“It’s pretty amazing how quickly we got here, to a place in society where those of faith are to be silenced by the loud and powerful few; where one’s conscience counts only if it reflects the extreme views of the political elite.”
This week, Cathi Herrod, President of Center for Arizona Policy, wrote this news update on California’s SB 1146, a bill that would have forced religious universities in California to abandon biblical teachings about human sexuality or lose state-funded scholarships for lower-income students. She continues,
“How can a Christian university that feels called to promote Biblical values and hold true to its mission be forced to abandon that mission or risk closing its doors? Is that where we are going? So it seems.
At the root of SB 1146 is California’s statewide sexual orientation and gender identity “nondiscrimination” law. Here in Arizona, five cities have passed versions of these laws that effectively use the power of government to punish rights of conscience. Business owners must embrace, even partake in the celebrations of a same-sex wedding or face legal action. We’re not talking about refusing to serve someone; we’re talking about being forced to participate in an event that conflicts with one’s religious beliefs.”
“It came down to the wire, but those who love religious freedom and take their right to honor God seriously, successfully beat back a harmful bill in California last week. What has played out in California over the last several months is a lesson in perseverance, but it also foreshadows battles that could come to Arizona in the not-too-distant future.”
“After months of grassroots opposition from California and around the country from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders, California legislators agreed to remove the problematic language. The author of the bill said he would try again next session.”
This “testing of the waters” shows just how close we are to the end times as prophesied in Scripture. Timothy and Paul were two apostles that gave us clear warnings and commands; here are just two…
(2 Timothy 3:1-9) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
(1 Corinthians 16:13, NKJV) Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
Let’s heed the warning and follow the command – after all, they are God-breathed by the One who already knows the outcome!
