Faith & Culture

I think the most fitting response to this week’s election results is found in Jesus’s words in Matthew 28: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

What’s the connection to the election? First, let’s look at the election numbers.

In the 2018 midterms, white evangelicals made up 26% of the vote. On Tuesday, according to NBC, it was 17%. That’s a decline of nine percentage points.

I’m not a big fan of the elastic term “evangelical,” and tracking only white evangelicals leaves about 40% of my church out of the equation. White evangelicals are one slice of a racially diverse community of people who believe the Bible and allow it to inform their views on moral and spiritual issues that have been deemed political.

However, a decline in the share of voters could reflect lower turnout, a decline in the number of evangelicals relative to the population, or both. As for turnout, we won’t have a reliable number on what percentage of evangelicals actually voted. But some suggest it declined, and that’s a problem. When evangelicals sit out an election, they give up an opportunity to shape its outcome.

So how does all this connect to the words of Jesus?

First, Jesus tells us to make disciples. That should prompt us to ask how faithfully we’ve carried out the Great Commission. We need a renewed emphasis on sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, making disciples, and baptizing them. Start with someone you know. Share what Christ has done in your life and invite that person to read Scripture with you.

I’m sure some critics of the church would say, “Focus on evangelism and stay out of politics.” Well, consider the second part of what Jesus said, the Cultural Commission: “Teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” The truth of God and obedience to it is not just a private matter.

Followers of Jesus, equipped and encouraged by pastors, need to share their faith and live it out in a way that impacts the world around them, including government.

My response to the election? Go make disciples for Jesus and teach them to impact the country and the culture with biblical truth.

If you’re looking for a way to put that into practice in your community, visit frc.org/chapters to learn about our Pray Vote Stand chapters.

If you’re discouraged, remember how Jesus began and ended those words. He began by saying that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him. And He ended with a promise for us as we go. “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

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This article was originally published on The Washington Stand. For more content like this, visit Real Life Network.

The midterm elections are behind us. Some Americans are encouraged by the results, while others are disappointed, frustrated, or uncertain about what the next few years may bring.

For Christians, however, the most important truth has not changed. Our hope does not come from a politician, a political party, a candidate, or the outcome of an election. Our hope is in Jesus Christ.

Elections can change who holds power. They can affect laws, policies, and the direction of the country. Christians have good reason to pay attention and remain engaged. But no election has the authority to change God’s Word, alter His promises, or remove the assignment He has given His people.

Truth Is Still Truth

Political movements come and go. Public opinion shifts. Cultural values can change dramatically within a generation. God’s Word remains the same.

That is why Christians need biblical truth deeply rooted within them. When our beliefs depend on the cultural environment around us, an election result can leave us feeling as though everything has changed. When our foundation is Scripture, we can recognize that the most important things have not.

Jesus is still Lord. The Gospel is still true. God is still sovereign. Christians are still called to speak truth, love their neighbors, make disciples, serve others, and live faithfully.

Whatever happened at the ballot box, none of that has changed.

If You Feel Discouraged, Get Back Up

Political disappointment can be real. People invest time, energy, prayer, and concern in issues they believe will affect their families, churches, communities, and country. When the outcome is not what they hoped for, discouragement can follow. But Christians are not called to stay discouraged.

Isaiah 6:8 records the prophet’s response when God asks whom He will send: “Here am I! Send me” (NKJV). That is a useful posture after an election too. Instead of asking only what the government will do next, Christians can ask what God has given us to do next.

That assignment may be large or small. It may involve serving in a church, raising children who know biblical truth, helping a neighbor, speaking up when something is wrong, sharing the Gospel, strengthening a marriage, serving a community, or simply being faithful where God has already placed you.

There is still work to do.

Don’t Put Your Hope in Political Power

Christians can care about politics without expecting politics to save the country, the culture, or the human heart.

Political leaders can make wise decisions or foolish ones. Governments can protect freedom or restrict it. Policies can have enormous consequences. Those realities are reasons to stay informed and engaged, but they are not reasons to place our ultimate confidence in government.

Psalm 146:3 says, “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help” (NKJV). That warning applies whether your preferred candidates win or lose. A political victory should not produce misplaced confidence, and a political defeat should not produce despair. Our hope was never supposed to rest there.

Strengthen Your Walk with Jesus

One of the best responses to an uncertain political future is also one of the simplest: nurture your own walk with Christ.

Spend time in Scripture. Pray. Listen to the Lord. Know what you believe and why you believe it. The more confusing the culture becomes, the more important it is for Christians to be grounded in truth rather than carried along by every new headline or political argument.

That personal relationship with Christ also shapes the way believers engage the world around them. Christians should be known not simply for what they oppose but for the way they represent Jesus through truth, courage, compassion, integrity, and faithfulness.

Philippians 3:20 reminds believers that “our citizenship is in heaven” (NKJV). That does not remove our responsibilities here. It puts them in perspective.

Pray for the People Who Will Govern

Once an election ends, Christians have another responsibility: pray for the people who have been elected. First Timothy 2:1–2 calls believers to pray for those in authority. Scripture does not limit that command to leaders we supported, leaders from our preferred political party, or leaders who share our faith.

Pray that they will govern wisely. Pray that they will pursue what is right and resist what is wrong. Pray for their decisions, their advisers, their families, and the people affected by their leadership.

And pray for something even greater: that leaders who do not know Christ would come to know Him. A political opponent is not beyond the reach of the Gospel. A leader whose beliefs are far from biblical truth is not beyond God’s ability to change a heart. Christians believe in a God who does what human beings cannot. That should change the way we pray after an election.

The Church’s Mission Has Not Changed

No election can give the Church its mission, and no election can take that mission away. Pastors still need to teach the Bible faithfully. Parents still need to disciple their children. Christians still need to share the Gospel, defend truth, care for people in need, support their churches, strengthen their communities, and represent Christ wherever God has placed them.

There is no permission to quit because the political environment becomes difficult. If anything, challenging times make faithful biblical leadership and strong churches even more important.

Real Life Network exists to help believers stay grounded through Bible teaching, trusted news, Christian worldview programming, apologetics, documentaries, and other resources that point people back to truth. The goal is not simply to understand what is happening in the world, but to be equipped to live faithfully within it.

Keep Moving Forward

The midterms may have changed the political landscape, but they did not change who sits on the throne.

God was not surprised by the results. Christians therefore do not need to live as though the future has suddenly slipped beyond His control. We can pray for our leaders, stay engaged, stand for truth, and continue doing the work He has placed before us.

Most importantly, we can keep our eyes on Jesus. Political leaders will come and go. Parties will gain and lose power. Another election will arrive before long. But Jesus Christ remains “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8, NKJV).

Whatever the political future holds, Christians still have reason to move forward with hope. Our confidence was never supposed to rest in an election result. It rests in the risen Christ, our King and our ultimate hope.

Stay grounded in biblical truth with free Bible teaching, trusted news, current events, and Christian programming on Real Life Network.

Adapted from my conversation on Rose Unplugged with Derek Maltz, former Acting Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Watch the full episode here: Is China Waging Chemical Warfare on America? 

There is something coming for your family. Whether you live in a city or a suburb. Whether your kids are in middle school or college. Whether you think this is someone else's problem — or you've already lived it.

It is the drug crisis pouring across our border. Not one drug. Not one cartel. Not one route. A flood. And it is changing — and ending — American lives every single day.

Not a Single-Drug Crisis

I want to be clear about something from the start, because the news often focuses on one drug at a time, and that gives us a false sense of the scale of what we're facing.

Yes — fentanyl is the headline. And it should be. It’s the deadliest drug ever to hit this country. It’s synthetic, lab-made, and lethal at just two milligrams — the weight of a few grains of salt.

It's driving the majority of overdose deaths in America. At the peak of this crisis, we were losing more than 70,000 people a year to fentanyl alone. That’s nearly 200 lives every single day.

But fentanyl isn’t coming alone. Methamphetamine, cartel-produced, and ultra-potent, is flooding communities from coast to coast. It's not the meth of 20 years ago. It's cheaper, stronger, and more widely available than ever.

Cocaine trafficking remains massive and increasingly, it's being laced with fentanyl without the user's knowledge.

And now there are emerging threats most Americans have never even heard of: xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer mixed with fentanyl that Narcan can't fully reverse, and nitazenes, a synthetic opioids so powerful they make fentanyl look mild by comparison.

This is not a single-drug crisis. This is a chemical assault on the American people. And it is being orchestrated deliberately by foreign adversaries and transnational criminal networks that don't care how many of us they kill.

Even with a decline of nearly 24% in overdose deaths — and yes, we should acknowledge that progress — we are still talking about roughly 87,000 overdose deaths in a single year. That’s not a statistic. That’s a national emergency.

Drug overdoses remain one of the leading causes of death for American adults. And for every death, there are dozens more lives derailed; families broken, futures stolen, and communities hollowed out.

Follow the Supply Chain

So where is all of this coming from? Because this is where truth gets complicated and where the political noise gets loudest.

Here is what the evidence shows: The precursor chemicals, the building blocks, are largely manufactured in China. They are shipped to Mexican drug cartels. The cartels synthesize, press, and package the drugs. And then they move them north into the United States.

Now, here is the part that gets lost: the vast majority of these drugs are not being carried across open desert by migrants on foot. They are being driven through legal ports of entry. In passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, and in cargo shipments often by U.S. citizens.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized over 19,000 pounds of fentanyl in 2024 alone. And fentanyl now makes up nearly 90% of all opioid seizures at the border.

Which means this is not just a border wall conversation. It is a technology conversation. An intelligence conversation. A cartel conversation. And a China conversation — because none of this happens without China supplying the chemicals.

A Counterfeit Answer

This is not just about policy. When a nation loses its sense of purpose, when truth becomes relative, and when emptiness fills the space where meaning used to live, people look for escape.

And what is crossing our border right now is not just a drug. It is a counterfeit answer to a real spiritual hunger. One that ends in destruction.

We need stronger enforcement. Absolutely. We need to go after the cartels and hold China accountable. Without question. But we also need something no government can legislate. We need restored families. Engaged parents. Communities that are awake. And young people who know their worth — not from culture, but from their Creator.

This Is a Spiritual Battle

Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Xylazine, Cartels, all weapons of destruction. But the scale of this, the sophistication of the networks, the multiple poisons being unleashed on our families — all of it confirms something I believe with everything in me.

This is not just a policy fight. This isn't just a border fight. This is a spiritual battle. And we need to start treating it that way.

In 1 Peter 5:8 we are told:

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8, NASB)

Think about that word — devour. Not inconvenience. Not discourage. Devour.

And “be of sober spirit” — not just physically, but clear-minded, alert, and aware. Because the danger isn't always obvious. It doesn't announce itself.

It comes as a pill that looks like medicine. As meth that looks manageable. As cocaine that looks like recreation. As something a friend hands you and says — it's fine.

But Scripture also tells us in John 10:10:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. (John 10:10, NASB)

Steal innocence, and kill potential. Our families or being destroyed. And if we are honest, with every drug coming across that border, that is exactly what we are watching play out.

Ephesians 6:12 tells us:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12, NASB)

Which means this: if we only fight this battle at the surface level and if we only debate policy and argue about which party deserves the credit or the blame, we will always be reacting. And reacting is not the same as overcoming.

Yes, we need stronger enforcement across every drug, every route, every cartel. Yes, we need to hold China accountable for the chemical warfare they are enabling. Yes, we need the technology and the intelligence to stay ahead of networks that never sleep.

But we also need something that no legislation can provide. We need discernment. We need truth spoken in our homes, in our churches, and our schools. We need families and communities that are not just alarmed but awake. We need to fight a spiritual battle on our knees. Collectively.

To the Young People

I want to speak directly to young people for a moment. I don't care what it was called. I don't care how it was offered or who gave it to you. What's being disguised as relief, escape, or just a good time has a body count.

And I want you to know — really know — that your life has value. Not because of what the culture tells you. Not because of what shows up on your screen. But because you were created on purpose, for a purpose.

And there is nothing, no substance, no moment, no amount of pressure from anyone worth trading that for.

To Every Parent

To every parent reading this: the time to lean in is now. Not when you find something. Not when the call comes. Now.

Talk to your kids about all of it — not just fentanyl. Talk about the counterfeit pills made to look like medicine. The meth that doesn't look like meth anymore. The pill some other kid promises will help them get through an exam. The powder hidden in something they never even knew to question.

Not out of fear, but out of love. Because silence is not protection anymore. Awareness is.

Darkness Does Not Win

Romans 12:21 tells us:

Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21, NASB)

That’s not wishful thinking. That is not passive. That is a call to action.

Darkness may be real. The threat may be sophisticated. The enemy may be relentless. But darkness does not win.

Not when truth is spoken. Not when families are engaged. Not when communities stand up and say — not here. Not our children. Not on our watch.

So yes, this is about drugs, fentanyl, meth, and the poisons being trafficked across our border. It’s also about cartels and chemicals and a fight that is far from over.

For More Information check out my guest’s website; Lost Voices of Fentanyl https://lvof.org

Election Day 2026 is less than two weeks away.

By now, campaigns are entering their final stretch, political advertising is intensifying, and attention is beginning to shift from what might happen on November 3 to what Americans will actually see when 2026 election results begin coming in.

There is still time to prepare.

Before Election Day arrives, finish researching the candidates and measures on your ballot, make sure you understand the issues at stake, and know where to find authoritative election information for your jurisdiction.

Then think ahead to Election Night itself.

Results will begin arriving from across the country at different times, major races may develop quickly, and some contests may remain unresolved well after Election Night ends. Knowing what to expect can help you follow the results without getting lost in the constant stream of numbers, projections, reactions, and commentary.

Finish Researching What’s on Your Ballot

If there are still names or measures on your ballot that you know little about, now is the time to research them.

National headlines may be dominated by control of Congress and prominent statewide races, but your ballot may also include state legislators, judges, county or city officials, school boards, and ballot initiatives.

Return to the questions that matter:

• What authority does this office have?
• What has each candidate actually said or done?
• What policies are being proposed?
• What would a ballot measure change?
• Which claims come from campaigns or advocacy organizations, and which can be independently verified?

By this point in the election cycle, voters are surrounded by persuasive messaging. Going back to original sources, public records, full interviews, policy proposals, and reliable reporting can help separate useful information from the final rush of campaign rhetoric.

Review the Issues That Matter in Your Races

The national political conversation includes the economy, immigration, healthcare, education, abortion, public safety, foreign policy, government spending, technology, and many other concerns.

But not every office has authority over every issue.

Before November 3, connect the issues you care about with the candidates and offices that can actually influence them.

A congressional candidate and a school board candidate may both talk about education, but their responsibilities are very different. A governor, state legislator, mayor, and U.S. senator can each affect public policy in different ways.

That context can make the difference between simply following political debate and understanding the choices in front of you.

Use Reliable Sources as Election Day Approaches

The final days before an election can generate a remarkable amount of information, and not all of it deserves equal trust.

Old videos may resurface without context. Unverified claims can spread quickly on social media. Campaigns may make last-minute accusations against opponents. Commentary can sometimes be mistaken for reporting.

Slow down before accepting or sharing something simply because it confirms what you already believe.

Look for original statements. Read beyond headlines. Compare reporting from credible sources. Pay attention to when information was published and whether new facts have emerged since then.

Christians in particular should value truth more than partisan advantage. Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight” (NKJV). Election season does not make accuracy less important.

What Happens When Election Night Results Begin Coming In?

Once voting concludes around the country, election reporting shifts rapidly from campaigns to results.

You will begin seeing vote totals, percentage reporting figures, maps, and race calls. But those numbers require context.

An early lead does not necessarily determine who will ultimately win a race. Different jurisdictions report results at different speeds, and the portions of the vote reported first may not resemble those reported later.

That is one reason reputable election-news organizations do not simply call a race because one candidate happens to be ahead.

The Associated Press, for example, says it declares a winner only when its analysts determine that the trailing candidate no longer has a path to victory. Some races can be called relatively quickly; closely contested races may take days or, occasionally, longer.

So on Election Night 2026, pay attention to more than the percentage of votes counted. Listen for explanations of where reported votes are coming from, how much remains outstanding, and why a race has or has not been called.

Not Every 2026 Election Result Will Be Known That Night

Election Night creates an expectation of instant answers, but elections do not always cooperate with television schedules.

Some races will become clear early in the evening. Others may remain uncertain as additional results are reported. Particularly close contests can require more time before a reliable winner can be identified.

That does not necessarily mean anything unusual has happened.

The United States does not have one centralized national vote-counting system. Elections are administered at the state and local level, and reporting practices differ across jurisdictions.

That means patience is sometimes part of following election results responsibly.

A responsible news source should be willing to say “too early to call” rather than turn uncertainty into speculation.

Watch the Larger Election Night Picture

Individual races matter, but Election Night 2026 will also tell a broader story.

• Which issues appeared to motivate voters?
• How are congressional races changing the makeup of Washington?
• What happened in major governor’s contests?
• Which state and local results could affect policy in the years ahead?
• Did ballot measures reveal important differences between states or regions?

As results accumulate, the evening gradually moves from individual contests toward a national picture.

That broader context is one reason thoughtful election coverage matters. Numbers tell you who is ahead. Good reporting also helps explain what those results mean.

Christians Can Follow Election Night Without Losing Perspective

Political outcomes matter because government decisions affect real people, families, churches, communities, and institutions.

But Christians can care deeply about elections without treating politics as the source of their hope.

Whatever happens on November 3, God remains sovereign. The Gospel remains true. The responsibility to love your neighbor, speak truth, pray for leaders, serve your community, and faithfully follow Christ does not change when political control changes.

That perspective can be especially valuable on Election Night, when political coverage often encourages viewers to treat every development as an emergency or every victory and defeat as permanent.

Stay informed. Pay attention. Care about what happens. But keep politics in its proper place.

Follow Election Night 2026 With Real Life Network

When the results begin coming in on Tuesday, November 3, Real Life Network will bring viewers America Speaks ’26: Election Night Live.

Coverage begins at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT and will include live election results, updates, commentary, conversation, and biblical perspective as major races unfold across the country.

Pastor Jack Hibbs, Daniel Cohen, and other Real Life Network voices will help viewers follow the evening’s developments and consider the larger issues behind the results.

RLN is free to watch, and creating an account ahead of Election Night means you can simply sign in and follow the coverage when November 3 arrives.

The campaigns will soon end. Then America will begin hearing from the voters.

Sign up for America Speaks ’26 updates and join Real Life Network live on November 3 for Election Night coverage beginning at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT.

The artificial intelligence community just waved goodbye to yet another top safety and regulation official — and he offers a unique angle in his warning to the world.

David Robinson had been leading safety reports for OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. Robinson resigned in the first week of October, stating that the industry’s approach to safety has been stemming from a broken culture. He penned the following words in a piece for The Atlantic, which contain more truth than perhaps he even knows: “The future depends on wisdom that Silicon Valley lacks.”

We’ll come back to that.

His departure comes on the heels of several other prominent AI safety researchers abandoning the industry. Their exits have paired with dreadful public warnings about the future of this technology, leaving the American people to grapple with the headlines and the unknown.

Take Jacob Coxon, for example. After leaving Claude developer Anthropic in September, he wrote on X that top tech labs are “gambling with our lives” by racing toward self-improving superintelligence. He went on to reveal that the people building AI “earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.”

Comforting.

For clarity, the industry term “superintelligence” refers to a hypothetical AI system that developers believe could surpass humans in overall knowledge and capability. This could happen through recursive self-improvement (RSI) in which AI models design and continually improve their own successors.

While the Trump administration has taken to using the term as a reference to AI more broadly, Coxon used it as the industry intends: the potential nightmare of AI evolving beyond our ability to contain.

Let’s go back to David Robinson for a second. Beyond diagnosing the issue of a “lack of wisdom,” he went on in his article to describe the kind of wisdom that is desperately needed — the kind that shows us “how to handle dangerous technology and, more fundamentally … what it means to care for people.”

This kind of wisdom has only one source.

Proverbs 4:7 states, “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, acquire understanding.” The natural question is, how can true wisdom be acquired? Well, it is not gained by happenstance or by any means of passivity.

The word of God teaches that wisdom is found only, “if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure” (Proverbs 2:4).

That same proverb states that when wisdom enters the human heart, it bears fruits of knowledge, discretion, and understanding. Knowledge is pleasant, discretion brings protection, and understanding guards the one who finds it.

If those spearheading AI labs begin searching for wisdom with the same fervency as they do innovation, capital gain, and victory in the arms race, perhaps we might reap the benefits of honing a brilliant technology for human flourishing, rather than threatening it entirely.

In the absence of wisdom, we ought not to expect flourishing. Thus, the need for appropriate guardrails toward that end is becoming increasingly dire.

Whistleblowers coming forward to expose carelessness in the industry is a good thing. Speaking up when danger is on the horizon is profitable. What is not profitable, however, is responding in fear.

The wisest man in history, King Solomon, tells us, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

The pride of man has reared its head through the latest technology and means of production before. As soon as human beings had the chance, they took brick and mortar and built the tower of Babel, aiming to reach as high as heaven to make a name for themselves — not for the God who gave them clay, water, and sun in the first place.

Today, we are seeing the latest expression of that sinful pride: men thinking they can hold infinite knowledge without it destroying them. Casting wisdom aside, they trust in their own minds and technical ability rather than in God.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve fell to the temptation of wanting to be all-knowing, like God. He judged that decision then, and He will not be mocked now (Galatians 6:7).

There is nothing more urgent for the unbeliever than to humble themselves, fall on their knees, and cry out to the Creator for salvation. There is, likewise, nothing more urgent for the believer than to refuse every temptation to fear in these times — to live the joyful, abundant life offered to them in Christ.

It is not a suggestion to be unafraid. It is a commandment given us by God, time and time again throughout the Scriptures.

Do not stifle your witness to the watching world.

The book of Ecclesiastes warns us that there are many dark days in this life under the sun, and that we will encounter circumstances which are difficult, perplexing, and often don’t make sense. Yet, there are a few things that author King Solomon found to be good: “Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot” (Ecclesiastes 5:18).

New threats to our livelihood may come at alarming rates, but our responsibility as Christians remains the same: Do not dread the future or fear the potential of “superintelligence.” Rather, “fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

So, keep breaking bread with those you love. Keep enjoying the toil and the lot that God has given you with a grateful heart. Regardless of the news cycle, and whatever may come out of Washington and Silicon Valley — rejoice in what you have been given.

Our lives are but a vapor, a mist, Solomon says. The years go by quickly, and soon, we will return to dust.

That need not be depressing — in fact, let it be motivating as you live the most upright, joyous, and noble life possible along the way. Be encouraged, for we have all the instruction we need to please God in every circumstance, including the ones out of our control.

God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” in Revelation 22:13. If God is the Omega just as much as He is the Alpha, what is there to fear?

At the end of all things, just as much as at the beginning — He is there. And He rules and reigns at every point in between.

Human history was born from and ends in perfect wisdom, and God will tie the final bow on our story.

Not Sam Altman, or Dario and Daniela Amodei, or Donald Trump, or Xi Jinping — but Jesus Christ will do it, who is the same “yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

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This article was written by Erica Mendel and originally published on The Washington Stand. For more content like this, visit Real Life Network.

This article is adapted from a recent episode of Rose Unplugged featuring former Congressman Louie Gohmert — a former judge who served 18 years on the House Judiciary Committee. 

Every so often, it's worth pausing to step away from the noise and lean into what's real. Right now, that means taking a hard look at two things: judges who think they answer to no one, and a culture that wants to erase the heroes who don't fit the modern mold. 

They look unrelated. They're not. They're the same problem wearing two different masks. One is a refusal of accountability. The other is a refusal of honesty. 

What Scripture Expects of a Judge 

Scripture doesn't leave the subject of judges to guesswork. In Exodus 18, when Moses is drowning in disputes, his father-in-law Jethro tells him to appoint leaders — “able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain.” 

Deuteronomy 16 goes further, instructing judges, “You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial.” That's the standard. Fear God. Reject dishonest gain. No favoritism. No corruption. 

Now hold that up against what's happening in our own courts today — judges with undisclosed conflicts of interest, judges reportedly using AI to manufacture case law that doesn't exist, judges quietly reprimanded behind closed doors for conduct that would getanyone else fired. 

This isn't a partisan gripe. It's a bench that has drifted from “good behavior” into something Scripture would call exactly what it is — corrupt judgment. 

A Fourth, Untouchable Branch 

And this is not some abstract, inside-the-Beltway squabble. This is the unelected, unaccountable administrative state in black robes. We're talking about activist judges legislating from the bench, single district judges issuing nationwide injunctions to override the will of the American people and their duly elected president, and a judiciary that has quietly built itself into a fourth, untouchable branch of government. 

That should alarm every single one of us, regardless of party, because a Republic where judges answer to nobody isn't a Republic anymore. 

Here's what gets missed: accountability for judges isn't a modern political invention. It's baked into the oldest legal tradition we have. In 2 Chronicles 19, King Jehoshaphat appoints judges and warns them plainly, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord.” 

A judge was never meant to be untouchable. A judge was meant to answer to a higher standard, precisely because of the power he holds over other people's lives, liberty, and property. 

Isaiah 1 doesn't mince words either: “Learn to do good; seek justice.” Judgment is supposed to protect people, not shield the judge from consequence. When a judiciary polices itself for forty-plus years and the abuses keep piling up anyway, that bargain has failed. 

Unchecked power, whether it's sitting on a bench or rewriting a history book, doesn't correct itself. That's not cynicism. That's what

Scripture has always told us about the human heart — and it's precisely why the Founders built in checks in the first place. They didn't build three co-equal branches so that one of them could operate with zero checks. And our faith doesn't teach us that any man — king, judge, or committee — gets a permanent pass from scrutiny. 

Practicing Amnesia 

And it's not just the courtroom. We're watching the same instinct — the refusal to be honest and the refusal to be accountable — show up in how the culture treats its own history. Britain is erasing Winston Churchill from its currency because a focus group calls him “divisive.” 

This is the same woke revisionism we see here at home — knock down the statue, rename the school, cancel the man. 

But there is exactly one perfect man who ever walked the earth, and none of us are Him. Scripture is remarkably unsentimental about its own heroes. It tells you David committed adultery and had a man killed to cover it up — and still calls him a man after God's own heart. It tells you Noah got drunk, Moses disobeyed God at the rock, and Peter denied Christ three times. The Bible doesn't airbrush its heroes. It shows the whole man, flaws and all, because the point was never that these men were flawless. 

That's the opposite instinct of what we're watching happen with Churchill. Modern cancel culture wants a spotless résumé or it wants erasure. Scripture never asked us to pretend our heroes were flawless. It asks us to tell the truth about them — the good and the bad — and let the record stand. 

A nation that can't hold “Churchill saved civilization” and “Churchill had serious flaws” in the same breath isn't practicing justice. It's practicing amnesia.

Two Sides of the Same Coin 

So let's be honest about what's at stake here. This isn't about one bad ruling or one bad headline out of London. This is about whether we still believe in a Republic of laws, or whether we've quietly let ourselves drift into rule by unelected robes and unelected editors of history. 

Judges answering to no one and a culture rewriting its own history are two sides of the same coin — a slow, quiet abandonment of truth and accountability. That should matter to every conservative, every Christian, every American who still believes truth is truth regardless of what a focus group or a black robe says about it. 

If we let the judiciary and the culture police themselves without any accountability to God or to “We the People,” we will wake up one day and not recognize the country our Founders risked everything to build. As citizens, we don't get to sit this one out. This is one to lean into, not scroll past. 

A Word of Thanks 

I want to say this plainly: men like Louie Gohmert don't get nearly enough credit for the work they do long after the cameras and the Capitol Hill office are gone. Eighteen years on the House Judiciary Committee, a career on the bench himself, and he's still out there walking the halls of Congress, folder in hand, doing the unglamorous, unpaid, unnoticed work of trying to hold power accountable. That's not politics. That's public service in the truest sense of the word, and we don't say thank you for that kind of thing nearly often enough. 

Whether it's a judge who thinks he answers to no one, or a culture that thinks history should answer to a marketing survey — the answer is the same. Truth, judged rightly, doesn't need to hide from scrutiny, and it doesn't need to erase the past to feel comfortable. It just needs someone willing to say it plainly. 

So keep your faith steady, your focus clear, and keep moving forward — because you are here for such a time as this. 

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Watch or listen to the full conversation with former Congressman Louie Gohmert on Rose Unplugged: Rogue Judges, Erased History, SCOTUS Graded — Louie Gohmert Holds Nothing Back