In light of current events, where Hobby Lobby is taking a firm stand against the enactment of Obama-care (which requires all U.S. companies to provide health insurance for their employees including coverage of medical costs for abortion)... how can a Christian know if our public stand is “a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:1-4) or is a true zeal of God's righteousness leading us to be “beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God” (Revelation 20:4)?
This is a classic example of a business leaders seeking to find God's will in the midst of the tension of two seemingly conflicting responsibilities. On the one hand, Christians are told to submit to governing authorities. On the other, God commands people not to commit murder. For those who believe that abortion is taking a life, this amounts to murder. Because there is no direct command on how Christians should respond to mandatory health care law, Christian leaders must seek the mind of the Lord for what they should do. In the case of Hobby Lobby, the owner has string convictions regarding abortion. And, he has been willing to pay a great price to stand by his convictions. There will be times for every leader when they will have to determine between two directions. Each may seem important. That is why we must be listening carefully to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. At the end of the day, we cannot be satisfied with simply doing what others are doing. We must have a sense of peace that we are leading our organization in the way God is calling US to. Because there are no specific commands in the Bible for every action we will need to take, we must rely upon our relationship with Christ to guide us in those decisions.
What a difficult subject to contemplate. But, as the days of our journey seem to consistently grow “darker”, we MUST contemplate our stand for the sake of Christ. Much can be said about this. I like this devotional thought from Tozer:
From “Tozer on Christian Leadership”, by A.W.Tozer
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank….—Daniel 1:8
Though we do not hear much of it in this age of spineless religion, there is nevertheless much in the Bible about the place of moral determination in the service of the Lord. “Jacob vowed a vow,” and it was the beginning of a very wonderful life with God….
Daniel “purposed in his heart,” and God honored his purpose. Jesus set his face like a flint and walked straight toward the cross. Paul “determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified,”…
These are only a few of the many men and women of the Bible who have left us a record of spiritual greatness born out of a will firmly set to do the will of God….
Let us, then, set our sails in the will of God. If we do this we will certainly find ourselves moving in the right direction, no matter which way the wind blows. The Set of the Sail, pp. 11-13
Philippians 3:8-9, “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”
God is not impressed with a zealous stand that is motivated by our own attempts to display a pious righteousness before the onlooking world. God is pleased with us when we acknowledge that righteousness in God’s eyes comes only by our faith in Jesus Christ which is exemplified by our obeying His commandments.
If we FAIL to kneel daily before Almighty God, then refusing to kneel before “Caesar” is simply an act of rebellion and obstinance lacking any semblance of Godly righteousness. Righteousness of God begins with a faith in Jesus Christ followed by our daily submission to His Word and His ways. That’s how we enable the Holy Spirit to guide us in our responses to “Caesar” or any other worldly way.
When Jesus said, “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s…” (Matthew 22:21), was he unaware that Caesar used the tax money to fuel the Roman agenda which would include persecution and martyrdom of Christians for refusing to participate in Caesar worship? Of coarse he knew how the tax money would be used! But he followed up that statement with, “and to God the things that are God’s.” You see, Jesus was talking to religious hypocrites who wanted to take a zealous stand “for God” against the Roman government; but, they were FAILING to take a zealous stand for God in true Godly righteousness which (as Romans 3:21-22 reveals) comes through faith in Jesus Christ.
Our Christian testimony and witness to the world has the most weight when we show them what we stand FOR (to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor as ourselves – the two greatest commandments in the Bible according to Jesus) more-so then when we show them what we stand against. We often say, “I would die for Christ if I had to!” Why then is it so difficult for us to say, “I will LIVE for Christ even though I don’t have to!”
Don’t get me wrong… I’m not condemning Hobby Lobby for their stand against the newly enacted Obama-care regulations. If the leaders of the company have knelt before God and have received conviction from the Holy Spirit to take this stand, then the only option for them is to follow God’s leading and trust that He will protect and provide. Keep in mind, however, that the U.S. Government has been using our tax dollars to cover the expenses of abortion for decades. And every time Hobby Lobby makes a sale, the sales tax goes to fuel the government’s agenda. Why, then, did God not lead the company to take a stand against paying taxes years ago?
I like what Focus on the Family is doing with their “Option Ultrasound Program” by proactively making mothers-to-be aware of the God-given life within by giving them a free ultrasound and follow-up counseling. This program is very successful because it gives these mothers a clear view of what their unborn-baby looks like with heartbeat, movements, and physical features. This awareness counters the lies of the world that lead them to believe that their baby is just a lump of flesh until it is born. This is the type of zealous stand that will change the world for Christ.