(Photo: The Christian Post / Sonny Hong)Posted on 05/24/2014 7:35:51 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
(Photo: The Christian Post / Sonny Hong)
Rev. Franklin Graham addressing pastors at the Watchmen on the Wall National Briefing, held at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Thursday, May 22, 2014.
WASHINGTON – The Rev. Franklin Graham told a large gathering of pastors on Thursday to address controversial issues from the pulpit, declaring that "God hates cowards."
Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, based his remarks on Revelation 21:8, wherein God lists eight groups of people who will be "in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Of groups like murderers, idolaters, unbelievers, and others, the first group of persons listed were the cowardly. It was this first group that Graham focused on for his speech, titled "Standing Strong on the Controversial Issues," at the Thursday evening session for the 2014 Watchmen on the Wall National Briefing.
"The definition of a coward: a coward will not confront an issue that needs to be confronted due to fear. That is a coward," said Graham.
"God hates cowards. And the cowards that the Lord is referring to are the men and women who know the truth but refuse to speak it."
In his remarks at the dinner session, Graham spoke about the need for churches to speak out against abortion and homosexuality, declaring that "you're not going to shut me up."
"We have a responsibility to speak on the moral issues. Abortion, homosexuality, these are moral issues. This is a free country, you can do what you want to do but I want you to know it's a sin against God. This is a sin," said Graham.
Graham mentioned how he has "friends who are pastors" who say they want to preach the Gospel and not "become targets."
"Well don't you think the Lord Jesus Christ was a target?" asked Graham. "Could we get our heads chopped off? We could, maybe one day. So what? Chop it off!"
(Photo: The Christian Post / Sonny Hong)Rev. Franklin Graham addressing pastors at the Watchmen on the Wall National Briefing, held at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Thursday, May 22, 2014.
Graham's remarks were part of a multiday conference organized by the Family Research Council. Held from Wednesday to Friday, the Watchmen on the Wall National Briefing was geared toward pastors and encouraging churches to become more involved in politics, social issues, and public policy.
Featured speakers included Pastor Rafael Cruz, the father of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz; Bishop Harry Jackson, author and senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland; Joyce Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries; U.S. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, and several others.
For the Thursday evening dinner portion, attendees experienced worship led by contemporary Christian singer Charles Billingsley and were present to see awards given to assorted pastors for their actions on religious liberty.
The last honoree for the evening was Graham. FRC President Tony Perkins commended Graham for his actions in the public sphere.
"Franklin is not the pastor of a church, but in a real sense he is a pastor to America's pastors," said Perkins before presenting Graham with the 2014 Watchman Award.
"And in that role, he has sounded the alarm and raised the righteous standard as have few other leaders in our time."
The son of the famous evangelist Billy Graham, Franklin Graham has garnered controversy in recent years for his remarks on same-sex marriage, Islam, and President Barack Obama.
Some have contrasted his public career with that of his father, arguing that Franklin Graham has taken more overtly political positions than Billy Graham has.
Harvey Milk, Stalin, Galileo?
How do you know where they were with God, when they died?
Take a listen. Ray talks about it. http://www.livingwaters.com/audio/way-of-the-master/hells-best-kept-secret
The reason we believe that people aren’t in Hell is because WE want to believe it. But the rich man went to Hell and Lazarus did not.
I believe I deserve to go to Hell so why shouldn’t I?
That was non responsive.
http://www.finalinstructions-logospubco.com/I%20never%20knew%20you%20part%202.pdf
In Part 1 I quoted Billy Graham as saying that only five percent of those who make a confession of faith at his crusades go on to join a local fellowship of believers, which means that a huge percentage of the confessions of faith solicited in his massive evangelistic crusades are not of faith.
You are too cryptic, and evasive.
I look at your posts on this thread and can see that you are being negative, but you won’t come out and explain what you are saying, or show the data.
Even in that post you quoted someone without telling us you were quoting someone else.
Is this not what you wanted to hear:
‘In Part 1 I quoted Billy Graham as saying that only five percent of those who make a confession of faith at his crusades go on to join a local fellowship of believers, which means that a huge percentage of the confessions of faith solicited in his massive evangelistic crusades are not of faith.”
I posted the link. What part of this was confusing to you?
Geez, it’s like talking to 3rd graders today.
You linked to a PDF, with no explanation of who wrote it or what it is.
That isn’t helpful.
It is what it is.
So no source.
In BGM’s own words:
http://billygraham.org/story/how-to-be-sure-of-your-salvation/ - Especially:
Pillar 2: Jesus Paid It All
Second, assurance rests on the finished work of Jesus Christ. When Jesus died on the cross, He bore our iniquities, enduring God’s wrath, and cried out, “It is finished!”(3) By this, He meant that the full atonement for all our sins-past, present and future-has been made. His work of redemption now completed, our entire sin debt is paid in full.
Just as salvation comes from believing in Christ alone, so does assurance. As we trust in Christ’s perfect sacrifice for our sins, the certainty of eternal life floods our hearts. No matter how great your sin, God’s grace is greater still. The Bible says, “Come now, and let us reason together. … Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.
Stand up for the truth? Definitely. Condemn, Confront? No. I do not want to embarrass the LORD. Reattaching one ear, already is enough. God loves all. Some times it is a challenge for us to do likewise. I do not have to tell sinners they are sinning. Those that are already know. It is my commission to offer to all the Gospel. My own life experiences tell me that our understanding of the capacity of God’s love, grace, and forgiveness is tiny.
How is it obedience to God to confront Nero? Jesus told us to "Resist not evil". In the Lord's Prayer, He has us asking to not be led into temptation, but to be delivered from evil. He never tells us to confront Nero/Satan - He infers that our job is to resist the temptations of evil that we not aid and abet it. God can/will/has defeat/defeat/defeated Evil and only He can do so - all we can do is gnash our teeth, tear our clothes, and pour ashes on our heads while becoming diverted from the only thing we can do - carry the Word and do our best to not be sucked into the evil that abounds.
They spoke Truth to the government - what did Jesus tell us about rendering unto Caesar, resisting evil, being obedient to those set as our rulers/governors?
I need to disagree with you on this.
Plus take a look at a few posts, one of which I had posted, there are those in the Bible that did confront, they did it for love and obedience to God.
Doing so is simply saying NO to Nero/Satan, YES to God/Jesus. This is not to mean get violent, just standing up to Godly principles.
RE: I do not have to tell sinners they are sinning. Those that are already know
With all due respect to Rev. Graham, I’m not sure of this applies to all sinners.
I'm OK with some disagreement - it makes both parties think more deeply on the topic at hand. There are probably some semantics that make the rift seem wider than it is and which cannot be fully discussed with a few sentences posted back and forth. I would relish the chance to sit and discuss much of what we touch upon with a number of folks who get involved with the religious discussions.
God Bless
http://www.finalinstructions-logospubco.com/I%20never%20knew%20you%20part%202.pdf
http://www.finalinstructions-logospubco.com/I%20never%20knew%20you%20part%202.pdf
http://www.finalinstructions-logospubco.com/I%20never%20knew%20you%20part%202.pdf
http://www.finalinstructions-logospubco.com/I%20never%20knew%20you%20part%202.pdf
http://www.finalinstructions-logospubco.com/I%20never%20knew%20you%20part%202.pdf
I have no idea what goes through your mind, or why you can’t and won’t defend your claim.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.