Do what’s right for the unborn

Next week, Florida voters will face one of the most significant votes in their lifetime. The front line of the battle to protect the lives of unborn children has moved to the Sunshine State, where Floridians will be asked to consider Amendment 4, which deals with the issue of abortion. This amendment was carefully crafted by outside interest groups and is heavily funded by those pushing the advance of abortion rights. It overrides all existing Florida laws and enshrines in the state constitution the right to have an abortion with essentially no restrictions. The polls here in Florida show the vote could go either way.

Voters in our state have been subjected to a blitz of outside propaganda, much of it patently deceitful, to push the now familiar narratives about protecting women’s health and choices. However, this amendment is cleverly and deceptively worded to virtually guarantee the right to late-term abortions, override any parental consent restrictions, and, of course, overturn existing Florida law that protects unborn children (except in life-saving circumstances involving the mother) after a detectable heartbeat. According to the governor’s office, the existing Florida law is responsible for saving about 45,000 babies every year. These thousands of lives, and quite possibly more, are at stake, and their survival could come down to only a few thousand votes.

There is no doubt that if every Christian in the state were to vote against this amendment, it would be defeated. But to the degree that such an outcome is in doubt is the degree to which deception has been perpetrated and apathy has afflicted many churches.

Our churches somehow have the idea that our commitment and priority to proclaiming the gospel message somehow negates or is inconsistent with our prophetic voice in the public square. They also think that our God-given right and, indeed, responsibility to engage in politics is as debilitating as it is wrong. If our churches choose not to lead, rest assured that other forces are all too happy to fill the void.

Over the decades, we have been subjected to lies of propaganda that somehow seek to erase an inescapable truth: Abortion is the taking of a human life. No amount of lying ads, no amount of clever political slogans, and no amount of public pressure can change the truth that abortion kills human beings. It is human sacrifice. It is motivated by a zealous idolatry that enshrines personal autonomy and sexual license as our highest values, even if that requires the sacrifice of children in the womb.

Every human life is created in the image of God, and a culture that will not stand to protect the most innocent is doomed to decline and die. We will one day be judged, whether centuries from now by a more civilized society or before God in eternity, on how we respond to this issue.

At this late juncture, politically speaking, these tiny lives at risk have one major hope: the churches. If churches and pastors rise to the moment, and if Christians vote in a Biblically informed manner consistent with the righteous character of God, the lives of the unborn will be saved. For that to happen, pastors must awaken and find their prophetic voice and spiritual courage. This is the time to get political because politics just got theological. Pastors must lead the way and use their voices to rally the Christian community to act. Silence is consent, and in this moment of testing, we cannot remain silent. We must vote “No” on Amendment 4.

There is no need to equivocate about this or minimize the stakes. We are fighting for what is right. If we cannot tell the truth about abortion and Amendment 4, or worse, if we choose not to, then what does that say about us? It is our duty to obey God, trusting the outcome to His hands and providence. We will trust God with what we cannot control, but what we must do, we must do, and Christians who choose passivity or silence in this battle will not stand guiltless before God.

Though the hour is now late, it is not too late to do what we can. I implore all pastors and leaders in Florida to do all within their power to address this issue and call the Christian community to stand up for what is right. Christians in other states must pray for us. You can make a difference and help defeat Amendment 4.