Faith Challenged

Read Daniel 6       
 
Daniel 6:5 So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”
 
ONE of the most well-known stories of Jesus’ forgiveness comes in John 8:4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6a They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him.”  Centuries before those ruling Jews tried to use God’s law to discredit Jesus, Persian administrators attempted to use God’s law to condemn Daniel. Daniel’s and Jesus’ lives were each a vivid testimony of faithful living. Even their accusers’ sin-laden minds knew these God-empowered men would not depart from God’s law.
   This faith challenge for Christians is very real in our world today. I know in the U.S. and Canada – and perhaps other parts of the world – the Bible’s teachings, for example, against homosexuality, fornication and abortion are considered “hate speech.” Faithful Christians speaking their faith in God’s laws are deemed terrible, ignorant people. The culture deliberately uses Christians’ faith views to prevent promotions in their work, to ridicule them in the classrooms and to disrupt their businesses. In his book, “The Benedict Option” author Ron Dener warns about these plots against God’s faithful: “Everyone working for a major corporation will be shuffled through ‘diversity and inclusion’ training and will face pressure not simply to tolerate Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) co-workers but to affirm their sexuality and gender identity. Plus, companies that don’t abide by state and federal antidiscrimination statutes covering LGBTs will not be able to receive government contracts. In fact, according to one religious liberty litigator, the only thing standing between an employer or employee and a court action is the imagination of LGBT plaintiffs and their lawyers.” In other words, any sinner can plot against someone who speaks against his sin. Those who follow the Father of Lies can point a devil-guided finger and say, “Your obedience to the Bible is hateful to me.” And because too many people are ignorant of sin and its deadly consequences, the accusers will have their way.
   What are we to do? We know what Jesus and Daniel did. The Bible teaches us to stand firmly in God’s laws. Those laws tell you what is wrong and what is right. We speak against sin, and we speak forgiveness. We speak for right living, and we speak encouragement. We stand on truth against all opposition. We trust God will protect us as we put his Word above all things – even above death. We offer grace, and we teach salvation. We live in faith, and we live by faith. We pray for those who oppose us. And we pray for God’s strength to stand in his wisdom, honor and glory.
   Study God’s Word and know that his will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Luke 12:11 “And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”