How Barack Obama Will Make Christ a Minister of Condemnation
January 17, 2009 By: John Piper
At Barack Obama’s 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 Robinson’s 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 God’s 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 don’t approve of. The issue is this: In linking the Christian ministry to the approval of homosexual activity, Christ is made a minister of condemnation.
Desiring God Blog
January 17, 2009
"God Told Me"
A Friend of Mine, John Killian Ask me the following question:
"In light of the position we hold that Scripture is our sole authority, I would like comments on the matter of those who constantly claim that God speaks personally to them. Do people today hear voices from God? Is God silent? Do these personal messages from God possess a value on par with Scripture? Lest I am perceived as harsh, I am sincere in wanting input on this question.
I believe that God is still free to speak (just as he did to the prophets) and still does speak to people through many aveunes. The inner conviction of the Spirit, through other believers, through creation through a variety of methods and means. These convictions or experiences however must be interpreted through the lense of scripture. God will never tell you something that contridicts scripture or goes against it in any way. These experiences are in no way equal to scripture. When I preach do I believe God is speaking through me, yes. Do I believe that I have been inspired by he Holy Spirit to speak, yes of course, I pray that every time I speak I am inspired. But, is it inspired to be equal to scripture no way. The same applies to any other Word we have from God. Scripture has a higher level of authority above all other forms of revelation."
An Excellent question, one that I think the Church has avoided for far too long out of the fear of offending someone. Hebrews 1:1-2 says "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world." So, I think that John Piper rightly points out that there are two phases of Revelation 1.) God spoke through prophets, and 2.) He now speaks through Jesus. When we look for a third way are we not saying, "I have plumbed the depths of this Jesus guy, and have found Him wanting. I need more than Jesus." Really, Has my wicked evil heart Really exausted all that Jesus has to offer me so that I long for another word? Or, could it be that I am too lazy to fall on my knees with my face in The Book and seek Him with all my being and effort. I believe that if we seek more of Him, if Jesus becomes the goal and not the means then the "Who do I marry", and "What house do I buy" kind of questions fade to grey and more or less take care of themselves.
It seems to me from observation and personal experience (Not very valuable I know) that when most people say "I feel lead" it means "I really want to", or "I feel strongly" and "God has laid ____ on my heart" means "I just thought of this". As a pastor I have had different people say that "The Lord has lead me" to leave their wife, sue a fellow christian, and take a job as a bartender. I have also had two separate people in the midst of an affair tell me that "God has given them peace" about the illicit relationship because they "really love" the person they are not married to at the time. I realize that these are extreme examples, but they highlight the fact that Our heart is deceitful (A liar) above all things and desperately wicked. I cannot (Nay Must not) believe what my heart/mind tell me. God, I believe does speak to us, through His Word primarily and through His Church, (but we are to test these against the word). Personally, I have excised all the "God lead, God spoke, God called" phrases from my vocabulary lest I break the commandment to Not Take the Lord my God's Name in vain. I think that God guides us through various means, but if it isnt in text I cannot be SURE that it is Him, and must treat it as a lesser, much lesser, authority.
Blaurock
"In light of the position we hold that Scripture is our sole authority, I would like comments on the matter of those who constantly claim that God speaks personally to them. Do people today hear voices from God? Is God silent? Do these personal messages from God possess a value on par with Scripture? Lest I am perceived as harsh, I am sincere in wanting input on this question.
I believe that God is still free to speak (just as he did to the prophets) and still does speak to people through many aveunes. The inner conviction of the Spirit, through other believers, through creation through a variety of methods and means. These convictions or experiences however must be interpreted through the lense of scripture. God will never tell you something that contridicts scripture or goes against it in any way. These experiences are in no way equal to scripture. When I preach do I believe God is speaking through me, yes. Do I believe that I have been inspired by he Holy Spirit to speak, yes of course, I pray that every time I speak I am inspired. But, is it inspired to be equal to scripture no way. The same applies to any other Word we have from God. Scripture has a higher level of authority above all other forms of revelation."
An Excellent question, one that I think the Church has avoided for far too long out of the fear of offending someone. Hebrews 1:1-2 says "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world." So, I think that John Piper rightly points out that there are two phases of Revelation 1.) God spoke through prophets, and 2.) He now speaks through Jesus. When we look for a third way are we not saying, "I have plumbed the depths of this Jesus guy, and have found Him wanting. I need more than Jesus." Really, Has my wicked evil heart Really exausted all that Jesus has to offer me so that I long for another word? Or, could it be that I am too lazy to fall on my knees with my face in The Book and seek Him with all my being and effort. I believe that if we seek more of Him, if Jesus becomes the goal and not the means then the "Who do I marry", and "What house do I buy" kind of questions fade to grey and more or less take care of themselves.
It seems to me from observation and personal experience (Not very valuable I know) that when most people say "I feel lead" it means "I really want to", or "I feel strongly" and "God has laid ____ on my heart" means "I just thought of this". As a pastor I have had different people say that "The Lord has lead me" to leave their wife, sue a fellow christian, and take a job as a bartender. I have also had two separate people in the midst of an affair tell me that "God has given them peace" about the illicit relationship because they "really love" the person they are not married to at the time. I realize that these are extreme examples, but they highlight the fact that Our heart is deceitful (A liar) above all things and desperately wicked. I cannot (Nay Must not) believe what my heart/mind tell me. God, I believe does speak to us, through His Word primarily and through His Church, (but we are to test these against the word). Personally, I have excised all the "God lead, God spoke, God called" phrases from my vocabulary lest I break the commandment to Not Take the Lord my God's Name in vain. I think that God guides us through various means, but if it isnt in text I cannot be SURE that it is Him, and must treat it as a lesser, much lesser, authority.
Blaurock
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
