A Response to Newsweek: On Biblical Gay Marriage

A person whom I hold in high regard wrote a letter to the editor of Newsweek concerning the editorial of the December 15th, 2008 issue.  The current issue is, of course, attempting to prove a Bible-based rationale behind homosexual marriage.  In Mr. Crowson’s words, “Since I doubt they will publish it, here it is for your enjoyment.”  So, quoted verbatim from his facebook page, here is the letter.  Feel free to discuss below.

“The Gospel According to Newsweek…Or Something Like That“

“Here is a note I just sent to Newsweek about their December 15, 2008 issue in which they attempt to show that the Bible is for homosexual marriage. Since I doubt they will publish it, here it is for your enjoyment:

For years, people who took the Bible’s teaching seriously, and opposed things such as gay marriage were told, “Keep your Bible out of our policies!” To mention anything from holy scripture in an otherwise civilized conversation brought hysterical cries of “Separation of Church and State!” or “You can’t legislate morality!”

And now Newsweek tells us it is OK to bring the Bible into public debate, as long as it is brought in on the “progressive” side. Imagine that — Newsweek a trustworthy source of sound theology. Who knew? Jon Meacham’s editorial comment about perverting Scripture (“The Devil, as Shakespeare once noted, can cite Scripture for his purpose….”) is especially ironic, in light of the twisting and turning that was to follow, in an article straight from the Stretch Armstrong translation, no doubt.

“The Bible endorses slavery….” Oh, really? I question that. Slavery has been a human institution for a very long time. The Bible sheds light on how believers can live and try to honor God in societies that tolerate things that are truly evil, such as slavery. Nowhere does it endorse it. The article pointedly leaves out the fact that it was believers who were “over represented” in the fight against slavery.

The marriages we see in the Old and New Testaments often fall short of what the Bible otherwise teaches about marriage. Believers have known that for years, and have taken inspiration from the way in which God works His perfect ways with such imperfect people, even more evidence that the record of Scripture was not invented to brag about its “heroes.” Fortunately, The Gospel According to Newsweek is here to save us. In an effort truly worthy of any freshman or sophomore essay, it jumps to the only conclusion to be tolerated in an enlightened age: “What God’s people through the ages have understood has been all wrong. Lucky for you we are here to clear the air and to set things straight.”

Whatever one may make of homosexual practices and relationships, they are not marriage. Marriage patterns in actual cultures and history have always been heterosexual, even among cultures who knew nothing of the Bible (and please, spare us the anecdotal aberrations, as though somehow finding a mushroom on a golf course negates the fact that the course is supposed to be grass). The Trinitarian view of God displays both unity and diversity in relationships. We are told that God created man, male and female, in His image. Much of this mystery challenges our understanding, but it is easy to see that heterosexual unions reflect that image and diversity in a manner totally impossible for homosexual unions.

People deal with all manner of “natural” inclinations that Scripture warns us to flee. Some people seem born to infidelity, while others battle greed, anger, theft, gossip, and any number of other evil things, including homosexuality. The message of the Bible, properly understood, frees us from the power of these natural, though deadly, desires.

But we love each other! How truly ignorant we have become when we can no longer distinguish between love and libido. True love desires what is best for the other. How can it be best for the one I love to bind him or her in a relationship that is truly unnatural, and under divine condemnation? The object of my affection in this case can be the cute guy down the hall, or my neighbor’s wife. They’re both off limits. To pursue either one is to bind them to me in an illicit relationship. Not content to simmer in my own sin, I insist on dragging them down with me, and slapping on the l-o-v-e label as justification. Such is the New Gospel of Newsweek.

No thanks. The original still works just fine.”

-Allan Crowson

What’s In A Name?

My birth name is Daniel.  When I was younger, I remember going into Christian bookstores and looking at all of the different name tag trinkets.  Many of them had a name listed, along with the Hebrew meaning of the name.  Not suprisingly, I looked mine up and found out that Daniel means “God is my Judge.”  When I was a child, I did not understand this entirely.  I mean, sure, I understood the basics behind judgement and grace, but nothing of the deeper implications of what they meant.

I am realizing more and more the necessity for me, and for many other Christians, to say as a matter of fact that “God is my Judge” or even “God is our Judge” and finally ”God is the Judge.”

All too often, Christians are criticized for being judgemental toward others.  The conservative church is characterized by self-righteousness and intolerance instead of love and compassion.  Here’s a great example, which I’m sure many of you have heard.  In the book unChristian, research shows that these percentages of people outside of the church believe that Christians are:

* antihomosexual 91%
* judgmental 87%
* hypocritical 85%
* old-fashioned 78%
* too political 75%
* out of touch with reality 72%
* insensitive to others 70%
* boring 68%

Notice that the top three things on the list directly relate to the judgement of others.  So I think: What right do I have to criticize someone of wrongdoing when I myself am guilty of wrongdoing every single day (if not in deed, in thought)?  It’s quite simply the pot calling the kettle black.  Also, my definition of wrongdoing might differ from someone else’s definition of wrongdoing, because not everyone believes in the Bible as the Word of God.  And even of those who claim to believe in the Bible, not everyone believes that it is inspired in plenary verbal form, which in effect allows for personal interpretation to cloud the intent of the Bible’s message, if you even believe that the authors of the Bible had an intent to begin with.

I do know this, though.  When it comes to matters of accountability for sin, I am accountable to no man, but to God.  God is my judge.  I believe, based on the Bible, that we will all give an account for our lives, even for every idle word that is spoken.  I have no right to condemn my fellow man, but I do have an obligation to bring my fellow man into the knowledge of the good news of Christianity:  That there is forgiveness found at the foot of the cross of Christ!  I am not ashamed of this message, for it is the power of God unto salvation.

I cannot judge a person’s righteousness or lack thereof, but God can.  He is the one Just Judge, and He alone defines morality.  No man is accountable to anyone else other than Him.  My only goal is to bring people face to face with the Scripture, as I myself was brought into contact with it.  Sure, it’s offensive.  It hurts our human pride, because we want to think we’re basically good.  The prophet Isaiah even considers our good deeds to be polluted garments in the sight of God’s pure Holiness.  The scripture reveals to us who we really are: sinful humans in need of a Savior.  But…ultimately, what a person does with the gospel is up to them.  I am just thankful for the opportunity to preach it and to try and live it out as God works on me.

Hebrews 9:27,28 – “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

A Few Words on Shane Claiborne

I had the chance to hear Shane Claiborne, the author of The Irresistible Revolution and coauthor of Jesus For President, speak tonight at Lipscomb University in Nashville.  For the most part, I had to agree with (and was convicted by) the general concepts that he presented.  His ideas are quite simple and are based on the Biblical commandments to love God and love your neighbor.  I do have a few observations, however.  Feel free to discuss them, as they are all relatively fresh on my mind.  I will revise them as I think more about the subject.

1) Is free market capitalism really such a bad idea after all?  The introduction video to his message seemed to look down upon those who participate in the stock market (targeting Wall Street as a societal problem?).  Are not investment and smart money management considered to be wise actions?  A great example of the good that can come of such an economic system is none other than the work of Bill Gates himself.  For instance, did you know that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has generated $38.7 billion in dowry for the worldwide enhancement of healthcare and to work toward eliminating extreme poverty?  Do you think that such a generous donation could be possible in a different economic system?  I guess my point is, even though some rich people make entirely wrong and greedy decisions with their wealth, that is no excuse to throw out the entire economic machine.  The problem isn’t with statistics, or who has what, but rather with how those use what they have.  Unfortunately, you can’t force people to do good things.  And why should you even expect non-Christian people to behave like perfect Christians?  It seems nonsensical to expect such.

2) Should I feel bad about living modestly and frugally as a stereotypical middle class, white American?  I believe that I can be a good example of Christianity to others by a) giving generously without living extravagantly and b) managing what I do have well and being a good steward of what has been given to me by God.  I mean, what kind of husband would I be if I generously gave away more money than we had and missed electricity bill or rent payments?  To me, it’s not as much an issue about every single person selling everything and living as a ragamuffin community, but it’s about the heart of each and every individual.  I just don’t believe that Jesus’s command to the rich young ruler to sell all that he had, give it to the poor, and follow Him was a direct command to every Christian.  The point of the passage is that the young man had his priorities set on wealth and things.  If you find that most of your resources are being spent selfishly, perhaps it would be a good time to reevaluate your giving.  For instance, instead of buying that guitar loop station you’ve always wanted (yeah, I’m pointing the finger at me…ouch), consider giving a $300 check to missions, or better yet spend it or use it to directly impact the lives of those who you come into contact with on a regular basis.  It’s not really sacrificial giving if there is no personal sacrifice involved.  Sacrifice WANTS though, not NEEDS.  God provides our needs, and sometimes even our wants, but true contentment cannot be found in wanting or having, only in giving and sharing.  It’s a crazy paradox of life that I’m learning more and more about the longer I live.

3) It seemed to me tonight that Claiborne was not an advocate of pure socialism.  Many do not seem to understand his viewpoint, which is that Christians should consider living socially in order to accomplish more for Christ’s kingdom on Earth.  Sometimes the lines do blur though, so perhaps he would do well to define his ideals a bit more clearly.  I plan on reading one or two of his books in the near future to try and grasp just what he imagines Christian communities to be like.

Basically, I don’t believe that democracy and free market capitalism are inherently bad. Perhaps Claiborne does, I’m not sure.  If he does, he’s welcome to disagree.  Certainly America’s economic system does allow for some bad things to happen, yet it also allows for some really good things to happen as well.  It all depends on the good, or bad, people who participate in the system.  On a personal level though, I do think that we should take careful consideration about what things we value, and that’s where I am challenged by Claiborne.  I want others to look at me and my wife and not see just more “greedy Americans” but rather wise stewards who choose to willingly give abundantly to those who have greater needs.

Shoddy Biblical Scholarship

Oftentimes critics of the Bible engage in rather shoddy scholarship, resorting to weak theories of analysis, picking apart apparent inconsistencies, and then acting as if they are indeed scholars of the highest regard.  (Perhaps not always the last part.)  What many fail to realize is that the Bible is indeed one of the most complex books ever written, which draws upon at least 9 different areas of expertise.  I ran across a well-written article on the internet that addresses this topic.  Be aware though:  he’s rather sarcastic and blunt; however it’s worth reading if you are new to reading the Bible or have questions regarding Biblical interpretation.

Calculated Contempt: Why Bible Critics Do Not Deserve the Benefit of the Doubt

What amazes me is how the Bible can be so complex, yet simple enough that all who will can understand and accept Christ.  Only the inspiration of God could have led to the formation of such a book.

On a side note, the same author addresses in detail the flaws in the popular atheistic film “The God Who Wasn’t There,” which caused a bit of a stir last year (I think last year???).

Again, I do not quite agree with his overall presentation.  Sure, it can be funny to sarcastically make fun of the inconsistencies of others (as atheists often attempt with Christianity), but it does nothing to further the cause of Christ (or atheism, for that matter).  Instead of attacking boldness and pride with boldness and pride, perhaps it would be better to respond with Christ-like humility.

On Dangerous “Absolute Unabsolutes”

I am a very, very BIG fan of doctrine.  It is the safeguard of the church against false teachers.  Also, the way in which one views and interprets the Bible can have a huge impact on that person’s holistic view of life.  As I learn more about Scripture, God changes my thinking about myself and those that I come into contact with.  I am very much in support of Christians consulting God’s Word as inspired scripture and building doctrine based on the exegetical meaning of passages.  I am also in support of churches adopting doctrine to follow (as long as they don’t approach it with hubris).

That having been said, it’s obvious that there are certain viewpoints of Christianity that are still disputed and have been disputed for a long time.  Let’s use Calvinism and Arminianism as examples.   I also believe that there are other areas of Christianity that are simply indisuptable to all (Based on a plenary verbal interpretation of the Bible), such as the way to salvation (by grace through repentance of sin and faith in Christ Jesus), and the concept that all men are sinners before a Holy and Just God.

A big problem that I see taking place, and it’s something that I have seen ever since I have been a young person growing up in church (even if I wasn’t aware of what was going on), is that these “absolute unabsolutes” are driving problematic wedges between the unified body of Christ.

Here’s a good example, fresh off of the front page of WordPress.com today, by one of the most-read religious bloggers on the site.  You may not have time to read the whole article, so just take a look at the last paragraph if you are short on time:  A Short Response to the Arminian Doctrine of Prevenient Grace.  The overall conclusion to this post is as follows:

My prayer for the universal church is that we would all come into the unity of the truth as God has revealed it to us … and that God-dishonoring theology, wherever it may come from, would be trampled under foot.

In this case, “God-dishonoring theology” is in direct reference to Arminian theology, which is followed by a group of well-researched, well-respected, Godly men.  I know this, because the Bible College that I attended largely taught this doctrine.  I am not ridiculous enough to assume that all Calvinists are dishonoring to God, even though I do believe, personally, that the doctrines of Reformed Arminianism are more cohesive with a holistic view of scripture.  The “us” in this passage acts as though all rational thinking Christians will come to the same conclusion that the author did.  In this case, the “us” is ill-founded.  The author should know better.  There are God-fearing, wonderful Christians on both sides of the coin.

The question that I am asking is quite simple:  Does this difference of interpreting scripture justify mud-slinging, bitterness, and lack of communion among brethren?  I consent that it does not, and in fact I wish that it were not so.  Someone once said that if you took today’s best theologians from the Calvinist side and put them in a room with today’s best theologians from the Arminian side, neither side would ever give in to the other side’s theological system.  The issue would still remain.  Scholars and seminaries have been debating it for years.  Certainly only one side can be the absolutely correct answer, as all scripture is hermeneutic; HOWEVER, since the issue has not been absolutely resolved at this point, it makes no sense to act like it HAS been and completely dismiss the other course of thinking.

Again, let me say that I am firmly certain of my belief in Free Will doctrine.  If others want to believe in the doctine of Calvinism, however, I cannot call them heretics.  I personally enjoy studying the differences between the two, and there is nothing wrong with debate over the issue either.  If these issues are in the Bible, then they are important to study.  Doctrine is important to formulate; however, acting as though one person’s doctrine is the end-all-be-all of all doctrines everywhere demonstrates an immense pride in human knowledge.  Remember: Biblical wisdom and understanding is of God, not of man.

There should be healthy debate over the scriptures.  I welcome healthy debate here on my blog and whereever else I may post, as long as it is founded on the basic, indisputable doctrines of scripture that all Christians believe in (in other words, as long as we approach the scripture with the same frame of reference: inspired by God).  I cannot tolerate blatant heresy, nor should any Bible-believing Christian.

I have said all of that to say this:  Instead of blasting one another, name-calling, and mud-slinging over scriptural disputes, we should be working together to resolve such disputes in a rational, good-natured manner.  This is one way in which Christians can witness to the immense love of God, by loving each other and working with one another out of respect for one another’s viewpoints on scripture.  Most of all, since the basic doctrines are indisputable, as a unified body we should put aside our differences and focus on spreading the good news that Christ has paid the penalty for all men and that God will save men from their sins.

I submit that doctrine is indeed important, but the spreading the gospel to those who have not heard it is much, much more important in the scheme of eternity.

On Christian Testimony Part One: A Preface

This next short series of posts will deal with the topic of Christian outreach and with the outspoken testimony of the Christian faith.  I fear that there are opportunities for some rather offensive issues to arise here and there, so before I get a bunch of nasty comments, I feel that I must first post a short preface. (*Note: This preface will eventually end up being a portion of a bonifide doctrinal statement page in the future*)

I believe, as I have mentioned before, based on Scripture (Romans 3:23) that all men are basically sinners, including myself.  Without the grace of God and the perfect offering of His Son, Jesus Christ, for our sins, we would be hopelessly lost and would receive the just reward of our sin:  Eternal damnation in Hell.  I believe this based on the idea that scripure is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16) in plenary verbal form.  I do NOT believe in Bibliolatry, though, as some would state that this viewpoint leads to.  Does it not make sense that in order to have accurate translations of the ancient texts we need to study them in their original language and context?  I submit that it does.  This does not mean that the original texts are intrinsically better than the new translated texts, but it does place a vital importance on quality, translation, and accuracy.

Before I get too lost on non-topical topics, I will pull the reins in and get back to the original point.  Bear with me.

I am afraid that there has been a widespread misconception about Christians in the past.  Hopefully this preface will work to clarify a bit about that.  For those who might be unfamiliar with Scripture, you might be persuaded to think that once a person becomes “saved” and becomes a Christian that they are mystically transformed into a flawless, perfect being.  Okay, so not many would believe that.  There are no perfect people, obviously.  Then perhaps a much more widespread view of Christianity is that they view Christians as being just like themselves, but with a self-righteous, hypocritical bent.  Many people end up leaving the church for this reason.  In fact, it’s the very reason why my grandmother would not go to church any more.  Personal disputes with so-called “holy rollers” and “holier-than-thou” Christians have driven people away from the church body time and time again over the course of history.

For clarification’s sake, certain things DO happen when a person repents of his sin and accepts Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of his life:  1) That person is made to be righteous in the sight of God the Father.  The only way this can happen is through Christ, as GOD the Father cannot tolerate sin.  God’s wrath is taken away and is placed on His only begotten Son (in that fateful instance in time when Christ suffered and was forsaken by God) for all eternity.  (Romans 6:10)  2) The free gift of salvation is given. (eternal life with God after death)  3) The Holy Spirit indwells the believer and acts as a constant comforter and director. 4) The Spirit begins the process of sanctifying the believer.  The believer becomes regenerate, conforming his image to the Image of Christ as he is changed by God.

In summation, the key differences between the believer and the non-believer are that the believer is now under the grace of God instead of the wrath of God, the believer has hope after death, the believer has the Holy Spirit as a constant comforter and guide, and the believer has begun the process of sanctification, or becoming Christ-like in every area of his or her life. 

DON’T MISS THIS – HERE’S AN IMPORTANT NOTE!!!!  This is where many get frustrated with Christianity.  Just because a person becomes regenerately saved does not mean that the person will completely stop sinning immediately!  Certainly there is no longer a desire to offend God and other people after the act of true repentance of sin has taken place.  It does not mean that the person will live a miraculously flawless life after salvation, however.  We are constantly surrounded with Christians who are in different stages of sanctification and maturity.  Unfortunately, we are also surrounded by many who are only Christian in name, yet they do not show forth any fruit of the Spirit.  If a person is truly repentant, that person will eschew the old sin nature and will cling to the regenerate nature that God has given.  Also, that person will want to serve and worship God in Spirit and in Truth.  Occasionally that person might even make a mistake, possibly even a big mistake, and get involved in sin, but “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)  Also, the Bible is clear that a Christian will not continue in sin.

So, I said all that to say this:  If you have ever had a bad experience in church or with Christians outside of church, it’s understandable, but not acceptable.  Christians should be the ones reaching out, loving, caring for, and sacrificing for the community.  Christians should also be the ones who are working to abstain from sinful acts.  Sadly, quite sadly, too often it is not so. 

To the Christian:  We can and must do better in all points of the Christian life.

To the skeptic: Please do not confuse the actions of a few individuals who may or may not be truly repentant and regenerate for the actions of the entire Christian religion.  To do so is quite stereotypical and illogical.  If you want to find good examples of Christian living, there are many out there.  Look to those who are staying the course as good examples of Christianity.  Also, I implore you to seek out the input rather than the output.  Look to the Word of God, the Bible, instead of the average Christian.  The only one who was ever perfect was Jesus Christ.  He is truly worth looking at, and ultimately worth getting to know.

A Few Musings About the John Edwards Affair

If you have been paying attention to the news at all over the past month, you will have seen at least one or two news stories about Presidential candidate (and almost Vice Presidential nominee) John Edwards and his affair with political videographer Rielle Hunter.  It’s an unexpected, shocking story.  When you consider that Edwards’s wife is suffering from terminal cancer, it becomes even more saddening that something like this could happen under such circumstances.

Once the story was validated, the media started buzzing…and why shouldn’t they be?  Journalism is 25% news and 75% marketing.  The more shocking the story, the more people want to buy the paper and read about what happened.  I was thinking the other day about just what it was that made this story so shocking to begin with, and it made me think about some of the issues that are at the heart of the matter.

1:  In our culture, how is it that sexual promiscuity is celebrated outside of marriage but is frowned upon inside of marriage?  Which begs the question:  How can society expect a man to go from woman to woman before marriage and then be satisfied with only one woman for the rest of his life?  This seems to be at the very least paradoxical.

2: The very fact that adultery is a huge story in the newspapers points to the idea that there is a general sense of morality.  C.S. Lewis notes in Mere Christianity that there is indeed a moral law that everyone is aware of.  Some consider it to be a part of the General Revelation of God to the world, but I believe that an awareness of the Moral Law is the direct result of Adam and Eve’s biting into the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  In effect, it is a result of the fall of man.  Regardless of how it first appeared, it is unmistakable and evident.

3:  When I thought about this story, I couldn’t help but recall the Biblical account of the woman caught in the act of adultery that is found in John 8.  The media and many in the blogging world are quick to throw stones at Edwards and other public figures whose sins are made known.  As fallen creatures who want to shift the blame to someone else, we are quick to point out the blemishes of others while ignoring our own mistakes.  We should take this opportunity to truly examine ourselves and our lives, including our thoughts, hearts, and intentions.  After all, in Matthew 5:28, it is written that Christ said “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  And that’s a hard pill to swallow.

Katy Perry: Another Warning

I recieve quite a few spam emails, and most of them end up in the trash bin before I even consider opening them.  Today, for some reason, I decided to open a mass mailing from my cell phone carrier, which just so happens to be one of the most popular ones, Verizon Wireless.

Inside was a list of the most-downloaded ringtones.  The number one ringtone on the list is the song “I Kissed A Girl” by Katy Perry.  You can bet that almost all of those ringtones are not on adult cell phones.  Now, I know that this song has been on the radio for a long time now.  I heard it almost as soon as they started playing it and was immediately shocked.  I also noticed that one of my friends posted a warning about this song on his blog in June, for which I was grateful.  Unquestionably, the boundary lines keep getting pushed further and further in the mainstream media.  Here’s another recent example: I was shocked just the other day to see two men full-on making out on a daytime soap opera.  I saw this not because I watch soap operas, but because I was in a nursing home on my job.  How many elderly people, or even young children who were off from school, were subjected to it?  I shudder to think of my grandpa, who is unable to change the channel, having to watch this display. 

Where is the line between tolerance and acceptance?  How can Christians show these people that we care for them out of love while still standing up for Biblical truth?  Is there anything that we can or even should do about it?  These questions have to be answered (and answered well) before our entire nation and way of life disappears forever, never to return again.  Whatever action Christians DO take on the issue of homosexuality, I am persuaded that it should be complimented with a clear understanding of the idea of the total depravity of man.  Basically, all men, without the redemptive power of Christ, are depraved and unregenerate, regardless of what good they do.  Life is meant to be God-centered, not man-centered.