Posted on 06/18/2014 7:11:18 AM PDT by Gamecock
The evangelical movement is about to divide.
Nothing could be clearer.
It’s true that we have often disagreed over things like church government, views of the Second Coming, baptism, lifestyle habits, worship style and musical preference. But those differences, though deeply felt, were intramural debates over secondary issues.
This time we are going to divide over a primary issue.
It is isn’t just about homosexuality or even about gay marriage, though that is the most obvious factor. When all the cards are out on the table, it will be clear that we have divided over biblical authority. Some of us will say, "We accept the 2000-year-old teaching shared until recently by every branch of the Christian movement that God designed marriage for one man and one woman.” We will also say that all sexual activity outside of marriage is sin. And we will continue to insist that homosexual behavior is always sinful.
Evidently not everyone will agree with us. That includes some folks who graduated from our leading Christian colleges and seminaries.
For a variety of reasons, they will insist that the church has been wrong about this for 2000 years and that we must extend Christian fellowship to openly homosexual men and women. They must be allowed to join the church, sing in the choir, teach Sunday School, and if they are otherwise qualified, they could be chosen as deacons, elders and pastors.
As Al Mohler has recently insisted, there is no middle ground on this issue. We aren’t going to be able to paper over the difference or to "agree to disagree” as if this issue is like disagreeing on the timing of the rapture or whether or not we should sing more hymns.
This is a deal-breaker. Can’t we all just get along? No, we can’t.
The people who argue for full inclusion of gays and lesbians in the church are going to go one way, and the rest of us are going to go another. This will mean splitting denominations, leaving churches, and in some cases, it will divide families.
No one can be happy about the very real pain involved. But better that we should separate than stay together and pretend at a unity that does not exist.
A few years ago I would have thought that most evangelicals would stay true to the biblical teaching about marriage. Today I will hedge my bets on that issue. We hear seductive voices calling us to "rethink” our position while other influential leaders admit to "struggling” over this issue. Clearly those voices are having an impact.
But in one sense it doesn’t matter. The people who think it’s okay for two guys or two girls to get married and then come and lead Awana on Wednesday night will never be accepted by the rest of us.
We aren’t buying what they are selling.
Because our culture has shifted on this issue, the price for fidelity to biblical teaching is rising all the time. Christians who openly stand for one man-one woman marriage will face increasing opposition in the days to come. It may be that we will be the ones leaving some churches because we are the minority.
So be it.
The divide is coming and in some senses is already upon us. We all get to decide where we will stand.
You can’t straddle the fence forever. Pastor, you’ll have to take a stand. Church leaders, you’ll have to take a stand. Christian friend, you’ll have to take a stand.
Years ago I heard Don Cole say that "it is better to divide over truth than to unite around error.” He was right, and because of that we will soon be going in different directions.
It seems the wheat and chaff are sperating themselves.
Amen! The great falling away is taking place before our very eyes. Very sad.
That divide has already begun. Sad, as the homosexual tolerant churches offer no hope to homosexuals for repentance and healing, they’re just organizations offering nothing but feeling good about their journey to Hell.
The churches that embrace homosexuality are not evangelical. They are liberal. These are the liberal wings of all the mainline protestant denominations.
Further the embrace of homosexuality by the liberal denominations is a downstream manifestation of an upstream theological heresy on the part of the liberal denominations. They take the low view of Christ. That Jesus was just a man. and not fully God as well. This is the heresy for which the nicean creed was developed after the council of nicea in 325 ad.
I hope the author demands this same fealty to the Scriptures in all matters.
(There are many church-going folks who think some questions must be answered by the Scriptures God gave us while others can be settled merely by a vote of men.)
The upside of this story is that all the liberal denominations that do embrace the abominations are losing members.
It is indeed happening and you are right it’s sad. At the same time, my faith in Christ and His Word have been strengthened.
Wheat from the Tares.
Sheep from the goats.
Woe unto those who call light “darkness”, and darkness “light”.
So be It.
Odingo said “my views on same sex marriage are evolving”—I believe within a few days or weeks of his inauguration in 2009, while he campaigned in 2008 stating “I believe marriage is between one man and one woman”.
Well, how many times will people accept the lies of a lying liar?
Apparently they’ll swallow every time.
And how bizarre is it that queers in Chicago were amazed that Odingo would run for US Senate much less the Presidency of the United States? Bath-house Barry.
A classmate from Odingo’s High School in a taped interview (she was absolutely credible) said that everyone knew Obama was a queer (she used the PC term “gay” which I object to). He had cocaine and pot obtained by performing sex acts for older wealthy white men and bragged about it.
He used people, bummed for cigarettes, for cash, for dope. He had no friends, only casual acquaintances, those were the people he used and discarded as soon as he found out they were not buying into his “jive”.
We have a full blown homosexual, muslim, marxist, narcissist arriving for work in the White House of the United States at about 10 or 11 in the morning, that does not care to work with congress or to be briefed by his “national security team” daily, and hates America with a visceral hatred, and he especially hates white people and every other race that is “normal”.
A diseased mind, a diseased man (well queer) and a diseased administration.
Tell me if you dare, that God is not using Obama to judge this nation.
My inlaws Presbyterian church split recently. Very sad situation. It hurts them a lot. Inlaws stayed with their church which is sticking to biblical teching as understood for 2000 years. Many who left were lefty college professors and such. They joined the Presbyterian church that sits just next door. It’s more liberal. I haven’t heard about anybody from that church coming over to my inlaws church.
Seems it’s time to choose between what is right and what is popular. I agree with the poster who said it appears the wheat and the chaff are separating
Just because a Christian college is “leading” doesn’t mean it’s Bible believing. Also, depends on the definition of “Christian.” The liberal “christians” are brain washing the kids to be totally, “lovingly,” accepting of sin.
If my denomination ever comes out in favor of LBGT rights I will be walking out the door. Don’t know where I’ll go, as right now they are quite conservative.
As churches continue to obsess over fitting in with popular culture, people then realize they don’t need to go to church anymore because they are in the middle of popular culture already.
Those that toss out Christian morality for the Zeitgeist will wither on the vine like the Mainstream Protestant churches. How sad when this happens — Christian believers are more and more beleaguered in this valley of tears.
One must be ever vigilant and precise with the language. What are these "rights"? We must focus and emphasize, over and over, that we are talking about acts that are forbidden.
Do people have "right" to be wrong? Certainly, they do. It's called free will. And they get to exercise that right, but they forfeit Christian fellowship.
Very good article on the real issue of remaining or rethinking. As history has shown over and over and over again, this rethinking will show exactly who stands with God and His history and who goes with new thinking.
I am sad to live in this age as sin was so much better in the closet and behind closed doors, IMHO, not something that now is proud to be displayed to all because we are SO selfish.
From the fire into the frying pan?
No thanks.
>> Seems it’s time to choose between what is right and what is popular.
“Right is right even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.” — St. Augustine
Yes. some will fall into perdition, and be one with the world and others will stand with the Word.
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