Darkness at Noon Time

                                                                                                Vol. XIX, No. 8, October 2006

[Introduction: Critically important elections are on the horizon. As they approach, keep the following in mind and work for an effective Christian influence in our country. TCP]

Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, recently declared to the students and faculty at the Seminary that we are not just approaching a time of great trouble, but we "live in a time of trouble." He called them to look and see "around us a darkening sky and gathering clouds." Christians in our nation are already threatened by an "encroaching darkness." He pointed out that in Sweden a Christian minister was imprisoned for preaching a sermon in which he spoke of homosexuality as a sin. And within the year, in our neighbor, Canada, their parliament passed a bill which is a "hate speech" code including sexual orientation among the protected classes, and which consequently makes it illegal for pastors to say that homosexuality is sinful.

Not gradually, but rapidly, the situation here in our United States has changed. Christianity is being painted into a comer. Unless radical changes are made, it may soon be illegal to preach in any public places. Churches may be forced to employ homosexuals and lesbians. Christian organizations of any kind may soon be forced to pay property, and income taxes. Strong efforts are already being made to remove from coins and currency any reference to God, and to eliminate chaplains from the military.

The sad fact is that some who are called Christians have helped to bring this about. There is no question but that the founding fathers of our nation fully intended that no religious organization should have a controlling influence on our government. At the same time, they also intended that our government should exercise no control over any religious establishment. But the tragic and frightening fact is that our judicial system has taken it upon itself to create laws which, in fact, do severely affect all Christian organizations.

What, then, can Christians do? First, we must begin to say boldly, even stridently, that the Christian faith is the only real source and proponent of freedom of any kind. Look anywhere in the world, and the only areas where there is basic freedom is where Christianity has made its mark. Remove Christianity and freedom disappears. Sadly, it is usually Christians who are the first to feel the loss of freedom. Even more sad is the fact that here in the United States many so-called Christians are among those who have most ardently supported efforts and actions to take away our religious freedom.

Second, we must be fully aware that any legal decisions which may seem to favor our Christian faith must, by the constitution, provide equal time, position, opportunity, opening for all other religions. Third, it appears that Christians in the U.S. are large enough in numbers that we can be the deciding factor in the majority of votes concerning persons for office or issues. If that is true, it is imperative that we utilize that power to protect ourselves by electing candidates who will be fair and just in their decisions, and by passing into law those proposals which will protect our constitutional rights, or defeating any proposals which endanger such. If we do not utilize that power now, it will not be long until we will not have that power. If we are in the majority, we are foolish not to use that strength to protect our rights. We can be sure that secularists, pagans, and other faiths will have little conscience about our rights. If we do not guard them valiantly, we can be sure no one else will. In fact, we are the only people who will conscientiously protect the rights of others, in whatever area they may be.

Conscientious Christians are accused of being radical fundamentalists, or worse. But we need to begin immediately saying to the world around us, "We are your only hope for equal rights for all. We believe in equal rights for all, and that includes ourselves. So we will fight for those rights. But you need have no fear. We will assure you that you continue to be given every constitutional right belonging to you."

Christians need to be united in a stand for constitutional rights. We have a number of organizations working in that direction, but each goes its own way. Each has its own agenda, and each seeks support from the same base – the Christians in our nation. How much more powerful the effort would be if all of us were united under one umbrella. Think what an absolutely irresistible force we could be if we could say, "There are 20,000,000 of us who stand together for what we believe is right in the eyes of God." May God grant that to become a reality.

[Reprinted from The Watchman, January 2005. You can subscribe and contribute to The Watchman by writing to Owens Ministries, Inc.; P.O. Box 14787; Greensboro, NC 27415.]