In November Beto O’Rourke dropped out of the Democratic field without much fanfare. But not before swiping aggressively at some of America’s most revered and protected Constitutional rights, including religious liberty.
You’ll recall that at an October 10 LGBTQ town hall, CNN anchor Don Lemon asked O’Rourke if churches should be stripped of their tax-exempt status if they refuse to support same-sex marriage.
O’Rourke immediately responded, “Yes.”
The crowd applauded, and O’Rourke elaborated, explaining that any organization, church or otherwise, that did not comply with the state’s definition of marriage would be, well, punished.
O’Rourke’s comments were widely condemned, and rightly so. His intention to pressure churches into compliance by using tax exemption as a punitive measure, which amounts to denying the Constitutional freedoms afforded by the Founders, is stunning coming from anyone in government, but especially someone who sought to occupy the most powerful office in the world.
But here’s a thought. What if, rather than dropping out, O’Rourke had won?
What if O’Rourke were our President? What if he said that every church, non-profit, and other religious institution will be forced to agree with the government’s definition of marriage—or else? Where would it stop?
This is no small thing, and just because O’Rourke has stepped back doesn’t mean it’s over. Loud voices on the radical left are not bashful in their belief that the only way to silence Christianity is to revoke the Constitutional protection of religious liberty.
But here’s the problem. Secular progressives underestimate evangelical Christians. Because if Christians are not permitted to retain a public voice, they won’t just go away. Trying to quiet Christians doesn’t solve a problem. It creates one.
In fact, history has proven that when secularists try to use government to silence Christians they get something they didn’t bargain for. They get The Church.
No, not that easy-peasy, sweet in the pews, compliant on Monday, singing without sweating, tipping without tithing, always-makes-you-feel-good kind of church.
No, they get The Church. Those Bible-believing Christians that are so committed to Christ that they refuse to be cowed by the government when laws are passed that directly violate their conscience and the Bible they read and revere. Those folks—they won’t bow.
How do I know that? Just ask China. Or Germany. Or the Soviet Union.
Or just read the Bible. It’s full of examples of the government pressuring God’s messengers to ignore what God says and instead preach what the government wants. And nearly every time, the government got more than it bargained for.
Not shrinking away, but not riots either. They got the firm resolve and the calm conviction of the people of God.
Daniel, Jeremiah, Esther. And then Jesus. Jesus who defines The Church as a force for change, an unstoppable movement that will not be silent. Jesus who said that the very “gates of hell will not overpower” The Church (Matt. 16:18-19).
And then this. Peter and the other apostles, serving the Lord, people being healed, and preaching the truth. But their message conflicted with the powers that determined the party line. So they were arrest, imprisoned, set free, warned to stop. And they did it again. Why? Because they were The Church (Acts 4:1-26).
Baffled at their unwillingness to comply, the Jewish officials asked, “Didn’t we strictly order you not to teach in this name?” Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people” (Acts 5:29).
Yeah. It’s just that simple.
And contrary to what secular progressives claim, it’s not a bad thing. See, our Founders were wiser than today’s politicians, so they embedded in the Constitution the freedom for every citizen to exercise his or her religious conscience without interference from the government. And they knew that you cannot confine the conscience or force someone to renounce deeply held convictions.
Afterall, they were building on the legacy of believers who had come here for religious freedom.
And they knew that, rightly applied, the Bible produces the best citizens a country could want. So they knew that the best thing the government could do would be to let Christians practice their faith and preach God’s Word freely. And, yes, even if not everyone agreed with what preachers preached or what The Church held dear. Because they knew that when The Church is allowed to be The Church, lives are changed, the lost are saved, the hungry are fed, hope is restored, and broken people are mended.
So, what if O’Rourke had won? Or that day comes when someone with his same disdain for religious liberty sits in the highest office in the land? It could happen. And it probably will.
But here’s a thought. I don’t want us to lose our religious liberty, but maybe it’s time The Church woke up to how fragile our freedoms really are, how precious the time really is. Maybe it’s time we stopped taking for granted the opportunity the Founders gave us.
Maybe it’s time we stopped sitting, soaking, and pretending we’re making an impact just because we roll out of bed and sit in church for one hour a week.
Maybe it’s time once again to be The Church.