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.
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2 comments:
I cannot agree with Dr. Piper strongly enough. A great word.
Also: Wow. Ya know ,its Weird to say, "Dood, this guy should soooo read Rick Warren's prayer” , and repent and believe the gospel.
Please understand first and foremost that I have no issue or disagreement with John Piper or the Word regarding the sin and condemnation waiting for those who continue in homosexuality. Our society's tolerance for this and many other abominations carries consequences we will never fully understand.
However, I do have a problem with pronouncing judgment on Obama because of his choice to include Mr. Robinson in his inaugural ceremony. In doing so, the bigger point is totally missed. Why would we expect an ungodly man to make a wise choice when selecting a "church" leader to appear? Shouldn't our condemnation (if we must have some) be reserved for the "church" who has promoted such a man to a leadership position? Why would we expect the world to understand the sin of homosexuality when so many evangelical denominations are having trouble doing so?
I would add that Obama does not make the "church" the minister of anything. The "church" made that choice itself in naming Robinson as bishop. Further, Obama may link the tolerance of a homosexual lifestyle with the name of Christ but it is the "church" which chooses the path to damnation by embracing such a lifestyle.
Let me ask it this way. Was Billy Graham attributing direction given by God to Bill Clinton's marital infidelity when he asked that God give him a desire to seek and do His will? It works both ways people.
We can spend the next 4 (or 8) years nitpicking the obviously unChristian choices this man makes or we can get down to the business that we were called for and pray that God turn the hearts of our leaders and of His people. Make the choice.
TL
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