Posted on 06/19/2017 4:59:35 AM PDT by Kaslin
There’s a bizarre argument I’m hearing these days which basically goes like this. “Look at how many churches are embracing homosexual practice. This proves we’re getting closer to the truth.” To the contrary, all it proves is that more and more churches are apostatizing. The logic behind this argument is as wrongheaded as it is unbiblical.
First, to argue that greater acceptance of homosexuality by churches is proof of spiritual growth is like arguing that greater acceptance of obesity by doctors is a proof of medical progress. The reverse is actually true.
Second, the Bible often warns us against compromise and apostasy, both moral and creedal. And in every generation, there have been heretics who have departed from the faith. Should we therefore celebrate every heretical doctrine and practice as proof of our spiritual maturity?
Jesus warned His disciples, saying “See that no one leads you astray” (Matt. 24:4). He also said, “And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt. 24:11-13).
What is to be celebrated, then, is not apostasy but faithfulness, not deception but steadfastness, not moral laxity but moral firmness. And while the words of Jesus may have more specific application to certain times in history, there is certainly a general application to our day, in which “lawlessness” has greatly increased. Today, just about anything goes, and that is not something to celebrate.
Last month, the gay activist organization Faith in America announced its plans to call on the Southern Baptist Convention to remove homosexual practice “from the sin list.”
“Ultimately,” they said, “we at FIA believe LGBT people should be removed from the sin list. We know interpretations and new revelations come to light. We believe the Church will one day stop diminishing the lives of those who are LGBT and we strive to help this come to pass. We are optimistic people and see the glass 75% full!”
So, they are encouraged by what they have seen in recent years, as more and more churches in America and Europe are dropping homosexual practice “from the sin list.” Soon enough, they believe, the whole Church will follow suit. To paraphrase (but in my words, not theirs!), “We’re encouraged by the increasing apostasy we see in the Church, and we’re expectant that one day, the whole Church will be completely apostate.”
The facts are as follows.
First, as I’ve stated repeatedly, “no new textual, archeological, sociological, anthropological, or philological discoveries have been made in the last fifty years that would cause us to read any of these biblical texts differently. Put another way, it is not that we have gained some new insights into what the biblical text means based on the study of the Hebrew and Greek texts. Instead, people’s interaction with the LGBT community has caused them to understand the biblical text differently.”
The truth, then, hasn’t changed. Instead, some professing Christians have departed from God’s unchanging truth because of personal relationships and cultural decline.
Second, most church groups that have removed homosexual practice from the sin list are in numerical and spiritual decline. In contrast, most church groups that are holding to biblical truth and practice, especially overseas, are growing numerically and spiritually.
Third, the embrace of homosexual practice cannot be separated from the larger cultural embrace of the sexual revolution. This includes an increase in sex out of wedlock, babies born out of wedlock, pornography, and divorce, along with the embrace of all kinds of sexual perversions. That’s why the same society that celebrates same-sex “marriage” is increasingly celebrating polyamory, polygamy, and consensual adult incest. (I’ve documented this in many articles and several books. See, conveniently, the relevant chapters here.)
This points to spiritual and moral regress, not progress.
Fourth, the idea that the whole Church will one day embrace homosexual practice is as certain not to happen as the idea that the whole Church will one day deny Jesus. Forget about not holding your breath. Don’t even think about holding your breath.
It’s certainly possible that, in some locations, increasing parts of the Church will fall away, and this will be marked by numerous moral and spiritual compromises. But the notion that the whole Church will fall away is completely self-contradictory, since if there is a true Church, it has been established by Jesus Himself. And it was He who said that He would build His church and that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18).
But it is not only theologically ignorant to imagine that the Church worldwide will one day embrace homosexual practice. It is also missiologically ignorant, since wherever the Church is growing worldwide, it is growing with a conservative message and morality.
I truly believe that the leaders of groups like Faith in Action mean well and believe they are doing God’s work. That makes their self-deception all the more tragic.
The truth is God doesn’t hate anybody
God even makes deals with the devil—e.g. Job, and lets the devil torment people.
I think the article’s author hit the nail on the head. Growing apostasy doesn’t mean we’re closer to the truth, it is instead fulfillment of biblical teachings about wicked the world will be before Jesus’ return.
The never wrong Bible says so.
He had issues with Esau...
Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
Romans 9:13
I think if my church announced an acceptance of homosexual behavior, the parking lots and seats would be very empty the next week. Easily 90% would leave
good point
How What Does Growing Apostasy Prove? That Christians Are Getting Closer to the Truth?
What is the New Testament Christian Covenant regarding homosexuals? Is this what LGBTIQ means?
Lesbian – A female- identified person who is attracted romantically, physically, or emotionally to another female-identified person.
Gay – A person, mainly a male-identified person, who is attracted romantically, physically, or emotionally to another a person of the same sex.
Bisexual – A person who is attracted romantically, physically, or emotionally to both men and women.
Transgender – A person who is a member of a gender other than that expected based on anatomical sex.
Intersex – ?
Queer – An umbrella term which embraces a variety of sexual preferences, orientations, and habits of those who do not adhere to the heterosexual and cisgender majority. The term queer includes, but is not exclusive to lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transpeople, and intersex persons, traditionally, this term is derogatory and hurtful, however, many people who do not adhere to sexual and/or gender norms use it to self-identify in a positive way.
The government notion that I must subscribe or endorse another person’s mental derangement or delusion conflicts with my right as a born again Christian to take these decision for myself.
If your church announced acceptance of homosexuality, that would only indicate that a sizable majority already approved of it.
These things don’t just burst on the scene suddenly, they are the culmination of many years of ‘smaller’ less obvious apostasies tacitly accepted.
I know I would.
the Church will one day stop diminishing the lives of those who are LGBT and we strive to help this come to pass.
Hmmmm?
I think I see?
It must all be the fault of the “church” that lgbt are so diminished. Couldn’t possibly be “the message” they would so like to believe.
Depends on what you mean by that. Those in Christ have eternal life, but for any man not in Christ, the wrath of God abideth (remains) on him (see John 3:36) until that great coming day of wrath. Our God is so righteous and holy, holy, holy that He can’t even look on sin. He isn’t amused and “will by no means clear the guilty” (see Exodus 34:6-7).
“As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
—Romans 9:13
“God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”
—Psalm 7:11
“God even makes deals with the devil—e.g. Job, and lets the devil torment people.”
That said, Satan has certainly been busy tempting people for the last several decades...and, unfortunately, finding out that many are all too easily tempted into sin.
That’s the most simplistic answer to ANY thread I’ve seen in three years :)
Something my 10 year old niece would say. She’s so cute :)
God judges us on how we live our lives according to his will.
The new feel good stuff is “God doesn’t hate anybody”.
Not sure what that has to do with being judged and ending up in Hell.
I’m sure judges have sentenced people to death who they didn’t hate MANY MANY times.
Same end result for the guilty party.
The new age “wisdom” is what’s killing our society.
Plus an Avon lady could have made a fortune at whatever march that picture is of.
True. The nice thing is that our church is very scriptural in our beliefs.
Instead of a pastor one-man show, we’re led by a board of elders which makes it harder to sway to the doctrine of the day.
One mentioned yesterday that they don’t agree on everything when it comes to small things and have some good arguments among themselves.
I don’t anticipate them falling easily into apostasy.
They are doing it so that grace may abound.
Easily 90% would leave
if the pastor of many churches began a sermon with the words “I’m going to make some changes...’ 90% of the congregation would grumble audibly, and 50% would leave within a year...says little about being faithful, and a lot about being hidebound...
I celebrate the fact that non-Christians don’t have to pretend to be Christians anymore. I celebrate the fact that we Christians are finding that we have to rebel against popular culture to keep our faith secure. The prince of this world thinks he is winning, just like Hillary did. When he thinks he is winning, the faithful multiply. We know which churches are apostate. Let the people who don’t want Christ go there for the coffee and day care and gay equality.
The Christians can go to the places where the whole bible is taught.
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