Lesser Magistrates, Sanctuary Cities, and Protecting the Unborn & their Families

This post is from guest blogger James Lancellotti:

The aura of statism has cultivated a sense amongst many of us that if something is legal, it is therefore passible. The State rises to a God like status with undelegated, unlimited authority and all must do as the higher magistrates say. But how often do we ask ourselves this question: what are the lesser magistrates to do when its federal and state authorities make decisions that are anti-biblical and anti-constitutional? I was very honored when Professor Kohm asked me to contribute to her blog on Family Restoration, which most certainly encompasses the equal protection of the unborn. With the Virginia House and Senate having very recently voted to instill pro-abortion bills SB733 and HB980 under the support of Governor Northam’s administration, matters do seem rather bleak for Virginia’s preborn. Those engaged in this fight for years may be feeling battered, or those like myself who have only recently engaged may feel discouraged. However, I want to mention briefly an encouraging move in our nation—that I believe is of God and reflective of the spirit of our Founders and Constitution—which has begun at the local magistrate level.

The push for sanctuary cities for the unborn is on the move. You may read here of cities in Texas and elsewhere that are working to pass ordinances legislatively banning induced abortion in their jurisdiction. You may also watch and read of efforts in Virginia Beach for the same. The Rule of Law has been recognized in Western civilization to be the Law of God for many centuries. Without the Law of God, morality and legislation are reduced to malleable social conventions. The Most High God rules over the realm of mankind (Daniel 4:17). God is the necessary precondition for the existence of those objective values that are self-evident, such as inherent human significance and dignity and basic rights endowed to us all by our Creator, most especially life. Fortunately, these biblical values are embedded in the controlling document of our nation, namely our Constitution, and we are not forced to choose between faith and patriotism.

Here enters the Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate, a doctrine forged by deep thought and action taken over centuries. When the government commands what God forbids or forbids what God commands, the lesser magistrates have a duty to obey Christ rather than man. The disobedience is for the sake of restoring order and upholding their right to interpose and protect their local citizenry, including our unborn neighbors. Many examples of interposition can be found in the Bible (e.g. Daniel 6: 1-23) and extrabiblical history. Our nations heritage is rooted in interposition to the extent that it involved a Declaration of Independence! The legal right to choose is not unlimited and absolute; we clearly limit peoples' rights to choose many things—rape, theft, murder, etc. A right to life is above a right to choose or a right to privacy.

Consider praying and asking your local magistrates to interpose for the unborn in their jurisdictions and stand for the Constitution, the penumbra of which nowhere states induced abortion is a legal right such that babies' lives can be taken without due process of law.