THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO KAMALA
Found myself in an unexpected situation where I was nodding at a pro-abortion statement delivered by US VP Kamala Harris at a black sorority conference. She said how women should have "the freedom...to make decisions about her own body."
Theologically, what she said was true. We all have the freedom to do what we want but it doesn't mean we should do it especially if it goes against God's teaching. Doing so may be described as acting upon our freedom and making a choice but God calls it succinctly---sinning. (Gal. 5:13).
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." (ESV) Let Proverbs 16:9 be our guide in giving up our freedom to do what we want not only in terms of killing our babies but in all aspects of our lives and letting God do what He wants with us. The process may be painful and difficult as it is the battle of the wills---His versus ours. Even the Great Apostle Paul went through it.
"I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway...when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me." (Romans 7:19ff NLT)
I wonder if the people around Paul ever called him a hypocrite, the way we do with Christians who have done wrong? (What Christian hasn't anyway?) And yet here we are, calling him the greatest apostle there ever was. Why? Because Paul did not stop at Romans 7 and just say, "Tao lang kasi ako."
Paul was honest about his struggles and saw a way out by still keeping the faith. Towards the end of his life, he was able to declare how he had fought the good fight and had finished the work he was called by God to do. He had kept the faith and was ready to receive a crown for being right with God (2 Tim 4:7-8 NLV). He triumped over the wrong that his heart desired.
Paul, no matter how great of an apostle he was, was also as human as we are. If he could keep the faith in his daily struggle with sin, so can we for the God that helped him keep it, is the same God helping us to keep it as well. People may give up on you but never God. Never.