Gwendolyn Haddad
Spring Valley, MN
This is a response to Greg Rendahl who wrote about conservative Christianity in crisis, published August 26, 2019.
Immigration: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America helped legal immigrants settle in communities. Christians are called to help the foreigners who obey the laws of the country they settle in. One law of any country is to enter that country through a legal process. God does not honor lawlessness, but order.
Socialism: Mr. Rendahl misuses the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12). We should treat everyone, not just foreigners, in the way we wish to be treated. Also, Jesus did not say the rich will not enter heaven, but that it is difficult for the rich to enter heaven because the rich trust in their works and not in God (Matthew 19:23). Jesus acknowledged that we will always have the poor with us (Matthew 26:11). Therefore, Christian organizations have served the needy in their communities by providing food distributions, clothing, hospitals, and emergency relief work.
Abortion: Any “so-called Christian” is against the murder of human babies. Organizations of faith in God provide prenatal care, adoption services, clothing and supplies for the newborn, plus emotional support for the mother. Aborting babies is not the solution for poverty, drug addictions and criminal activity as Mr. Rendahl suggested in his letter. These maladies, including abortion, are the result of a depraved world.
Evil: President Trump has not set evil loose in our country. Evil is a result of sin in humans. God’s Word exposes the darkness of evil.
To quote Mr. Rendahl, “Jesus’ attacks on the wealthy may have been the prime reason for His crucifixion.” Mr. Rendahl, Jesus Christ died on the cross of His own volition in obedience to God the Father so that anyone who confesses with his mouth the Lord Jesus and believes in his heart that God raised Him from the dead with be saved (Romans 10:9)..
