The Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025
A Biblical Warning on Parental Rights and Divine Authority
Dear readers,
California's Assembly Bill 495, the Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025, expands caregiver authorizations and joint guardianships to shield children during immigration related separations. It allows nonrelative extended family members to sign affidavits for school and medical decisions, strengthens privacy in schools and daycares against immigration enforcement, and mandates protective policies. While aimed at family protection, this bill demands scrutiny through Scripture. As one rooted in Jewish tradition and ignited by Yeshua's fulfillment of it, I urge a deep dive into God's Word, warning firmly of perils when human laws clash with divine mandates. Obey God over man, always.
The Unyielding Biblical Mandate of Parental Authority
Scripture declares children as arrows in a warrior's hand, a heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:3-5). The Torah commands parents to teach diligently: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children" (Deuteronomy 6:4-7). This Shema, central to Jewish life, underscores the family's sacred role in covenant transmission. In the New Testament, Yeshua fulfills this by honoring His earthly parents while submitting to His heavenly Father (Luke 2:51), and Paul echoes it: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right... Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:1-4).
AB 495 empowers parents in crisis to nominate guardians, aligning with proactive stewardship like Joseph's provision in Egypt (Genesis 41-47). Yet beware: Expanding to nonrelatives risks eroding God given parental sovereignty. If misused, it could invite strangers into decisions over education and health, fracturing the divine family order. Scripture thunders against such dilution; God entrusted children to parents, not the state (Exodus 20:12). Listen to God, not man. If this bill opens doors to abuse under perjury's veil, it defies Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Firm warning: Prioritize eternal truth over temporal laws, lest families suffer.
Government Authority: Submit, But Never Above God
Romans 13:1-7 commands submission to authorities as God's servants for good. Jewish prophets held kings accountable to Torah (2 Kings 17), and Yeshua paid taxes yet declared, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" (Matthew 22:21). AB 495's limits on immigration data in schools reflect justice for the oppressed, echoing Isaiah 1:17: "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed."
But heed this strong caution: When laws encroach on God's domain, obey Him first. Peter proclaimed, "We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29). Critics warn AB 495 could enable state overreach, granting guardianships that sideline parents indefinitely, especially in immigration turmoil. Deeply consider: If confidentiality hides family separations, it mocks God's hatred of injustice (Amos 5:24). The bill's expansion of perjury crimes sounds protective, but vague terms invite manipulation, echoing Pharaoh's decrees that endangered Hebrew children (Exodus 1). Stand firm: Human edicts bow to divine law. If AB 495 weakens parental bonds, reject it resolutely, for "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8).
Compassion for Immigrants: God's Heart, Not Man's Compromise
The Torah demands: "Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt" (Exodus 23:9). God defends the fatherless and loves the sojourner (Deuteronomy 10:18). Yeshua, the ultimate fulfillment, welcomed outcasts and said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40). AB 495 aids immigrant families by preparing for absences, a merciful intent.
Yet probe deeper: True compassion never sacrifices children on altars of policy. If daycares must report enforcement yet exhaust emergency contacts, it might delay reunions, leaving kids vulnerable. Strong warning: Beware laws that sound kind but empower the state over God ordained families, as in Herod's slaughter (Matthew 2). Obey God, who commands holistic protection, not fragmented fixes. Listen not to man's whispers of security, but to the Lord's roar for justice.
Yeshua: The Messiah Who Fulfills and Guards
Isaiah prophesied the Messiah as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6), born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Yeshua fulfills this, declaring, "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11), laying down His life for the sheep. He bridges Torah and grace, honoring family (John 19:27) while redefining it in God (Mark 3:35). In AB 495's shadows, turn to Him, the ultimate protector of the vulnerable.
Deep truth: Yeshua warns, "Let no one deceive you" (Matthew 24:4). If laws like this lead astray, cling to Scripture's fulfillment in Him.
Countering Objections with Scriptural Strength
Skeptics say: It only helps families. Respond: Good intentions pave hell's road; test against God's Word (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Another: It's not overreach. Warning: Vague affidavits invite fraud, defying "Let your yes be yes" (Matthew 5:37). Firmly: Obey God over man, every time.
Beloved, heed these warnings profoundly. Plunge into Scripture, Deuteronomy to Revelation. Pray fiercely against threats to family. Embrace Yeshua as Messiah, whose blood secures eternal families. Act now: Examine AB 495 biblically, advocate God's way, transform through His grace.
In resolute faith, A Servant Anchored in Truth
If you found this article insightful or helpful in your walk with Yeshua, please share it with others seeking biblical truth. Together, let’s grow in covenant faithfulness.
Shalom!