California Assembly Bill 2943 is raising a lot of eyebrows around the country. What the bill is about is placing a ban on the advertising and/or sale of sexual orientation change efforts, or SOCE. “Sexual orientation change efforts” refers to any effort by someone seeking to change someone else’s sexual orientation. In other words, if someone is a homosexual, this law would ban a counselor in a paid transaction situation from encouraging that homosexual to adopt a heterosexual lifestyle. It would also ban the sale of any books or other media that encourages a homosexual to adopt a heterosexual lifestyle. There is no word if the bill would also ban someone from trying to convince a heterosexual to become a homosexual, but that would probably be OK given the moral climate in California.

          Aside from the fact that this bill makes certain free speech illegal, there is a more direct concern to Christians. What if a pastor, whose job description includes counseling, sits down with one of his youth and talks about this issue? He gets paid, in part, to do counseling for all manner of things. In doing so and talking against homosexuality, is he violating the law? The way the bill is worded, yes, he is in violation of the law. There are several fact checking organizations that say no, the bill would not be interpreted in that fashion, but why not? The wording is pretty broad. Besides, we were told in the beginning that abortions would happen only in the cases of rape, incest and if the mother’s life was in danger. We see how that has gone. It has become the ultimate in birth control. Going on, though, if you cannot sell media material that condemns homosexuality and the efforts to get someone to leave that lifestyle behind, could the Bible be banned from being sold? Leviticus 20:13---If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. Now that is a pretty stern warning to the Jews who are contemplating a homosexual lifestyle. Maybe just the Old Testament would be banned? Probably not just the Old Testament. Romans 1:26-28---Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. Well, that seems like a pretty clear denunciation of homosexuality in the New Testament. Would it be enough to have sales of the Bible banned?

          There are many who would say that ministers will not be fined or arrested and the sale of the Bible will never be banned in these United States. As it happens, I am old enough to remember prayer in school. I remember the pastor of the little church we attended for a while in Leroy, Ohio telling us that Christians would never allow prayer to be taken out of school. I remember when abortion became legal. Even the Christians I knew were saying that they could understand the rape and incest and health of the mother thing. Made sense. And I remember what was said when same sex marriages were allowed. All three of these things were not laws that were passed. These things were decisions by the Supreme Court in interpreting existing laws. However, here it is a law being passed and the wording of the law does allow for legal action against ministers and the banning of the sale of the Bible.

           Of course, there will be courageous ministers and churches that will defy the law. But, cowardice is far easier. And there will be thousands of Christians nationwide who will put up money to buy Bibles to be given away in California. Time, however, will lessen the sting of the new law. Ministers will start leaving California. They will have families to consider. It won’t take long and California will be left to the devices of Satan. Then, gradually, other states will adopt their own laws. It is, after all, the considerate thing to do. Or, maybe, the Supreme Court will just make a ruling and just like that the law will become nationwide.

         Do you really think it will not happen? Really? After all we have seen? Really? Maybe we have adopted a ‘so what’ mentality about the other things. It doesn’t affect me. But this will affect you and me and all of Christianity.

          In one way, I look forward to the coming hailstorm. Christians in this country have never faced real persecution. It is going to be interesting to see how we handle it. But then, I also consider those younger than me. The struggles they will face, the hardships they will endure. And I consider all those who think it will never come here. Their disappointment as they enter into those struggles and hardships. Winston Churchill told the British House of Commons in 1948, “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” And it will be a condemnation.

          So, what can we do? Legally, any chance to vote something like this down, we do it. The real weapon, though, is prayer. Seeking God’s will. The US is not mentioned in end time prophecy (there are those who say the US is there, but that is based in hope rather than real Scripture). By the time the end times are upon us we will not be a Spiritual nation at all. Even so, we Christians need to still pray. Pray for the Lord to forestall it and pray that the Lord gives us the strength to withstand it.

          Amazing where we are in 2018. More than ever, we need to depend upon the Lord. Deuteronomy 31:6---Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. The hand writing, so to speak, is on the wall. But we need to be strong and courageous.

          Blessings.