Against Government Overreach and Abdication
As biblically minded Christians, we are rightly against governmental authorities overstepping the boundaries of their authority. I am against the welfare state because God has not given political leaders the role of performing acts of charity, He delegated that to the individual, the family, and the church. Likewise, when the government stepped in to shut down the worship of Christ during 2020, it was important to take a clear stand against that action because the worship of our Lord is not overseen by Caesar. The standard by which we determine whether or not an authority of any kind is overstepping its boundaries is the God-breathed Scripture. Not my feelings or opinions, but by what the living God has revealed to be true.
Similarly, we are also against the abdication of responsibility. Christians have rightly been addressing the problems with men jumping ship and fleeing their duties instead of shouldering them well to His praise. Many homes are shattered, communities lack Christian influence, and churches have a leadership gap because men have tossed aside their responsibilities. Therefore, as Christ-followers we have called on men to pick up the mantle by His grace and run well knowing God is with them. There is a fine line between abdication and overreach which takes the power of wisdom to discern. For government officials to steal from the people is overreach, but for them to fail to punish the thief is abdication. It is the Word of God that serves as our light to see this matter clearly.
Fighting For Abdication In The Name of Overreach
What happens in our politically charged day is that many who do not have Scripture at their foundation will fight against supposed “overreach” and wind up advocating the government drop what is legitimately its proper function. An organization called Arkansas For Limited Government is an example of such an entity. In their own words, they are promoting a constitutional amendment for the following purpose:
“The Arkansas Reproductive Healthcare Amendment would prevent the state from restricting access to abortion up to 18 weeks after conception or in the instance of rape or incest, fatal fetal anomaly, or when abortion is needed to protect the pregnant woman’s life or health.”1
There would be no governmental penalties or actions to be taken on abortions performed as specified in the paragraph above. Up to 18-weeks, anyone would be legally able to murder their child in the womb at will under Arkansas law. What is the position of this organization on abortion? With the organization, Samuel Watson plainly outlines it for us:
“Watson said the group is neither pro-life nor pro-choice, but rather pro-people.
‘We think that this is a really good compromise language,” he said. “We think that this will cover a lot of ground and really put the decision back into the hands of patients and providers.’”2
No defined position, trying to take the middle, attempting to find “compromise language” all mark this response to the core. This is a clear attempt to abdicate taking any kind of position, which is not surprising given that the organization is calling on the government to abdicate its proper authority. However, they do wind up taking a position by seeking to legalize abortion constitutionally protecting it in the state, riding the fence is not possible. They look the civil magistrate in the eye and tell him to stand down from protecting the innocent, precious lives of babies in the womb. God has commanded the government to defend life:
“For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”
-Romans 13:3-4
God Himself has instituted capital punishment for the murderer (Acts 25:11, Genesis 9:6, Exodus 20:13). Just as God has commanded men to lead in the home and we have decried the lack of fulfillment in that realm, so also we must cry out against civil magistrates who refuse to punish murderers. Scripture is our consistent standard. Arkansans For Limited Government is actually not for limited government, they are for the government failing to perform its legitimate function before God and man. They are not “pro-people” because they are against innocent lives in the womb being slaughtered. Neither are they for the rights of women, they want to legalize the slaughter of precious little girls in the womb!
A Biblical Response
Brothers and sisters, we must be anchored in the Word of God in all of life including matters of the governmental realm. We want to limit government according to biblical standards, but we also must have a burning desire to see rulers wield the proper authority God has given them to reward what is good and punish the evildoer. Our state has far too long allowed a perverted standard of justice to reign. We must not only stand against unjust amendments like this one being proposed, but we must also focus on proclaiming the Gospel and the just standards of God’s Word as we see His righteousness go forth. Let us herald the truth of our Lord that sinners might cling to Him in faith and repentance finding eternal life in His name. May we also fight for the just standard of Scripture on abortion, and every other issue.
Arkansas and every state in the union for that matter, needs to enact laws that will protect all innocent life in the womb. We need to provide equal protection for the child in the womb that will protect their life according to biblical standards. Murderers need to be punished so that we can protect the sanctity of life in the womb. Let us not only fight this unjust attempt to amend the state constitution, let us also move forward to abolish abortion entirely in the state of Arkansas. May we glorify God in this fight and see the way of Christ triumph for He shall most certainly prevail. Do not lack discernment, see clearly the path ahead for the teaching of God’s Word is plain!
“I have been amused with what Wilberforce said the day after they passed the Act of Emancipation. He merrily said to a friend when it was all done, ‘Is there not something else we can abolish?’ That was said playfully, but it shows the spirit of the Church of God! She lives in conflict and victory—her mission is to destroy everything that is bad in the land!”
-Charles Spurgeon
Sources
1 https://arliberty.org/about/
2 https://www.fox16.com/news/politics/proposed-arkansas-constitutional-amendment-would-expand-access-to-abortion/?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=
facebook.com&fbclid=IwAR2fvw1M5rC4EIZW0qfDu0A6CZFI2hSiIpqB9sIUKIU7IGNl5rh4kRmzFjc
3 Note: The most recent text of the amendment as of the writing of this article can be found here:
4 I would also recommend that you take a listen to this podcast by Brothers Allen Neilson, Eddie Ragsdale, and Russell Threet:
I pray the citizens of Arkansas will vote o protect the life of unborn children.
Excellent article.
Amen, definitely praying. Thanks!
Thank you for your articles. This is a very important issue we need to stand on.
As an interesting note, I normally receive all your emails in your inbox: however, this one landed in my spam. I wonder if the title caused it to be flagged!
Thanks for the encouragement, and that’s interesting on it going to spam. Appreciate you letting me know!