The following is adapted from a YouTube video created by Daryl Groves in 2025.

Recent events in Iran and the Middle East have sparked significant discussion. News of military strikes and rising tensions naturally raises questions for Christians: How should we think about these issues?

As both Christians and Americans, we should approach them not merely with emotion or political loyalty, but with biblical clarity and constitutional principles.

Supporting Israel, But Not Unconditionally

Israel is an important strategic ally of the United States. It is a democracy in a hostile region and, like any nation, has the right to defend itself.

However, many Christians believe the U.S. must support Israel unconditionally because the Jewish people are God’s chosen people. While well-intentioned, this view does not fully reflect the teaching of the New Testament.

In the Old Testament, Israel was chosen by God for a specific purpose: to bring the Messiah into the world. That purpose was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul explains that God’s people are no longer defined by ethnicity or geography, but by faith in Christ:

• “Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel” (Romans 9:6).
  
• “A Jew is one inwardly…circumcision is a matter of the heart” (Romans 2:28–29).
  
• “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring” (Galatians 3:29).
  

Today, the covenant people of God are all who trust in Christ. For this reason, Christians should be cautious about building foreign policy on Old Covenant categories that have been fulfilled in Jesus.

Understanding the Iran Strikes

Recent targeted strikes on Iranian nuclear sites have raised fears of war. However, targeted military actions do not necessarily constitute a formal declaration of war.

Presidents have historically authorized limited military strikes under their Article II authority as Commander-in-Chief, particularly when responding to credible threats.

Iran has demonstrated decades of hostility toward the United States, including anti-American rhetoric and support for attacks carried out through regional proxies. These realities must be taken seriously when considering national defense.

The Biblical Role of Government

Scripture teaches that government has a legitimate responsibility to restrain evil and protect its citizens.

Paul writes that governing authorities are “God’s servant” who do not “bear the sword in vain,” but execute justice against wrongdoing (Romans 13:1–4).

This responsibility reflects the command to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). One way a government loves its people is by protecting them from both internal and external threats.

We also see this principle in Nehemiah 4:14, where God’s people are exhorted to fight for “your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

Constitutional Limits Still Matter

While national defense is legitimate, Christians should also care about constitutional limits. History shows how limited conflicts can escalate into prolonged wars, as seen in Korea and Vietnam.

The Constitution places the authority to declare war with Congress for this very reason. National security should never come at the expense of constitutional order.

A Balanced Christian Perspective

Christians should seek a principled approach:

• Support Israel when it acts justly
  
• Hold Israel accountable when it does wrong
  
• Support America’s legitimate defense
  
• Uphold constitutional limits on government power
  

Our Ultimate Allegiance

In times of global tension, believers must remember that our ultimate loyalty is not to any nation or political leader.

Our highest allegiance belongs to Jesus Christ.

Christians should pray for peace, pursue justice, and hold fast to biblical truth and constitutional conviction in a time of growing confusion.

Benjamin Rush–a founding father, physician, and devout Christian–returns to Congress and sits next to John Adams, the man who would one day become President of the United States.

Rush lowers his voice and, in a whispered tone, asks Adams if he thinks they will succeed in their struggle against Great Britain. To even ask the question suggests a concern rumbling inside him. One wonders if he had his own doubts and was seeking encouragement.

The heart of the question was simple:

Do you think we will win?

Adams turns to Rush and says:

“Yes–if we fear God and repent of our sins.”

The power and simplicity of this statement should stagger us. Adams could have given a lengthy treatment of why the political philosophy in the American colonies would be superior to England. He could have referenced military strategy or the zeal of the Continental Army to overthrow their tyrannical foe.

But he does none of this. His answer was not political–it was fundamentally spiritual.

Adams understood what Christians in America desperately need to remember today. It is quite easy to look around and criticize how sinful and rebellious our nation has become. To observe this is not a bad thing. Culturally, economically, and politically–we have strayed so far from the Word of God and from the Christian foundations upon which our nation was built that it would be unrecognizable in many ways to the founders. The results have been corruption, injustice, mass illegal immigration, children slaughtered by the millions in the womb, unjust taxation, and an attack on God’s design for the family.

But we would do well to remember that criticism is not enough. Adams’ prescription for success as a country did not look outward, but inward. It was fundamentally a heart issue. If we would prevail as a nation, says Adams, we must fear the Lord and turn away from our sin.

We all want to hand a better nation down to our children, but you cannot fix the country yourself. Trying to do so will only lead to exasperation and frustration. But you can fear God and repent of your sins. You can live in a way pleasing to Him in the time and place God has put you. You can build or contribute to something meaningful–a home, a family, a business, a church–and in doing so you will be a beacon of light shining in a dark place. If you fear God and repent of your sins, you will move from being a mere critic of the problem to a part of the solution. You will have contributed a small but meaningful advancement of the kingdom of God and helped to hand down true freedom to your children.

So the next time you feel discouraged over how far we have fallen as a nation, remember that there is hope in Christ. Remember that your duty is not to fix the entire country.

Your duty is simple: fear God and repent of your sins.

When it comes time to vote, many Christians feel overwhelmed. Campaign ads are loud. Social media is chaotic. Every candidate claims to offer hope and change. So where do you even begin?

Scripture gives us more guidance than we might think.

In Exodus 18:21, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, offers wise counsel for leadership among the people of Israel:

“…look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.”

Though this instruction was given in a specific historical context, it reveals timeless principles about the kind of leaders God approves. It provides a simple, biblical framework Christians can use when evaluating candidates today.

Here are four questions to prayerfully consider before casting your vote:

1) Is this person able and competent to do the job?

Ability matters. Good intentions are not enough. Leadership requires wisdom, skill, diligence, and the capacity to govern effectively. Competence is an excellent place to begin. 

2) Does he fear God, or will he cave to the pressure of men?

A leader who fears man will eventually bow to cultural pressure, political winds, or public outrage. A leader who fears God understands that he answers to a higher authority. The fear of the Lord produces courage, conviction, and steadiness.

3) Is he worthy of trust, or is he double-tongued?

Trustworthiness is foundational. Does this person keep his word? Does he speak plainly and consistently? Or does he shift positions depending on the audience?

4) Does he hate a bribe, or will he be bought by someone with deep pockets?

Corruption perverts justice. If a candidate will be swayed based on what is in it for him, it’s a clear sign that he’s not fit for the office. Public service is not self service. 

“But I don’t have any candidates like that…”

You may be thinking, I don’t have anyone like this to choose from. All my options are bad.

If that is you, it may be time to think beyond the ballot in front of you.

Perhaps the answer is to actively support a Christian who is running for office–someone who meets the standards of Exodus 18:21. Or perhaps it is time to encourage a faithful believer you know to consider running. Or maybe that faithful believer is you. 

Political frustration can either produce cynicism or action. At Red State Reform, one of our central goals is to raise up Christians to run for office–men who will fear God rather than man, who cannot be bought, and who will lead with courage and integrity.

The question is not merely, Who should I vote for?
The deeper question is, What kind of leaders should we be raising up?

May the Lord be pleased to raise up godly, Christian public servants who will glorify the Lord and uphold justice.

God’s Word is clear:

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1). 

First, consider what this passage does not say.

It doesn’t say, “unless the Lord builds the house, he won’t let you start building it.”

The real meaning is simple yet frightening: you can get to work (start building) in a way that is complete and total vanity.

In other words, it is entirely possible for you to get involved in the political arena. It is possible for you to work very hard for change. It is possible for you to fight in the public square. It is possible for you to take many steps that feel like great progress.

And yet, the Psalmist tells us that if God does not bless your efforts, everything you did was in vanity. 

This Scripture not only sobers us, but it emphasizes our desperate need for prayer. 

Do you want to see demonic agendas destroyed? Pray first.

Do you want to see God-fearing officials take office? Pray first. 

Do you want to pass down a better America to your kids? Pray first. 

If we would make any real, true, and lasting progress, the Lord Himself must bless our steps. He must go before us and guide us.

So yes, we must get to work with our hands–but not before we spend time on our knees.

Will you pray today for our nation?

House Bill 1212, backed by grassroots advocates and several legislators, would have criminalized abortions at all stages, providing preborn children the same legal protections as born persons, while not prohibiting pregnancy centers from helping women in crisis.

The bill failed in committee by an 8-5 vote, largely due to lobbying from establishment groups, including South Dakota Right to Life, the Catholic Conference, Family Voice, Alpha Pregnancy, and Concerned Women for America.

In the days leading up to the hearing, members of Red State Reform were calling and emailing legislators, urging them to vote yes and to consider their duty before God to protect innocent life.

It was through one of those exchanges that a legislator directly acknowledged that the bill was being actively opposed by major pro-life organizations.

The bill’s defeat was orchestrated by certain groups, “Largely because so many pro-life organizations, fought it and worked hard on legislators to have them vote NO. They said the pregnancy centers would go out of business and no one will use them and women won’t come…..”

The vote – HB1212 “strengthen protections for unborn children”

YES

• Rep. Dylan Jordan
• Rep. Brandei Schaefbauer
• Rep. Josephine Garcia
• Rep. Heather Baxter
• Rep. Bobbi Andera

NO

• Rep. Brian Mulder
• Rep. Logan Manhart
• Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt
• Rep. Nick Fosness
• Rep. Leslie Heinemann
• Rep. Jim Halverson
• Rep. Tony Kayser
• Rep. Eric Emery

The Catholic Conference pushes “second victim” narrative

Michael Pauley, representing the South Dakota Catholic Conference, testified against the bill:

“All too often, women make the choice for abortion based on outside pressures, coercion, and deception. They are often abandoned by the men who impregnated them and disregarded by a society that nudges them toward a destructive solution. This is the sense in which we can rightfully view the woman as the second victim of abortion… House Bill 1212 would not advance a pro-life culture in South Dakota, but rather would take us backwards.”

South Dakota Right to Life Publicly Opposed HB1212

Dale Bartscher testified: “We rise in opposition to HB1212. We have helped pass laws that protect unborn children…..we have approached this mission with compassion……we also have consistently opposed policies that criminally punish women……as we support her and love them.”

Abby Johnson refutes establishment claims

Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood clinic director turned pro-life activist, challenged that narrative:

“The catechism of the Catholic Church says that abortion is a grave sin.

It says that abortion is murder, and nowhere at any point in time does the Catholic Church state that there should not be penalties for murder. In fact, it is the opposite. The Catechism of the Catholic Church 2268, says that the Fifth Commandment forbids direct and intentional killing and is gravely sinful. The murder and those who cooperate voluntarily in murder commit a sin that cries out to heaven for vengeance.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states in 2271, that since the first century, the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. The teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.”

Johnson also countered the “pregnancy centers will close” argument:

“There is absolutely no data that shows making abortion illegal will hurt pregnancy centers. In fact, states like Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas have seen significant increases in patients after legal protections were restored.”

Abolition vs. Establishment

Bradley Pierce, attorney and president of Foundation to Abolish Abortion, told legislators plainly:

“You cannot abolish abortion, which I assume many of you, if not all of you, want to do, without making it illegal for anyone, including the mother, to murder a preborn child.

And you cannot protect women from being pressured to abort a preborn child unless you make it illegal for them to do so, because if you keep it legal for women to abort their child, you’re also keeping it legal for men, abusers, and others to pressure them into doing that.”

Pierce also addressed common establishment objections:

“Some people want to overcomplicate this with a lot of what-ifs about enforcement. But the state already has a justice system that you trust every day. Laws restrain law enforcement, every defendant is presumed innocent, juries must be unanimous, judges are reviewed by other judges, and there’s even a board of pardons and paroles. The implication that the state is itching to unjustly prosecute women is absurd.”

He concluded by reminding lawmakers of the moral stakes:

“The innocent blood of hundreds of children cries out to Jesus Christ, their creator, for justice… He demands that civil magistrates outlaw murder and abolish child sacrifice. That’s why we’re here today.”

What this exposes

• The pro-life establishment claims to defend life, yet actively killed legislation that would have legally ended abortion in South Dakota.
• They leaned on fear-based narratives — that women would be criminalized or pregnancy centers harmed — despite evidence to the contrary.
• The bill’s narrow failure shows that grassroots advocates and true defenders of life are in a minority within the system, fighting against entrenched interests and unbiblical positions regarding justice and protection.

Bradley Pierce’s organization, Foundation to Abolish Abortion, continues to push for full legal protection for preborn children, while warning voters and donors that establishment groups often prioritize infrastructure over life itself.

Full bill information:

https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/26642/299310

https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/26642

https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Vote/83294

Red State Reform exists because the political class will not reform itself.

So we are building something different—equipping everyday believers and raising up Christians to run for office who fear God more than man and will govern according to biblical truth and justice.

SIGN THE PETITION and stand with us as we raise up future lawmakers who will not compromise on protecting life or abandoning God’s standard in law and policy.

Let’s take each in turn.

Truth
The Lord Jesus said in His high priestly prayer, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). The Word of God is the infallible source of truth, and we do not shy away from declaring it as our ultimate authority. At the root of what compels and guides us is this simple conviction: because God has said.

Prayer
We seek the Lord in prayer as a first (not a last) resort. This is critical because the Lord’s blessing is essential for any meaningful work to be done. We can strive, labor, toil, and think we’ve truly accomplished something–yet in the end be no further along than when we started. As the Psalmist says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

Action
The first two pillars naturally give rise to the third. Believers must not sit idly by while our country collapses. We ought not throw our hands in the air or remove ourselves from public life because it is “too dirty.” As ambassadors for Christ, we must engage. We must fight. We must act. We must do something. And in all of this, we must proclaim the gospel.

Truth. Prayer. Action. These guide everything we do. With these pillars firmly in place, we seek to equip and encourage you to engage in civic action in a way that honors the Lord and preserves freedom for the next generation.

“I just stay out of politics.”

Many American Christians take this stance. They view political engagement as vain, meaningless, or too corrupt. For them, it’s better not to be involved in the first place.

In one sense, this is understandable. Political action can not only get contentious with people who oppose your views, but you’ll likely find disagreement even within the conservative camp. Some may be Christians–others more generic conservatives. Some may hold quite different views on secondary issues of the faith, and others may preach full-blown heresy.

In short, political action can get messy and awkward. Because of this, many believers just check out altogether.

But is this biblical? Does it truly honor the Lord to be politically ignorant or apathetic?

Here are two reasons why believers should be politically aware and take some sort of action for the glory of God.

1. Christ is King over the political sphere. Jesus made this plain when he told the disciples that “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18 ESV). If He has all authority on earth, then He has all authority over the governments of men. 

2. We are stewards of the nation God has given us. Scripture is clear that “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required…” (Luke 12:48). Our nation was built on a Christian foundation, and we have a duty to continue that legacy for our children and children’s children. If we cut and run because political action is messy, the vacuum we create will just be filled with more godlessness and paganism. 

Someone may object and say: “But this ultimately doesn’t matter. One day Jesus will return and we shouldn’t need to care about what happens politically.”

In response to this, consider the words of John Witherspoon–a Presbyterian Minister and signer of the Declaration of Independence:

“Shall we establish nothing good because we know it cannot be eternal? Shall we live without government because every constitution has its old age and its period? Because we know that we shall die, shall we take no pains to preserve or lengthen our life?”

It is true that governments come and go, but that fact doesn’t overturn our duty to be faithful stewards of the nation God has given us. We should still be involved to preserve the freedoms that allow us to worship the one true God and proclaim the gospel without persecution.

That leads to the unavoidable question:

What should American citizens, churches, and policymakers do right now to safeguard constitutional freedom, equal justice, and the rule of law for our children and generations after us?

The answer begins with refusing two mistakes at the same time: naivety and hostility. We do not need to fear individual Muslims and we do not need to pretend that every belief system relates to law and society in the same way.

1. See the Pattern Before It Becomes a Crisis

Most Americans assume every religion functions like Christianity in the modern West—private, personal, and politically limited. That assumption is one of the West’s greatest blind spots.

Across history, the pattern is consistent:

• In Muslim-majority nations, Sharia is not an “optional spiritual code.” It shapes courts, family life, speech norms, education, and public morality.
• In Western nations, Sharia influence often enters through incremental accommodation and cultural intimidation long before it ever appears in legislation.

This is why awareness matters. If a society waits until a problem is “official,” it is usually already too late.

2. Protect Equal Justice Under One Law — and Reject the Myth of Neutrality

America is built on a principle that must never be surrendered:

**One nation under God, with one standard of law applied equally to all.**¹

That line immediately raises the question modern Americans are taught to avoid: Which God?

Neutrality is not an option. Every legal order rests on an ultimate authority—either the God who stands above rulers, or a substitute authority such as the state, the tribe, or an ideology.²

If there is no transcendent God who stands above government, then government becomes god. And when the state becomes god, liberty becomes a temporary permission, not a permanent right. If another religious worldview displaces Christianity it will bring a competing moral law as a governing framework, eventually undermining the freedoms and equal justice that formed America’s foundation.

The American experiment only made sense because it assumed a moral order higher than political power. One in which rights come from the Creator³, rulers are limited⁴, and justice is not created by force but discovered by truth.

Religious freedom must be protected but parallel legal systems must not be allowed to form under the radar.

So what does that require?

• No private arbitration or “religious courts” should be permitted to violate constitutional rights, especially in matters like divorce, custody, and inheritance.
• Local governments must resist special exemptions that undermine equal protection or create unequal classes of citizens.
• Speech must remain free, even when it offends powerful groups. A nation cannot remain free if criticism of either oppressive government or religious ideas is treated as “hate” and pressured into silence. Once speech becomes punishable for “offense,” (as it has in the UK) the door opens to tyranny by those with the most power.⁵

We must remember that religious liberty is a sacred American right with Christian roots. Those roots must be protected, without allowing personal sensitivities reframed as “offense” to become a back door for dismantling the very moral order that made religious liberty possible in the first place.

Religious liberty does not mean religious relativism. It means freedom of conscience under one law (God’s moral law) not parallel legal systems under competing “gods”.

3. Pay Attention to Local Shifts (Because That’s Where This Happens)

National politics gets the headlines, but cultural and legal change often begins locally:

• school boards
• city councils
• zoning boards
• public libraries
• HR departments
• local courts

This is where norms are shaped and where pressure campaigns succeed quietly.

A town does not wake up one day living under a different moral order. It drifts there, one accommodation at a time, one controversy avoided at a time, one policy adjusted “just to keep the peace.”

4. Learn the Lesson of Dearborn Without Turning It Into a Scapegoat

Dearborn, Michigan is often mentioned because it illustrates a real dynamic: when a community becomes large and politically organized, it can reshape public life even without changing the Constitution.

That does not mean Dearborn is “under Sharia.” But it does show how cultural norms can begin to function like law:

• public events shift to avoid offense
• institutions accommodate religious demands
• dissent becomes socially costly
• leaders learn what topics are “not worth touching”

The lesson is: do not be caught asleep.

Britain offers a cautionary example. Sharia councils are not official courts in England and Wales, and they do not override British law. But they function as a parallel authority structure inside communities—especially in family matters. Even when participation is technically “voluntary,” social pressure can make it feel mandatory, particularly for women.

The result is a slow normalization of separate standards of justice operating alongside the civil system. That is exactly how incremental change becomes entrenched: not through one dramatic legal takeover, but through quiet accommodation, community enforcement, and leaders who avoid conflict until the new norm is already established.

The danger isn’t Sharia replacing British law overnight—it’s parallel systems forming quietly, until equal rights and protections fail.

5. Rebuild Civic Courage in the Church and the Citizen

If the only response Americans can offer is legal procedure, we will lose. Precisely because this is not only a legal issue, it is a moral and a cultural issue.

A free society depends on citizens who will do three things:

1. Tell the truth — with clarity.
2. Teach the next generation — a people who do not understand their inheritance will not defend it.
3. Show up locally — if Christians refuse to engage school boards, city councils, and community institutions, others will gladly fill the vacuum.

The biggest threat to civic life and a free society is not the opposition. It is apathy from those who should know better.

6. Be Proactive While You Still Can

The West has repeatedly made the same mistake: it waits until the conflict is “official” before taking it seriously.

Sharia influence does not begin with legislation. It begins with pressure.

A local community grows large, organized, and demands begin to form—special accommodations, restrictions on criticism, and the expectation that Islamic norms be treated as protected from public challenge.

Local institutions often respond the same way: they comply “to keep the peace.”

In the name of diversity and tolerance. Schools adjust policies. City leaders avoid controversy.

Then what began as voluntary becomes expected. And what becomes expected eventually becomes enforced.

By the time people say, “We didn’t think this could happen here,” the new norm is already established.

This is why we must not wait to act wisely and with courage. Wise people do not wait for an emergency, they maintain and steward what has been passed down to them.

A Final Word: Liberty Is Not Self-Sustaining

America’s freedoms did not appear by accident. They were built on a moral vision: that human beings are accountable to God⁶, that justice matters⁷, and that the state has limits⁸.

The Constitution only works when a people have the conviction to defend what it assumes: truth, courage, responsibility, and a shared commitment to equal justice under God.

If we want our great-grandchildren to inherit a nation where conscience is protected, speech is free, and law applies equally, then we cannot drift.

Footnotes

1. 1. Declaration of Independence (1776)“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…”National Archives (official transcript):https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript2. John Adams, Letter to the Officers of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Militia of Massachusetts (Oct. 11, 1798)“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”Founders Online (National Archives):https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-02-02-31023. James Madison, “Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments” (1785)“The Religion then of every man must be left to the conviction and conscience of every man…”Founders Online (National Archives):https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-08-02-01634. James Madison, Federalist No. 51 (1788).“If men were angels, no government would be necessary… you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.”5. In 2024, John Sleeper was arrested in central London under Section 5 of the Public Order Act for holding signs and making statements critical of Islam. In the UK, new “buffer zone” provisions under the Public Order Act 2023 have been applied to peaceful activities near abortion clinics, including silent prayer. Examples: Isabel Vaughan-Spruce and Livia Tossici-Bolt.Library of Congress:https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/text-51-60#s-lg-box-wrapper-254934246. Romans 13:1–7 — God as ultimate authority over rulers.7. Micah 6:8 — Justice, mercy, and humility as guiding moral standards.8. Psalm 82:3–4 — God calls leaders to defend the weak and uphold justice.

Constant attacks on the family, sexuality, and our children can feel like an army of enemies too great to conquer. To make matters worse, the number of Christians willing to take action seems quite small.

So what can you do?

Here is one simple but powerful step:

Show up at every election.

It may seem like a small step, but the reality of how few people vote is staggering. According to a study of the 2024 presidential election by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, “close to one-half of the voting-age population (45%) chose not to bother voting.” They also found that “one out of five voting-age, self-identified Christians (20%) said they had intended to vote but simply forgot or never got around to it.”

These numbers are disappointing, and one can only imagine how much lower the turnout may be for local elections.

Imagine if every Christian took this one simple step and showed up at every election–and not just the presidential election every four years.

What if every believer was engaged enough to vote in local elections? What effect would that have on the communities in which we live, work, and worship? What kind of ripple effect would it have on our country? How might that kind of faithfulness shape the nation we pass down to our children and grandchildren?

It may seem insignificant, but it most certainly isn’t.

If you want to change the country…

Start by showing up at every election.