'Battle evil'? What does he think he is - a cartoon character?"
But see, as I may have mentioned a time or four thousand, I do think abortion is evil.
I could go on, but I'll just stop right there. I made my fuller argument here.
But you see, the battle is now, it's today. This is not the time for tut-tutting and yarn-weaving and gauzy philosophizing. This is the time to do battle.
That's what I've been doing, particularly for the last month, to the best of my ability: doing battle. By informing, reasoning, pleading, cajoling, and generally working for what I think is best.
You don't see the men (I stress the word) in the Bible flapping their hands and oh-welling.
Think of Joab, hopelessly outnumbered. Does he tell his brother, "Oh well, this world is fleeting, if Yahweh wants to smash Israel, then Yahweh's will be done"? No. Hear him:
“If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12 Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to him.” (2 Samuel 10:11-12).Now, there's a man for you. Spiritually, Joab was a mixed bag. But what he says is exactly right: be of courage, fight — and ultimately God will do what God will do. Until then, we fight!
America is not Israel. But it is my country, and I am a light and salt and a witness in it. Like Daniel, I care about it (see what his care even for Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 4:19). I love it. For what I'm worth, I'll serve it. I'll seek its welfare actively for what I'm worth, and I'll pray for it (Jeremiah 29:7)
Now, today is the time to fight — peacefully, of course. By reasoning, persuading, pleading.
Think about this: if a man's wife were attacked, would he philosophize about the Gospel and the will of God, theorizing that maybe God wanted to teach her something by this experience? Would a man do that? I tell you, he would not. God helping him, he'd wade in and make it someone's very worst day, ever.
So let's talk again tomorrow. Tomorrow, we'll talk about what happened. We'll theologize, and we'll philosophize, and maybe we'll strategize.
But this isn't tomorrow. This is today. This battle still rages.
Participate! Act! Do what's right, to the best of your ability!
Who knows what God's sovereign will is? He'll do what is good in His eyes.
But our part is to fight.
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25 comments:
Now that's Driscoll-level fiery, but without the wash-your-mouth out factor.
Awesome.
So, my question would be is it okay if us girls take up the fight too? I stumbled across a forum over at BeliefNet (http://blog.beliefnet.com/jesuscreed/2008/11/a-letter-evangelicals-and-abor.html) and decided to wield my own little dagger. It's distressing and frustrating, but another epiphany I'm having about this election year is how absolutely complicit the Emerging/Evangellyfishes and the wussy girlie-men Calvinists will have been if McCain doesn't at least come close.
What hath a lack of faithfulness and trust in the power of God's Word wrought?
Well said Daniel. When Christians step back, evil prevails.
The LORD bless you.
Daniel
Hey...I like your new graphics, Dan. Looks like you're having fun with the blog look.
Thanks, but Phil Johnson's the genius. I'm blessed in my friends.
I... don't think I've ever heard "fluffy" and "Calvinist" used in the same sentence before...
Oh, and I agree.
Yeah, I though my fights would be at the polls, turned out they were on my doorstep. Literally. All of them with pro abortionists who called themselves Catholics. One who said she was Catholic and a nurse.
My mom made a career of being a nurse and tells me that in her day it was about protecting lives, not taking them.
Rachael Starke — So, my question would be is it okay if us girls take up the fight too?
Well, I don't know what Piper'd say, but I think there's definitely room for a Jael or two.
It is 6:16pm. I am stressed. All I have is mainstream media!
"I... don't think I've ever heard 'fluffy' and 'Calvinist' used in the same sentence before..."
Lol! That makes two of us! It didn't even cross my mind until Chrish pointed it out. "Fluffy Calvinist"!
I am saddened that enough people were fooled by style but no substance. I am fearful that there are dark days ahead for this country under an Obama regime.
It's the ultimate culmination of what David Wells has been writing about. Bill Clinton was one of his big examples: all style, little substance.
The difference is, much as I say it grudgingly, before he lied his way to the White House, Clinton had accomplished something.
Obama has accomplished nothing. Palin nailed it at the convention - two memoirs, and no major legislation.
Well, I tried.
We tried.
And I'm tempted to say we failed.
But that's only if I forget to Whom the battle truly belongs.
I've posted a great musical rendition of Psalm 62 at my little blog. It's been kind of my theme song the last few weeks, and what an immeasurable blessing to know it's as true today as it was two weeks ago, and as it will be for every day until Jesus returns.
Which I now long for all the more. :)
The election results really saddens me. Nonetheless, I'm reminded of the words in 1 Kings 19:18: "Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel — all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
We are part of that remnant.
We are part of that remnant.
Count me as part of that remnant!
Here's what's hard for me: I have a 6-year old daughter and she wonders why I can't vote for Obama. I said that I can't vote for him because he supports bad things. She said "like what?"
I didn't want to explain abortion to her, so I told her that she'd have to grow up some more.
And before tonite she asked me about those yellow "Vote Yes on Proposition 8" signs that she's been seeing.
And I just couldn't talk to her about what gay marriage is.
At what age should children be before Christian parents talk to them about abortion and gay marriage?
I began discussing abortion with my son when he was about six. I described it as killing babies which is accurate and easily understood.
TUAD:
Since I have no children, I know all the answers! :P
I suppose it depends on the child. I will say, though, that these days it's becoming increasingly vital that the Word of God is made central to a person's identity; sure as water is wet the public school system will have none of God.
My parents started simple when I understood simply. We moved from there. Pray hard, be honest, and trust that the Word of God never returns empty.
17-year-old son and I went to an incredibly depressing "victory party" tonight. Our apparently (unbeknown to us) "Calvinistic" candidate said (to us, privately, "God must have other work for me to do." (He still has 2 more years in the state Senate).
There were certainly some fatalistic wall-street types at this party, obvious movers and shakers who were thinking of their portfolios. Others, like me, were thinking that more babies are surely going to die as a result of this night.
The scene reminded me of those videos you see of Wall Street when the stock market is crashing. People staring in disbelief, heads held in hands as McCain was giving his concession speech. It was one sad party. Very un-fun.
The scene in Chicago, OTOH....let's just say, I kept waiting for the ball to drop.
Well, at least you guys were 48-51 for McCain. According to a poll up here, Canadians favouring McCain were outnumbered 6 to 1. Where I live, I'd guess it's more like at least 10 or 20 to 1.
Dan. I want to thank you for fighting the good fight on your blog. You did a tremendous job of informing people, and encouraging everyone.
I feel like David who lay prostrate on the ground pleading for the life of his child. Once the child died, David rose up, washed his face, and moved on. I hope to spend a lot more time immersing myself in the Word of God, and a lot less time trying to figure out what's going on in the world. I want to be prepared and prepare those students under my charge for the days ahead. I want them to know Christ. I want my family to know Christ.
I want to draw and quarter the media while I am about all these other things!!! :)
What I was talking to my wife about this morning was all these "christians" who believe that somehow there salvation came to them by something they did, but they are the first to say about the election that God is sovereign. I wanted to make that a small g cause I really think most of those people around me just don't get it. I came to work this morning fully intent on keeping my big mouth shut but next thing you know here it comes Gods in control straight out of the mouth of someone who thinks salvation is some sort of 5 step program Jesus gave us to get to heaven. You can't point them to the word of God either they talk at me like I came up with total depravity etc out of my head.
Greetings from the "We stopped fighting" state of New Hampshire.
You're right and it was well said.
Psh. The missus and I think maybe we should find the geographical center of some deep-red state and hide there for 4-8 years.
Dan,
You're a good and faithful servant.
Thank you for all your effort you put into this and the Pyros blog. Your writings have certainly been inspirational to me, and will doubtlessly continue to be so.
My wife and kids worked their butts off the last several days campaigning, passing out literature, waving signs, etc. The kids are sorely disappointed at the outcome, but they've learned a lot about the issues on the way.
As far as hiding out in a red state, it had briefly crossed my mind that perhaps we could move to Anchorage and join up with the Alaska Independence Party. But, no. That would be isolationist. That would be retreating from the cultural battle. We're not Anabaptists.
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1Timothy 2:1-4)
Thanks, MMike, and thank you for what you did.
In days to come — for that matter, right now — many professed Evangelicals will have good cause to writhe with guilt and regret, and seek forgiveness.
But you won't be one of them.
It ended 18 Obama, 5 McCain in that Christian forum poll I told you about. Abortion is 'personal, moral' issue, you see. Man, I am so cut to the quick by it all. I look around and wonder if I'm not still on some hallucinatory drugs. I was even very rude in the comments on my own blog, and that's quite a rarity.
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