From The Men's Movement to the Messianic Movement

            Remember the men's movement called "Promise Keepers?" We don't hear very much about it any more. However, the founder of that movement, Bill McCartney, is involved in a new movement called, "The Road to Jerusalem," a movement which aims to bring evangelical Christians into fellowship with Messianic Jews-Jews who believe that Jesus is the Messiah.

            The so-called "Evangelicals" in this country have long supported the state of Israel because they incorrectly think that God intends for all Jews to return to that state as their holy place here on earth. Through their support of Israel they also support those Jews who reject Jesus as God's Messiah. McCartney rightly points out the inconsistency in Evangelicals when they support the cause of Jews who don't believe Jesus is the Messiah but do not support those who do. To be true to their claim of being "Evangelicals" they should rather be supporting the latter. McCartney would like to bring both parties together on "The Road to Jerusalem."

            The Bible does not support the millennialistic view that all Jews are to return to Israel before the Last Day. But Jesus declares that the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner who repents and, by God's grace, has come to recognize that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Messianic prophesies in the Bible.

New Life For Pro-Life?

            Though thousands of pre-natal lives continue to be aborted in this country daily, there ae signs that the tide of public opinion may be turning. Thought the changes are happening slowly, there has been some reason for pro-lifers to take hope.

            Changes that favor the pro-life movement, intentionally or not, are evident in this country, in Britain, and even in China. Because of medical advances which have helped fetuses survive outside the womb earlier than previously thought and because ultrasound scans have shown that a child of only twelve weeks "walking" in its mother's womb, the British pro-abortion people have begun to have second thoughts about their prievious callous disregard for life in the womb. Almost unbelievingly, recent reports from Britain state that more than a dozen babies have been aborted for such treatable things as cleft lips and palates. The author of Britain's Abortion Act (1967) now admits it was wrong to assume that fetuses can't survive outside the womb before 28 weeks. He now wants that law changed to say "12 weeks."

            As for China and its "gendercide" (systematically killing female babies at birth), this practice is causing concern because of a gender imbalance-117 boys for every 100 girls born. Hence, China is outlawing sex selective abortion with the aim of fixing this imbalance. Even though the rationale for this change is coldly pragmatic, it can be said that any decline in abortions is a plus for the pro-life cause.

            In our country indications are that the younger generation is getting the pro-life message. At least, the younger people are participating in anti-abortion demonstrations. There is a natural "cause and effect" that can partially explain the pro-life growth among the youth. It is called the "Roe effect" which is: "Pro-lifers can pass their values on to their children. Those who abort their children can't." Is their new life for pro-lifers on the horizon? We surely pray that there is. However, our citizens need to agree that the babies in the womb are truly human.

True Life vs. Pseudo Life

            Digressing a little, but still related to the above topic: This season of the year is celebrated by Christians for the new life that has come into the world. While the sinful world is shaken by unstable and fanatic forces which despise the lives of those who are born and trash the lives of the unborn, there echoes an infant cry from a Judean manger that says to this dying world, "New Life has come." "In Him was life and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).

            Enter King Herod: "Then Herod put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under" (Matthew 2:16). It strikes us that the same callous disregard for life as that for which Herod was condemned is to be found in the abortion clinics of today. As for Herod's wicked plot, God be eternally thanked that it did not succeed.

            Today, those who live with a similar disregard for the Christ Child, or imagine their lives can do well enough without Him, are living a pseudo life. St. John tells us, "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God doe not have life" (1 John 5:12). The miracle of Christmas is not only that Mary gave birth in a miraculous way, but that through faith in Jesus the birth of that Child has brought us life, true Life.

Paul Madson is a retired pastor living in North Mankato, Minnesota.