Things Worth Fighting For

This fall, will you help support our efforts to contend for their freedom to proclaim the faith? We pray you will!

America is a gift. Rights are God given, based on the inherent dignity of man. The horrible theory of evolution undermines this truth. We are likewise told that rights are granted by earthly governments. But the created order is such that man bears the image of God, even fallen. This truth is seen already in an ultrasound. In a sense, these rights are negative. I do not have a right to take your property, but then, you have no right to take mine. A man may not be imprisoned except for compelling reasons. The family comes before the state, and therefore children belong not to the state, but to the father and mother. The right to bear arms is simply an extension of the truth that I have a right to defend my family and my home. No one is obligated to listen to me, but I have a right to free speech. No one is obligated to give me stuff, but I have the liberty to earn it.

America is not a democracy, but a constitutional republic. Pure democracy is tyranny, a world in which 51% have absolute power over the 49. Our senate and our electoral college balances power, so that the smaller states are not overrun. The Constitution reminds us that the government can go so far, but no farther. This is not to say that America is some sort of heaven on earth, some sort of new Israel. But that having been said, we should give thanks to God, and we should work hard to ensure that our liberty remains for generations to come.

So often, we hear that the military is the source and defender of our freedom. There is some truth to this, as we recall the heroism of Washington leading his troops across the Delaware. But it is quite possible to have a strong army and an enslaved people. We were heading into serious trouble when a baker and florist could not conduct their business according to what they knew to be true. The great threats to our Republic remain, as we see in New York City, where the major party has nominated a Communist. We saw it most recently when big corporations colluded with D.C. to silence the people on political issues.

What is the key to defending our Republic? We have to have reasons that make it worth our effort. It is hardly surprising that a generation of broken homes longs for the kind of maternalism that the like of AOC and Bernie promise. If a people no longer care about God, they can hardly get worked up about the free exercise of religion. If a people no longer sees that life is God given and therefore valuable, the right to life will hardly be an issue. In such a world, my desire or comfort will trump lasting values, as those values are in fact relative.

As to whether our Founding Fathers were Christian, there is endless debate. Some, like Jefferson, were simply Deists. In New England, Congregationalism and Unitarianism seemed to overlap. Nevertheless, we have much for which to be thankful, as the founders recognized that

they were not their own gods, that they were here not by chance, but by creation. Because of this, they understood that some things were worth fighting for. Not simply for the freedom to do what we want, but for the freedom to live according to the deeper law, against which all governmental regulations must be measured. This same spirit animated us in ending slavery, and it was cited in MLK's crusade for civil rights, and it is at work today in the Right to Life movement.

We are not chattel, we are not commodities, we are not here by the will of those in power. Our dignity and worth come from God, and a just government recognizes this. But while we are created in God's image, so also are we fallen. And for that reason, the founders set up a government of checks and balances, so that power might not be accumulated on one place, or in one body, as it is in raw democracy.

So much more to be said, but so much for which to be thankful.

The Rev. Dr. Peter Scaer is professor and chairman of the Exegetical Department at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Be Informed
A new poll shows an increase in pro-life sentiment. Dr. Michael New of the Charlotte Lozier Institute explains what this means.

Be Equipped
Learn more about recent violence against pro-life demonstrators and organizations in another conversation with Dr. New.

Be Encouraged
“Difficult situations like surprise pregnancy and terminal diagnosis can tempt us to forget our Savior’s presence and power. Comfort comes not from making deals with death but from the gifts He wrings and the privileges He brings even in and through hardship. An everlasting, unchanging, and all-sufficient Creator and Keeper not only provides life, He protects it as well!” –Pastor Michael Salemink, Lutherans For Life

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September Prayer Partner Thursday