Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said:
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
Wow, who would of thought we would be where we are in America? Morally? Divided? Integrity? Common Decency? Corruption? The list goes on.
The days ahead will certainly grow ever more challenging for the church outside of a move of God, which is how we must pray. Silence and inaction is not an option for the believer.
Sadly, the church has been asleep at the wheel. We have lacked conviction, courage, and endurance to speak up or to act. The church, along with everyone else, has bought into the idea that the government is to be the “fix it”. We have been all too happy to let go of the wheel; society has looked to a bigger governmental role to free us from our God given responsibilities.
The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government.”
–Patrick Henry
“Government is not reason; it is not eloquence. It is force. And force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.”
–George Washington
But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.
–John Adams, letter to Abigail Adams, July 17, 1775
This is not a call to wake from ones slumber and pop off a few ill advised Facebook posts. However, it is a call to wakefulness. It is call that seeks to pray to God and engage others through care, love, a genuine interest, and respect even amidst disagreements.
With that in mind please take a moment to consider the top moral issues (Taken from BreakPoint) facing our nation.
1. Sanctity of Life: Preserving sanctity of life by resisting the encroachment of abortion, euthanasia, cloning, and embryonic stem cell research.
2. Religious Liberty: Defending the persecuted Church and others of faith around the world, and defending freedom of religion here at home.
3. Human Rights: Protecting human rights, whether it’s stopping sex-trafficking, slavery in Sudan, or the spread of AIDS.
4. Marriage: Protecting by law the traditional heterosexual definition of the family.
5. Terrorism: Strengthening America in the War on Terrorism and in the clash of civilizations against radical Islam.
6. Judiciary Roles: Restoring the constitutional role of the Supreme Court and restricting judicial activism.
7. Faith-based solutions: Advocating faith-based solutions to societal problems.
8. Marginalized Citizens: Caring for the poor and restoring prisoners. Preserving the financial stability of health care for the elderly and disabled.
9. Education: Improving education and promoting choices within the educational system.
10. Media: Challenging the negative impact of the mass media on culture — including speaking out against pornography, sexual exploitation, and violence.
Silence is not an option for the Christian. We must speak, we must act, in the face of evil.
Want to know more about Mr. Bonhoeffer? Order this outstanding book by Eric Metaxas on Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
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I’m thankful I participated in the Revive us Now 40 days of praying before Election Day. But that’s not enough the church needs to be praying without ceasing for our country and leaders. All the points you listed are right on. Never in my now 70 years have I seen the United States be in such a deplorable disregard for what is right. It’s heart wrenching and Bonhoffer had it right. There’s a price to pay for evil. The church in America could well pay a price too, it’s going now to Christians in other countries. We seemed to of not learned much from the Old Testament on down to the World Wars and beyond. I was five years old when my dad lost his fight with a war injury, he along with many others were fighting for freedoms in WWII. Governments should not be our rulers. We were willing to go and fight along side European countries so they could keep their freedoms or regain them and also as a future protection for our own country. Oh Lord help us to turn from evil and to have the courage to speak up for what is right. I’m preaching to myself, I too have been silent, Lord forgive me.