The Right to Life

                 The Right to Life

    In her article, The Rise of DIY Abortions, Ada Calhoun, of The New Republic, discusses personal abortion stories, different methods of abortion, and the increase in ‘at home abortions’. Calhoun begins by talking about Jennie Linn McCormack’s story of her at home abortion. McCormack had three kids, and she became pregnant yet again. McCormack did not have the money or resources to acquire a medical abortion, so she ordered abortion pills online and she terminated the pregnancy at home. However, she had thought she was only fourteen weeks pregnant; once she delivered the dead fetus, she realized she had underestimated how far along she was. She turned out to be between nineteen and twenty-three weeks pregnant. McCormack was charged by Bannock County Prosecutors’ under an Idaho law that makes it illegal for a women to have an abortion in a way not sanctioned by the state. 

The article goes on to talk about how before Roe v. Wade legalized abortion, women had found several different techniques to end their unwanted pregnancies. They used things such as: coat hangers, and laundry detergent. Once abortion was legalized the focus shifted; however, there were still many activists who believed that “do-it-yourself” abortions were necessary for poor women. As of now, women are using drugs like, Cytotec and Mifeprex, which have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These drugs are readily available online for only forty-five to seventy-five dollars, compared with a three hundred to eight hundred dollar legal medicated abortion. In the past years, more and more women have been performing at home abortions; meanwhile, the law has been moving to restrict access, online and off, to abortion pills.

    According to LifeNews.com, “Since that time, [Roe v. Wade] there have been approximately 57,762,169 abortions that have destroyed the lives of unborn children.”. That is an exorbitant amount of lives that have been taken, and viewed as nothing more than a clump of  cells. The Bible says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (New International Version Fire Bible, Ps. 139.13). Meaning that God, from the moment someone was conceived in their mother’s womb, has been working in them. He created everyone unique, special, and with certain rights endowed to everyone. This verse does not say, ‘You knit me together once I was born’. What this verse implies is that from the moment someone was conceived, not the moment one was born, one has a right to live. If everyone has a right to live from conception, why would it be allowed to unfairly slaughter thousands of innocent unborn babies? That is what pro-choice activists are supporting. They believe women should have the right to terminate their pregnancies whenever and wherever they want. As a result, over fifty million lives have been taken through clinical, medicated abortion. This number does not even include abortions that women perform on themselves, “DIY” abortions.

 In recent years, however, “do-it-yourself” abortions have been making a big appearance. What that means is women across America have been using different methods to end their own pregnancies at home. While legal abortions are a major issue by themselves, “DIY” abortions are becoming a bigger issue. At home abortions are a problem because they are unsafe, dangerous, and a form of unregulated murder.

Self-induced abortion is unsafe because women cannot accurately determine how far along they are in their pregnancy. Not knowing how far along one is could cause unhealthy and dangerous complications the mother. Similar to Jennie Lynn McCormack’s story in The Rise of DIY Abortions, consider this: a woman, say her name is Susan, realizes she is pregnant, but does not want to keep the baby. Susan wants to have an abortion but cannot afford to pay for it. She does not know what to do so she looks up on the internet how to terminate a pregnancy at home. Online, Susan comes across an advertisement for “abortion pills”; she purchases the pills, thinking she is only fifteen weeks along. Taking the pills, she does end up terminating her pregnancy, but it does not go as she planned. She has to deliver a dead fetus, and she is shocked to see how big it is. She becomes frightened and calls the ambulance. They inspect the fetus and determine that Susan was actually about twenty-three weeks, around five months, pregnant, (Calhoun). The point of this story it to emphasize that women cannot be encouraged to perform their own abortions. Women cannot accurately determine the length of pregnancies; therefore, increasing the chances of  the mother being injured. At home abortions are high-risk for both mother and child. Without proper knowledge of  what is going on in one’s pregnancy there could be unnecessary pain caused to the mother and her unborn child. “The new measures instead seek to prevent an abortion after the point at which a fetus is able to feel pain- according to the bills’ authors, at about 20 weeks.” (Calhoun).  Unborn fetuses are able to feel pain much sooner than many people believe. If women are allowed to decide when they terminate their pregnancies without any sort of regulation, then not only is it allowing the murder of innocent children, it is also enabling the potential to inflict unnecessary pain on a completely vulnerable victim.

    At home abortions are dangerous because these women are not medical professionals; and thus, they do not know what they are doing. There are many hazardous techniques women have used that did not terminate their pregnancies and only caused them further damage. “They [women] put dangerous drugs like the tissue-destroying potassium permanganate into their vaginas, which typically failed to terminate pregnancy but sometimes caused hemorrhage.” (Calhoun). In a desperate attempt to end their unborn child’s life, women are in turn causing themselves more pain and harm, without the expected and wanted result. Women are putting themselves through excruciating pain, not having the proper knowledge of what they are doing when they use chemicals, and harmful drugs to try and end their pregnancy.  

    Humanity cannot be given the right to decide if another human being lives or not, as every life has value and is worth protecting. The selling and distribution of  “abortion pills” needs to be stopped altogether, because it allows women to terminate their pregnancies with no laws or regulations.  “A number of pro-choice groups argue that access to the drugs [Mifeprex and Cytotec] should be vastly expanded, perhaps available by prescription from general practitioners.” (Calhoun). Pro-choice activists are fighting for women to have unlimited access to pregnancy ending drugs. They believe that there should be “abortion pills” readily available on all fronts. Whether it be online, over the counter, or prescribed from the doctor, they think it is every woman's right to have have access to these drugs and the option to end her child’s life. As Rebecca J. Rosen writes in her article, Consider the Coat Hanger, “Making something illegal doesn’t make it disappear.” Simply put, telling someone they cannot do something, will not stop them from doing it. While it is true that the discontinuation of the legalization of abortion pills will not end all at home abortions, it will help to control how many women take the plunge and how many innocent babies are killed. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to end abortion completely; however, there are measures that one can take to slow down the rise of self-induced abortions.

    Society should be made more aware of the increase in at home abortions. Without proper knowledge, nothing will get better. The issues, complications, and dangers of at home abortions outweigh the pros, and women need to be made aware of that. If people are not educated of the dangers of “DIY” abortions, more women and babies will be harmed. At home abortions are a bigger issue than people realize, and it needs to be stopped.

-Meranda

Works Cited

 Calhoun, Ada. "The Rise of DIY             Abortions." Academic Search Premier. N.p., 31 Dec. 2012. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.

 Ertlet, Steven. "57,762,169 Abortions in America Since Roe vs. Wade in 1973."  LifeNews.com. LifeNews, 21 Jan. 2015. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.     

New International Version Fire Bible. Ed. Donald C. Stamps, Carey Huffman, J. Wesley Adams. Life Publishers International, 2007. Print. 28 Feb. 2016.

Rosen, Rebecca J. "Consider the Coat Hanger." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

    

    

    

My Testimony

   God has done so many things in my life and I wouldn't be the woman I am today without the struggles I've been through. One huge thing that has changed my perspective on faith is when it was stretched 5 years ago. 5 years ago my dad almost lost his life to jaundice, a major liver disease. His liver was extremely close to shutting down because of his gallstones. This was very scary for a 13 year old to grasp.  My mom almost lost her life a year later to a major breathing problem. The carbon dioxide in her lungs would not leave, therefore oxygen would not come in.
    Worry became a huge part of my life when I realized that neither of my parents were as healthy as they should be. I kept on thinking "what will happen to them, I don't know how I can handle this." But God gave me a verse, Matthew 6:27 "Who of you by worrying can add a single moment to ones life?" This really hit me hard, I realized that worry will do absolutely nothing for there healing. All I can do is trust that God will heal my mom when he feels the time is right. God showed that I need to accept the answer that I am given and have faith that she will be okay in time. My mom is not healthy right now, but I know that God has a plan and I will trust that his will will be done.
    Sometimes it may feel that God has forsaken you when the struggles start to arise. But he loves you and me way too much to forsake us. He mourns when we mourn, he has been in the position that you and I have been in. God will always be there and he will never forsake you in your weaknesses.

                                                                     ~Mindie~

Storytime: The Leap Day of a Lifetime

Yesterday was Leap Day, the extra day in February that occurs once every four years. Having an extra day is a valuable commodity, so such a day must be used wisely.
It just so happened that this year's Leap Day fell on the final day of our off-season before track, which began this afternoon. So, of course, my friends (Chase and Sam), my dog (Sprite), and I went on one final freedom run. 

Chase, me and Sprite, and Sam

This run turned out to be one the craziest, most exciting things I've done in a long, long time. We decided to go on an old railroad track trail that starts in our town and eventually ends about 2 miles away, but we kicked it up a notch by exploring the areas next to the trail.
Our adventure started off fairly normal. The terrain was a bit crazy, but fortunately none of us got any pre-season ankle injuries. There was deer and rabbit crap everywhere, signaling that those lovely mammals are closer than one might think. As we proceeded in our off-road adventure, we came upon the first weird thing of the day: a dead deer. It was quite mutilated with its various body parts strewn about, so we guessed that someone may have dumped it there after shooting it and that some other animal had come and picked it apart further. 

Then we continued across a gravel road to the extension of this trail. My dog was being an idiot and started running on the opposite side of the fence, so Sam and Chase held the fence down while I pulled her back over to the correct side. After this, we veered off to the north side of the trail to do some exploring. The trail was on top of a very steep hill, so we were wandering about in the midst of a sort of gully. After scrambling through the brush (that Sprite had no difficulty navigating,) we came upon a frozen pond surrounded with someone’s junk. There was a variety of old glass bottles, car parts, and miscellaneous household objects intertwined with the ice. I walked across the frozen pond to the other side so that I could explore what was over there. That was when I saw a horrific site: a pile of skinned animals.
At first I was scared because I thought they were dogs (the domesticated type), but Chase reassured me that they were only coyotes. I had seen only the ones at the top of the pile, but looking closer, one could see that they were piled up all the way down the hill and partially hidden under the snow. Some had been ripped apart by other wild animals and their limbs lay scattered in the brush. Of course, Sprite thought these creatures were incredibly interesting. She may have loved the smell, but we sure didn't.

Sprite with her fellow dog friends

a lovely coyote

After that, we made our way up the steep hill to what had formerly been the railroad track and continued on the trail. We were required to cross a shallow part of a frozen creek that crossed the path, so I decided to play it safe and cross by climbing on the metal fence line that went through it. After we came back up out of the creek bottom, we again veered to the north of the trail for further exploration. It was there that we came upon a second junk pile. This one surrounded a pit instead of a pond. As we looked closer, we noticed an assortment of strange objects in it like old license plates, beer bottles, a tricycle, refrigerators, more dead deer, and even a complete cow skeleton with its bones still laid out in order.

Next, we ran back to the trail and continued down going east. However, we realized that we had not yet explored the south side of the trail, so we turned around to do that. The south side was steeper and had much thicker brush than the north side. All of the fallen trees and intertwined limbs made it quite difficult to navigate through, but somehow we all made it out with two eyes.
However, when we had gone a ways, we realized that in order to cross back over to the trail, we had to cross a large, frozen slough. My dog made it across fine ahead of us with ease, so we made our way through the cattails to the center of the slough where a metal fence ran through the ice. Chase led the way, I followed him, and Sam followed me as we held to the fence and began to carefully cross. I turned around and joked that Sam would probably be the one to fall through after Chase and I had weakened the ice.
When we had made it out to the middle of the slough, I was confident that we were perfectly safe and that the ice was perfectly strong. I let go of the fence and began to skate around a bit. It was then that I heard Chase mumble an “interesting” phrase and I knew that we were done for.
The ice began to crack and I fell in up to my thighs before making my way back to the fence. My (too stupid for her own good) dog came back over to try and “rescue” me, but she was really the only one in danger of drowning. Chase and I climbed on the fence and slowly made our way up to the shore. Somehow, Sam escaped the ice cracking, grabbed on to the fence, went back to the shore we’d come from, and took the long way around back to the trail. Smart thinking, Sam. 

When we made it back up to the top of the trail, Chase and I examined our legs and saw that they were very banged up from being smashed through the ice. My knee had already developed a horrific bruise, and my shin was displaying a nice goose egg. Of course, we felt our injuries were worth it for the thrilling time we had just had. After wringing out my socks, we continued on our way.

a super attractive shot of my bruised knee

Of course, we were on the opposite side of the crook bottom and would once again have to pass through frozen water. This time, Sam took his chance and ran across as the ice began to crack. Chase and I opted for the safer option and went across on the fence.
We went home, this time sticking to the trail, laughing all the way as our pants froze into a form of shin guards. It was truly the best run of my life to date, and I would say we ended the winter off-season well. We’re starting to plan an extreme hike in the hills near our town, so there may be even more interesting stories to come. Hopefully track season will be close to as thrilling. 

Michelle Recommends Intro

Hey everyone! 

It's Monday, which I know is everyone's favorite day of the week! (NOT).  Today it is positively bleak outside; cloudy, cold, and windy.  But I am here with good news!  

Over the next few weeks I'm going to be starting a series called Michelle Recommends!  

Basically this series is going to be me talking about products, songs, books, or anything that I think is amazing and that you might choose to try. :) 

I have tons of ideas for this series but none are quite ready to write about yet, so that's why I'm using today's blog as a shameless plug.  So sorry about that...but I hope you're looking forward to the next few weeks!  If you like (or don't like) anything that I recommend in the future, feel free to talk about it in the comments.  I'd love to know what you guys recommend too! 

See you next week! 

^some added encouragement for your Monday <3

Rainy Days 1)

Hey guys! It's your favorite Alpha Female ;)

Today's gonna be something different. It's actually something Michelle thought of but has let me take over and create my own version of. I'd like to introduce a series called Rainy Days. Basically this is going to be a story progressing but the only days in the story you'll hear about are the days in which it rains. 

This is eventually going to turn into something completely different than it is now, but my rough drafts of this are my own personal rainy day experiences. So here we go:

Rainy Day on the Brink of Collapse

I am sitting on my stone porch chilled by the air, although it is summer. The cup of tea in my hand notices my coldness and spreads warmth starting from my palm and fingertips, flowing through veins to my insides. I notice rain drops falling in my cup. I do not mind. It soothes me, actually.

I look down at strands of my hair and wonder how much of it is soaked by rain water and how much is soaked by my recent shower. 

I keep taking deep breaths hoping one time I'll breathe in and not have this heavy weight in my lungs. With every inhale comes a thought of a friend recently passed, every exhale, a tear. I decide most questions will never be answered.

I have stopped paying attention to the balance of tears, shower water, or rain was entering my tea, and I just drink.

When I have finished, I wait until I notice the absence of the warmth. And when my bones are fully chilled again, I take my empty cup inside. Everything feels like slow motion.

I cannot tell whether I have just drowned or breathed for the first time.

This was a rainy day, on the brink of collapse.

Eeyore..

      When I was younger, my nickname was "Eeyore". My parents and grandparents compared me to the downtrodden, tail-losing, Winnie the Pooh character for the simple reason I was a cranky and sad child. I spent most of my days lamenting what was so horrible about my life. My attitude was that of someone who did not care about life, and had no happiness or joy to speak of. It was pretty rare that I smiled or laughed or allowed myself to enjoy being alive. 

      I never liked being this way, and I never liked being the negative person people had to tolerate being around. So, one day I decided I was not gonna be cranky anymore; I decided that I was going to be a happy and joyful person. I went to bed elated with my decision, and you know what happened when I woke up the next morning? Nothing. 

       You see, I had decided I was going to be joyful. I made this choice for myself, and I thought that I could change how I viewed the world within my own power. 

    As I turned it over in my head over and over again, I couldn't wrap my mind around why I was still "sad". Why am I still so upset? Why am I not happy? I decided I was going to be, so why aren't I? What I had forgotten to consider was actually the most important part. That I could not make myself happy, and I could not find joy where there was none. It says in Bible, Nehemiah 8:10, "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.". The joy of the Lord. 

The joy of the Lord. I had forgotten that joy does not come from within myself, but from the Lord our God. The giver of all hope and joy.

         Once I realized this, everything did change. I am now a incredible joyful person. My outlook on life has changed from that of disgust and distaste, to one of wonderment and excitement. If you take anything away from this post today, remember that through God we can all have joy. No matter what you're going through and where you are in life, it truly is all in how you look at it! 

     -Meranda 

        

Christian Response to Government

Today, I'm celebrating #TheologyThursday with a nice, in-depth theology post. Below is a revised version of a paper I've recently written on what I believe is an appropriate Christian response towards government authority. Since it is quite long, I've added in headings to help you navigate to topics that pique your interest. Enjoy!

-Chloe           

photo credits: www.theblaze.com

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Introduction 

Government in the United States in 2016 is nowhere near the extreme oppression experienced under totalitarian regimes, yet there are numerous elements of government corruption throughout everyday American life. The National Security Administration constantly peers further and further into the private lives of every American, and airport security is becoming increasingly invasive. It is no wonder that many Christians are confused about how to appropriately respond to government. Jesus commands His followers to love both God and others, and that love is to shape every aspect of life. Out of that love, Christ calls for all to live lives of obedience to governing authorities; but when those authorities defy God, Christians are to stand up to them.  

The Christian’s Role in the World 

Before Christians can determine how to appropriately respond to government, they must first understand an appropriate response to life in general. In Matthew, Jesus gives His two greatest commandments, summing up how Christians should live life. The verses read, “Jesus replied: ‘Love The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Holy Bible: New International Version, Matthew 22:37-38). Jesus taught that all of Christian life could be lived correctly by simply loving God with everything and loving other people unconditionally.  

In addition, Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world…. Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-15). If Christians live to truly love God and others, their “light” will shine before for all to see, glorifying God as a result. Above all, one of the greatest goals of the Church is to spread the name of Christ across the Earth. Before Jesus ascended back into heaven following His resurrection, He commanded His disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20a). This command to “go and make disciples” should utterly saturate the way Christians behave within the Church, in evangelistic ministry, and in personal life.  

Christians must understand the fact that this world is not their home. Jesus calls His followers to love Him and others and to minister to the world, but one day, all Christians will leave this Earth to live for eternity in heaven. Through trials and tribulations, those who trust in Jesus can hold on to this truth. At Jesus’s arrest, He said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36). Jesus recognized that His purpose was not yet to establish an Earthly government; His job was to build up a heavenly kingdom. As Christians aim to love God and reach this world, they must all keep this in mind as Jesus did.  

A Christian’s Behavior Towards Government  

If love for God and others is so important to Christian life, love should impact every aspect of it– including behavior towards government. The Assemblies of God (AG) believes “that civil government is ordained by God and should be supported by all citizens including Christians” (“Government and Political Parties”). This belief is based on the passage from Romans 13, which reads, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience” (Romans 13:1-7). This passage teaches that God is in control over the establishment of earthly governments, and because of this Christians should act in obedience to authorities. It is absolutely necessary to be submissive to government.  

In Mark 12, people began to question Jesus about whether or not it was appropriate for God-fearing people to pay taxes to the ruler Caesar. Verses 13-17 read, “Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch Him in His words. They came to Him and said, ‘Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by others because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?’ But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. ‘Why are you trying to trap me?’ he asked. ‘Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.’ They brought the coin, and he asked them, ‘Whose image is this? And whose inscription?’ ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.’ And they were amazed at Him” (Mark 12:13-17).  In this passage, Jesus makes a clear distinction between government and God; however, since God institutes government, His servants are to be obedient to it. 

Even though God’s rulership and the rulerships of this world are two very different entities, Christians should not shy away from their ability to impact government. The Assemblies of God expands upon this truth, stating that the distinction of the two “does not mean that the laws and moral values of God are not to touch or impact government. To the contrary, when God’s moral laws are observed and applied within government, society benefits” (“Government and Political Parties”). The United States operates on the premise of a “separation of church and state,” but allowing God’s values to coincide with society’s may have positive effects. In addition, all Christians are called to impact the government through prayer. The Apostle Paul said, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people– for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” Since God ordains government, Christians can and should support it through prayer. This ensures that all Christ followers will be able to continue to “live peaceful and quiet lives” that abound “in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 1:1-2).  

The AG backs up this belief in government support, saying, “Since we Americans have a participatory form of government, it is the Christian’s spiritual duty to participate as a citizen in that system” (“Government and Political Parties”). The AG holds to a stance of loyalty towards the government, unchanged even in times of war. Members of the AG are called to exercise “civic loyalty” based on the first verse of Romans 13, which again says, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities for there is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1). It is out of submission to God that Christians choose to submit to government.  

Because this world has been corrupted by sin, governments are occasionally required to use force. In that case, Christians are still to support them because the Bible says, “[A ruler] does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13:4). Nonetheless, people within the AG are free to have their own opinions about war and may serve in combat, non-combat, or conscientious objector positions as they see fit. In support of this freedom of choice, the AG cites Romans 12:14, which says, “Each of us will give an account of himself to God.” In whatever stance each individual Christian takes, he or she should be completely convinced of it and act accordingly (“War and Conscientious Objectors”).  

When Government Defies God  

Even though loyalty to government is supported, the AG certainly does not want trouble to be sought out and supported. Unfortunately, some times of trouble escalate to a point of contradicting the things of God. Many corrupt governments have been saturated by sin and commit horrible acts as a result. While God calls us to obey government, He never calls us to defy Himself. Jesus’s greatest commandment taught that God should be loved above all else. For those who want to obey this command, there is no room for disobedience towards God. In essence, “obedience to human laws should never force or lead a Christian to sin against God’s law” (“Law and Crime”).  

Perhaps the most clear-cut example of “civil disobedience” in the Bible is found in Acts 4. Verses 18-20 say, “Then [the elders and teachers of the law] called [the apostles] in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to Him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’” In this passage, Peter and John did not behave in a needlessly defiant manner, but they did recognize that God’s desires are to be held above all others. In John 14:14, Jesus says, “If you love me, keep my commands.” These two men did just that out of their love for Christ, and all Christians are still called to do the same.  

While Christians should be like the apostles with a constant readiness to explain the hope found in Christ, all should share that hope with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). Christians must never forget that “every human being, no matter how antagonistic… to the gospel, is a soul for whom Christ died,” and that even includes corrupt government officials ("Civil Disobedience"). There are times when Christians may be required to defy these authorities out of obedience to God, but such defiance should be done in a manner worthy of a Christ-follower– gently and respectfully.  

Some Christians have used examples from the Old Testament “to justify violent means for a just cause.” However, Jesus laid out a new covenant for us. He lived a life evidenced by wisdom and kindness in all things. Of course He was angry at times, but “his anger and judgment were reserved for religious hypocrites who proclaimed their righteousness but cruelly judged those who did not follow their edicts” ("Civil Disobedience"). Because Jesus was not looking to establish an earthly kingdom, He placed greater importance on making sure that people were not hypocritical towards God’s laws than He did on enforcing earthly power.  

At the same time, the patterns in the Old Testament cannot be ignored entirely. It is quite evident that there are times throughout the Old Testament in which God permits and even commands extermination. This seems to contradict His command in Exodus 20:13, which states quite plainly, “You shall not murder.” The AG explains this apparent contradiction this way: “The Hebrew word used here (raisach) in the ancient manuscripts is descriptive of an act of willful and personal vengeance. While the outcome may be similar to the killings of war, the motive and driving force are quite different. The language of Exodus 20:13 does not suggest that we are to disallow participation in war, even if that participation involves killing. The preservation of peace and tranquility sometimes makes this response imperative” ("War and Conscientious Objectors"). Contrary to popular belief, the Bible forbids murder of another but not killing of another. In the extremely rare and unfortunate instances in which killing is absolutely necessary to accomplish God’s ultimate purposes, it is permissible. Modern day examples of such circumstances may include war, or in even more extreme cases, assassination. Christians should exercise the utmost caution in any attempt to justify defiant acts against government. Ultimately, God desires for His people to live peaceful lives.  

Be that as it may, there is another extreme of perhaps worse detriment: sitting back and doing nothing. Passiveness can hardly be considered beneficial to the kingdom of God. James 4:17 says, “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” If a Christian is fully convinced that God desires for him or her to complete an act of defiance against the government in order to further His kingdom, then he or she ought to do so. In all things, “balance is key. Christians must demonstrate biblical commitment under the control of Christ” ("Civil Disobedience").  

Conclusion  

As Christians seek to love God in all areas, they should strive for an unrelenting obedience to Him, even if the government attempts to instruct otherwise. This does not justify seeking out trouble, but God’s commands must be held with the utmost respect. The summarizing statement of the AG reads, “We are committed to [the avoidance of war] as much as accountability, sensibility, and responsibility allow. This will be the necessary posture, until the Prince of Peace– Jesus Christ– establishes His reign over a world that is now characterized by violence, wickedness, and war” (“War and Conscientious Objectors”). Christians must keep this mindset in mind through every kind of persecution. Until Jesus comes back to establish His kingdom on this Earth, there will always be times of trouble within governments and nations. In light of this, Christians have an obligation to encourage one another all the more as the day of Christ’s return draws nearer (Hebrews 10:25).  

Works Cited

"Civil Disobedience." Assemblies of God. The General Council of the Assemblies of God, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. 

"Government and Political Parties." Assemblies of God. The General Council of the Assemblies of God, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. 

"Law and Crime." Assemblies of God. The General Council of the Assemblies of God, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. 

The Holy Bible: New International Version. 3rd Vers. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984. Print. 

"War and Conscientious Objectors." Assemblies of God. The General Council of the Assemblies of God, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. 

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