With the inauguration complete and the second four years of the Obama administration officially begun, what can Christians and the church expect?

While we don’t know the answer in many areas (cabinet positions, what will be emphasized, etc), we do know what we have seen over the last four years.

I understand people can change, and I certainly hope and pray for change. I also know that the best predictor of the future is the past.

Based on that truism, we can expect a continuation of policies which are antagonistic to the church.

First, we can expect an erosion of the first amendment right of the freedom of religion. We have already seen an emphasis on freedom of worship rather than freedom of religion.

Freedom of worship is vastly different from freedom of religion. Freedom of worship means we have freedom within the confines of our worship services but we do not have freedom in public forums.

Yesterday I read an article about a mother explaining why she is raising her children without God. This paragraph concluded the article:

“I do not want religion to go away. I only want religion to be kept at home or in church where it belongs. It’s a personal effect, like a toothbrush or a pair of shoes. It’s not something to be used or worn by strangers. I want my children to be free not to believe and to know that our schools and our government will make decisions based on what is logical, just and fair–not on what they believe an imaginary God wants.”

This woman is advocating freedom of worship and rejecting freedom of religion. For her, religion should be kept “at home or in church where it belongs.” Not even Christians of the New Testament era dealt with this kind of religious repression. The Greeks often disagreed with the concept of resurrection, but they were willing to hear what Paul and others had to say.

Second, we can expect a continuation of making sexuality a “right” rather than a “gift.” When sex is viewed as a “right,” then any kind of sexual expression must be accepted. To speak against such a “right” means you will be counted as a bigot and excluded from the public forum (as in the case with Louie Giglio).

Third, we can expect hardships for companies and individuals who seek to obey God. The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) has made that plain. Many people will be hurt because they seek to live for God.

Again, in the minds of many members of the administration, religion is something for the home or the church. In their way of thinking, it should not have anything to do with business or government.

This is not the attitude of our Lord. He called us to take up our cross and follow Him. To be a follower of Christ is to count the cost and live out our faith in the public forum.

Tomorrow we will look at why we have cause for optimism.

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