To the great joy of many many people around the world, last week the US Supreme Court overturned the awful Roe Vs Wade decision from almost 50 years ago!
This earlier ruling was the basis for abortion being a "right" in the USA. It meant that their Supreme Court had magically found a reason in the US constitution to allow people to murder unborn children.
Now that it is overturned, the current court has finally recognised that the previous ruling was wrong all along. They are not changing, or taking away any rights, they are merely recognising that there was never any such constitutional right in the first place. This means that, like Australia, it is now up to each state to make their own rules about abortion.
Praise God that the earlier foolishness of the court is now official!
"Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,
but in their hearts they harbour deceit.
Though their speech is charming, do not believe them,
for seven abominations fill their hearts.
Their malice may be concealed by deception,
but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly." (Pr 26:24–26).
By God's grace many of the US states already had legislation ready to go, so that as soon as Roe was struck down, laws came into effect banning or severely limiting abortion across about a quarter of the country. About another quarter are expected to either pass new restrictions or impose pre-Roe laws.
This is fantastic news, with one fell swoop so many unborn imagers of God finally get the protection of their civil government! That's how it should be! There is much more work to do, but this is a huge step in the right direction.
This news is only good if you believe that it is evil and sinful to poison, dismember and kill babies in their mothers womb - the place God designed to nurture, protect and give life. Unfortunately there are some deceived people who claim the name of Christ and yet still support this abhorrent practice, so perhaps one day I shall make a clear case on why abortion is always ungodly, just in case there was any uncertainty.
Now, you may be thinking: what has this got to do with us here? Two things.
First, this will have ripples around the world. There will be many children who will now be born and serve Christ! Yes, many will be born into poverty, or have parents who don't want them, but there is a heavenly Father who does, and who will give them untold heavenly riches.
Unfortunately and fortunately, the US is a world "leader." As they go, many countries follow. As much as we like to distance ourselves from the yanks, we are endlessly discipled by their entertainment, books, philosophies, technology and so on. That means that if there are seismic cultural shifts in their country of 330 million people, we will be influenced, for good or ill, in our little nation of 26 million people.
We can expect that in Australia there will be a resurgence of pro-life sentiment from both people who are newly won to the cause from US influence and existing pro-lifers who are encouraged to stand up and defend the innocent more publicly. Many of them will not belong to Christ, but we can work with these co-belligerents as long as our loyalty to Jesus is not compromised.
Secondly, it shows even the darkest and most evil policy can be undone. We have grown accustomed to living with disappointment after disappointment on the political stage. It can feel like any work to turn back the tide of wickedness our legislators foist upon us is like building sandcastles to face the sea.
But, when we grow weary of being battered by waves, we remember that we have the Lord as our refuge and our strength, our ever present help in trouble (Ps 46:1). Roe seemed like an insurmountable obstacle to stemming the tide of murder in the USA, yet it was not too great for God. He caused Dagon to lie flat on his face in humiliation, and similarly a modern day detestable idol is overthrown in the USA. It gives us hope that we may see similar victories on our home soil, in our day.
The overturning of Roe vs. Wade was rather "ordinary". Many of us forget that God works through ordinary means; while we keep looking for signs and voices from heaven (Mat 12:38–39) God is busy at work accomplishing His plans. God worked through ordinary parliamentary means with William Wilberforce to abolish the British slave trade, and God worked through court cases, court justices, Trump and other unlikely characters to overturn Roe.
While many of us would just prefer Jesus to come back and supersede all of our ungodly leaders, we must own up to the reality that we are in a world that God has commissioned us to care for, and make disciples in. We do not expect utopia this side of Christ's return, but we do know that God can act in history to make this a better world and that His Children will be agents of His change.
With Christ before us, the Spirit in our hearts, the Word in our mouths, perhaps we can go forth into the fray and see God overthrow wickedness in our parliaments as well as in hearts that turn to Him.
Samuel Lindsay
"There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies,
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community." (Pr 6:16–19).
"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
P.S. I know that there is a fair chance that someone who is reading this will have had an abortion. Hear this: If you have repented of this sin before God, and are trusting in Jesus, then you can have confidence that Jesus has atoned for this sin and provides full, free forgiveness! No sin is too great for God's grace, including this one. Look to Jesus, and trust him with the souls of those lost children. Do not despair, because Christ has overcome even death!
Rejoice! Roe is Ruined
To the great joy of many many people around the world, last week the US Supreme Court overturned the awful Roe Vs Wade decision from almost 50 years ago!
This earlier ruling was the basis for abortion being a "right" in the USA. It meant that their Supreme Court had magically found a reason in the US constitution to allow people to murder unborn children.
Now that it is overturned, the current court has finally recognised that the previous ruling was wrong all along. They are not changing, or taking away any rights, they are merely recognising that there was never any such constitutional right in the first place. This means that, like Australia, it is now up to each state to make their own rules about abortion.
Praise God that the earlier foolishness of the court is now official!
"Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,
but in their hearts they harbour deceit.
Though their speech is charming, do not believe them,
for seven abominations fill their hearts.
Their malice may be concealed by deception,
but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly." (Pr 26:24–26).
By God's grace many of the US states already had legislation ready to go, so that as soon as Roe was struck down, laws came into effect banning or severely limiting abortion across about a quarter of the country. About another quarter are expected to either pass new restrictions or impose pre-Roe laws.
This is fantastic news, with one fell swoop so many unborn imagers of God finally get the protection of their civil government! That's how it should be! There is much more work to do, but this is a huge step in the right direction.
This news is only good if you believe that it is evil and sinful to poison, dismember and kill babies in their mothers womb - the place God designed to nurture, protect and give life. Unfortunately there are some deceived people who claim the name of Christ and yet still support this abhorrent practice, so perhaps one day I shall make a clear case on why abortion is always ungodly, just in case there was any uncertainty.
Now, you may be thinking: what has this got to do with us here? Two things.
First, this will have ripples around the world. There will be many children who will now be born and serve Christ! Yes, many will be born into poverty, or have parents who don't want them, but there is a heavenly Father who does, and who will give them untold heavenly riches.
Unfortunately and fortunately, the US is a world "leader." As they go, many countries follow. As much as we like to distance ourselves from the yanks, we are endlessly discipled by their entertainment, books, philosophies, technology and so on. That means that if there are seismic cultural shifts in their country of 330 million people, we will be influenced, for good or ill, in our little nation of 26 million people.
We can expect that in Australia there will be a resurgence of pro-life sentiment from both people who are newly won to the cause from US influence and existing pro-lifers who are encouraged to stand up and defend the innocent more publicly. Many of them will not belong to Christ, but we can work with these co-belligerents as long as our loyalty to Jesus is not compromised.
Secondly, it shows even the darkest and most evil policy can be undone. We have grown accustomed to living with disappointment after disappointment on the political stage. It can feel like any work to turn back the tide of wickedness our legislators foist upon us is like building sandcastles to face the sea.
But, when we grow weary of being battered by waves, we remember that we have the Lord as our refuge and our strength, our ever present help in trouble (Ps 46:1). Roe seemed like an insurmountable obstacle to stemming the tide of murder in the USA, yet it was not too great for God. He caused Dagon to lie flat on his face in humiliation, and similarly a modern day detestable idol is overthrown in the USA. It gives us hope that we may see similar victories on our home soil, in our day.
The overturning of Roe vs. Wade was rather "ordinary". Many of us forget that God works through ordinary means; while we keep looking for signs and voices from heaven (Mat 12:38–39) God is busy at work accomplishing His plans. God worked through ordinary parliamentary means with William Wilberforce to abolish the British slave trade, and God worked through court cases, court justices, Trump and other unlikely characters to overturn Roe.
While many of us would just prefer Jesus to come back and supersede all of our ungodly leaders, we must own up to the reality that we are in a world that God has commissioned us to care for, and make disciples in. We do not expect utopia this side of Christ's return, but we do know that God can act in history to make this a better world and that His Children will be agents of His change.
With Christ before us, the Spirit in our hearts, the Word in our mouths, perhaps we can go forth into the fray and see God overthrow wickedness in our parliaments as well as in hearts that turn to Him.
Samuel Lindsay
"There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies,
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community." (Pr 6:16–19).
"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress." (Ps 46:1–3, 10-11).
P.S. I know that there is a fair chance that someone who is reading this will have had an abortion. Hear this: If you have repented of this sin before God, and are trusting in Jesus, then you can have confidence that Jesus has atoned for this sin and provides full, free forgiveness! No sin is too great for God's grace, including this one. Look to Jesus, and trust him with the souls of those lost children. Do not despair, because Christ has overcome even death!