Posted on 03/06/2009 2:25:47 PM PST by ckilmer
January 17, 2009 | By: John Piper
Category: Commentary
At Barack Obamas request, tomorrow in the Lincoln Memorial, Gene Robinson, the first openly non-celibate homosexual bishop in the Episcopal Church, will deliver the invocation for the inauguration kick-off.
This is tragic not mainly because Obama is willing to hold up the legitimacy of homosexual intercourse, but because he is willing to get behind the church endorsement of sexual intercourse between men.
It is one thing to say: Two men may legally have sex. It is another to say: The Christian church acted acceptably in blessing Robinsons sex with men.
The implications of this are serious.
It means that Barack Obama is willing, not just to tolerate, but to feature a person and a viewpoint that makes the church a minister of damnation. Again, the tragedy here is not that many people in public life hold views (like atheism) that lead to damnation, but that Obama is making the church the minister of damnation.
The apostle Paul says,
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves , nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
What is Paul saying about things like adultery, greed, stealing, and homosexual practice? As J. I. Packer puts it, They are ways of sin that, if not repented of and forsaken, will keep people out of Gods kingdom of salvation. (Christianity Today, January 2003, p. 48).
In other words, to bless people in these sins, instead of offering them forgiveness and deliverance from them, is to minister damnation to them, not salvation.
The gospel, with its forgiveness and deliverance from homosexual practice, offers salvation. Gene Robinson, with his blessing and approval of homosexual practice, offers damnation. And he does it in the name of Christ.
It is as though Obama sought out a church which blessed stealing and adultery, and then chose its most well-known thief and adulterer, and asked him to pray.
One more time: The issue here is not that presidents may need to tolerate things they dont approve of. The issue is this: In linking the Christian ministry to the approval of homosexual activity, Christ is made a minister of condemnation.
What would you expect from a communist?
bookmark
The effect will be that the offices of the state will be put behind the collapse of evangelical opposition to social issues like abortion and homosexuality. As well, the program will accelerate white flight in the greater metropolitan urban centers. Do you think rev wright's church is going to be made multicultural. consider his god damn america speech
Piper’s deep. Not kidding.
“Pipers deep. Not kidding.”
Very.
BTW, has the deeply religious Obama found a church yet?
Pipers deep. Not kidding.
Very.
BTW, has the deeply religious Obama found a church yet?
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Did you read Piper’s blog that the article attaches to? I like it, it’s more succinct and easier to plow through than his books. I’m going to visit regularly.
Regarding Obama, I have never heard of him going to a church other than Rev. Wright’s church or going for political reasons on the campaign trail.
I didn’t read the blog, but I will.
I was just kidding about Obama finding a church. For all the talk of Obama’s religious background, I have never seen much evidence that he has really been a regular church attender in his adult lifetime.
I am not sure he really went to Jeremiah Wright’s church all that regularly. I just think before that scandal blew up, they were just trying to convince us of how deeply religious Obama was.
Unless I have missed something, Obama has been out of town pretty much every weekend he has been in office, so it has been virtually impossible for him to even look for a church. I don’t think he is in any kind of hurry on that, but I know the media will make a big deal out of it if he ever does. His own words have defined him as something other than a Christian. Down is up. Up is down.
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