“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” (Matthew 9:13)

A representative form of government allows individuals to marshal collective strength to effect change. Adding my vote to many others brings in new leaders, adopts referendums, and, on the local level, changes to my community.

I cannot imagine living under any other government, but it also presents a danger.

In the Law handed down on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 20:24; Leviticus), God clearly desired sacrifices. Yet, when Jesus invoked two Old Testament statements (Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8), he pointed to a problem. The religious leaders in the time of Christ had the motions down well (Matthew 19:20). Unfortunately, their hearts were not in it. More sacrifices were not going to change the religious leaders. Something needed to change inside. The same can be true about laws of morality.

We need to protect unborn life and help people understand the intrinsic value of human life, from the moment it begins at fertilization, and to care for life when it loses its quality, rather than terminate it.

But we need something better.

At the CLR Center for Christian Ethics, we daily study where we are headed ethically and bioethically as a culture. Legalized abortion, physician-assisted suicide, and embryo experimentation are just the tip of the iceberg. There is a new frontier of incredible advancement being leveraged for both good and evil. Sadly, the laws in the world reflect little concern for the will of God.

We face the deconstruction of marriage, the perversion of family, and the neutering of gender. This happens when God is forgotten, and humans pursue heaven on earth, rejecting the objective truths of Scripture.

Do not neglect passing laws and electing leaders who protect lives. But if we Christians fail to promote God’s word that can change hearts, who will?

A spiritual revolution through sharing God’s word will create a political revolution, societal revolution, and humanity revolution.

The reality is that every heart challenges God (Genesis 8:21; Romans 8:7), and the result is a growing lovelessness (Matthew 24:12), This does not excuse us from Christ-like service to others. Electing the right leaders and voting to pass the right laws and referendums are hollow without changing hearts (Hebrews 11:6).

In a representative form of government, be engaged, but do not lose perspective.