In the late 1980’s Dr. James Dobson, Founder and President of Focus on the Family, made this statement: “America is involved in a Civil War of values, and the prize to the winner is the next generation of children.” Sadly, he was painfully correct. Since 1973, through abortion alone, America has sacrificed 60 million unborn children – MORE THAN a generation of children. And there are other forces of culture that have consumed additional members of subsequent generations.
Dobson’s “Civil War” metaphor was heartrendingly accurate – hearkening back to the tragic issue of slavery. And, as history repeats itself, American Christians must try to undo another gross miscarriage of justice by the United States government, and in particular, by the U.S. Supreme Court. Just as slavery denied the inalienable “right to liberty” listed in the Declaration of Independence, so abortion has denied another of those inalienable rights,the “right to life.”
War, clearly, is not the best way to resolve such a policy issue. Our American Civil War over slavery cost the nation in battle deaths alone two percent of its population. If the issue of abortion generated a conflict that exacted that same percentage of loss, there would be 6.6 million American lives lost – 2 percent of 330 million. If you think Americans were outraged and horrified when 9/11 took place where 3000 Americans died, imagine 2,200 times that number – 6.6 million.
But worse, given that America has already terminated 60 million unborn American children, that’s 20,000 times the number lost in 9/11. To say it another way, 60 million is the equivalent of 93 separate Civil Wars, each equal in loss to the one fought from 1861 to 1865. The numbers are staggering.
On March 4, 1865, just six weeks before he would be assassinated, in his second inaugural address, President Lincoln asserted that the Civil War was the judgment of God for the enslaving of 4 million men, women and children of African descent. That was a strong statement from a strong President who had earned the place of assessing reality for that period of American history.
But instead of using war to resolve such a policy issue, God gave us a better way – Grace and Truth. It’s why the Church in any society and in any culture must be salt and light. Salt “flavors” a culture with care and light helps people“see” the truth – the right way to go.
The Civil War over slavery was fought with guns, swords and cannon.The current “war” over abortion in America must be fought with Truth and Grace – words and deeds spoken and done in love.
In short, the American Civil War happened because the Church was not able to fully do its work. It’s true that some of the Church cared about slavery, but not enough to have full sway of God’s Grace and Truth.
Let that NOT happen with the issue of our day – the issue of abortion. The Church in Kentucky must rise up and deliver Grace to those in need and Truth to everyone.
Consider the woman caught in the act of adultery: After those who would stone her had left, Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you.” (Total Grace). And then, “Go and sin no more.” (The Whole Truth – the uncomfortable fact that she was a sinner.) These two brief phrases that conveyed both His Grace and Truth changed her life.
Speaking Grace without Truth would have allowed her to continue in her wrongful behavior. Speaking Truth without Grace would have simply condemned her. Both,together, brought God’s life into her life.
When Grace and Truth are brought forth, Jesus is in the midst of it. He is represented; He is re-presented. When Grace and Truth are jointly shared with the culture, the culture will change . . . because Jesus is present.
“There is nothing compassionate about terminating an unborn child’s life or subjecting his/her mother to the painful reality that she made such a decision. There is nothing truthful about saying an unborn child is just a ‘blob of tissue’ or denying that he/she is alive or has God-given potential,” said Kent Ostrander, executive director of The Family Foundation. “We need exactly the opposite –speaking the Truth about the living,unborn child and offering honest Compassion to those caught in an untimely pregnancy and who need help.”
