“The Door of Opportunity is Open”
By Jim Schneider, Executive Director
VCY America
As we approached last year’s presidential & congressional election, our nation was at a crossroads. Were we going to forsake the founding principles of our nation and forge ahead toward socialism? Or, were we going to change the trajectory we have been headed over recent years and return to embrace our Constitutional principles? Certainly, much was at stake (and still is.) Most notable to many in Christian ministry is the First Amendment and the protection of a free press, free speech, the right to assemble and the free exercise of religion.
Our nation was quickly advancing toward forcing medical providers to violate their conscience and participate in abortion, the intentional killing of pre-born babies. Further, there was a push to force physicians beyond their conscience objection to participate in permanent body mutilating procedures on minors who are gender confused.
It was not only those in the medical profession. The corporate world was quickly advancing mandatory compliance with their DEI policies. This was coupled with mandatory compliance of those in education to teach curriculum that denies simple biology and to accept by their speech and actions, policies in direct conflict with the teachings of Scripture.
The implications of this past election go well beyond just these matters. Increased hostility has been launched against Christianity. A school board in Canyon Independent School District located in Texas recently made known their action to ban the Bible from library shelves to comply with a state law which bans books with “sexually explicit” content. Thankfully after an outcry this decision was soon reversed. But it will not be the last attempt.
How long will it be before Christian broadcast stations are prevented from proclaiming the whole counsel of God over the airwaves? How long before local pastors will be required to turn over their sermons before delivering them to their congregation? If you think this is impossible or “over the top,” keep in mind it had already been attempted in Houston, TX.
There are on-going attempts to stop “Good News Clubs” in schools, to prevent coaches from praying on the 50-yard line after a game, to cease any mention of God (except for cursing) in the public arena, and to force businessmen and women to use their talents to accommodate aberrant and sinful lifestyle choices.
While these attacks unfold, and continue to do so in the future, we must recognize this is no time to cower in a corner, or to be secretive in our Christianity. For the most part, this is what has brought these problems to this point. The church, the body of believers in Jesus Christ, must take an unwavering stand. The role of the Christian is not to “go with the flow” and just “blend in,” but to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ.
We have become perilously close to going the direction other nations have in clamping down on religious liberty. What is happening in several European countries ought to be a warning to us as to what may happen in the future. Now, while this door of opportunity is open, more than ever the Gospel must be furthered.
The apostle Paul recognized the critical importance of an open door in the work of the ministry. “Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door wasopened unto me of the Lord,” (II Corinthians 2:12)
When a door was opened, Paul took full advantage of the opportunity. He never knew how long that door would remain opened. He was fully aware that it is only the Gospel of Christ that can truly change the heart of man.
Paul also recognized that along with the open door, opposition was also lurking. “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” (I Corinthians 16:9) Indeed, there were those who would seek to hinder in any way possible the message of the gospel being furthered.
Paul suffered antagonism, rebuke, false accusations, beatings and even imprisonment under the political and religious system he lived. “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:” (Colossians 4:3)
As we spread the Good News, we do so recognizing that there will be those who oppose our actions, who oppose our speech, and who oppose the very message we must advance. Such will be the case as we go through life.
But we must realize our door is open even wider than Paul’s door. In the United States we do not live in constant threat of physical peril for sharing the Gospel and thus it behooves us to persevere while there is opportunity, while the door is open.
In listening to Christian constitutional lawyers over the past 12 months, they have indicated to me that we are living in a time when religious liberty in the United States is seeing many victories. Why then are we not taking advantage of these times? Why are we trying to close the door that is sitting wide open for us? As we begin a New Year let us recognize that the door of opportunity is open. The question is, will we advance the Gospel to a needy world, or will we squander the occasion? Let each of us commit afresh to be the ambassador God has called us to be before this door is closed!
