There is a difference between a law that permits abortions (Roe v. Wade) and one which commands abortions be provided, like the ObamaCare mandate requiring religious institutions and individuals to violate their consciences by providing abortion-inducing drugs through their insurance policies to their employees. As ethicist Norman Geisler has noted, it is one thing for a government to allow others to do evil, but it is another for it to force an individual or institutions like Southwest Baptist University or Guidestone Financial Services to do evil. Thus, the question: What are individuals and institutions to do when the government forces them to act contrary to their conscience and against their deepest held beliefs as protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
As Christians we are to obey the government’s laws, no matter how unjust (Rom. 13:1, Titus 3:1). 1 Peter 2:13 says, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men.” For “it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men” (v. 15). As much as we should abhor abortion, as good citizens living peaceably with those in authority over us, we must acknowledge the federal law allowing abortions. No one is being forced to get an abortion, much less perform one – until now. While the institutions will not be forced to perform abortions directly, it will knowingly do so indirectly through the premiums it pays its insurance carrier. This is different from the objection pro-life Americans have over their tax dollars going to Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion provider. We must pay our taxes – even if they are used for evil purposes. The ObamaCare mandate forces the individuals or institutions to pay for abortions – with their own private money as is the case with Guidestone (though it must be acknowledged that some of the money received by institutions is taxpayer dollars, which comes with strings attached as they are now discovering).
In a freedom-loving constitutional republic like America, Christians can – and should – peaceably protest the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for evil, including abortions. In recent weeks many Christian leaders have said they will not comply with the ObamaCare mandate, even if it means going to jail while continuing their protest (I signed the Manhattan Declaration and count myself among that humble tribe). Indeed it may come to that, but there are other measures that Americans can take as peaceful expressions of opposition to this unjust law. This approach is known as civil disobedience.
Civil disobedience is scriptural. Geisler explains some of the ways Christians can carry this out. Here are some to consider:
• The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Tim. 2:1-2 to pray, that “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” Geisler reminds us that “prayer is the slender nerve by which the muscles of omnipotence are moved.”
• Simply disobey ObamaCare – even in the face of heavy fines (for institutions it could run into the millions of dollars) or imprisonment. No human can force Christians to disobey God. He is the highest authority. His Word totally binds our conscience. Like the kings in Babylon who were affected by the brave disobedience of Daniel and the three Hebrew children (Dan. 3, 6), such action can have a good effect upon an evil government.
• Legal redress. Under our laws we may petition the government to eliminate the unjust law, just as Louisiana Baptist College has done.
• Be good citizens by voting for leaders who will espouse righteous laws.
• Flee. “We need not be dart boards for despots,” Geisler says. We have not reached that point yet, but it may be a future option, just as it was when the prophets ran from Jezebel (1 Kings 18) or when Israel fled from Egypt (Exod. 12).
America has been on a radically secular trajectory for too long. The ObamaCare mandate is but one example of this continuing trend (even in its language it uses terms like “preventative care,” thus making pregnancy and childbirth a disease). This trend is troubling because such a society will inevitably demand a radically secular government (thus calls for Christians to stay out of public policy matters and moral issues are not to be part of presidential campaign debates). Such a government will not honor and glorify God. Instead it will challenge God over who is supreme.