Christians: Stand for Life, Traditional Marriage—It’s in the Bible
Editor’s Note: This is part three of a three-part series by Dr. Jim Garlow in which he compares biblical principles with recent announcements by Pope Francis and some evangelical leaders. Click here to read part one, and find part two here.
In preparation for election 2020, certain elitist evangelicals began to contrive all types of rationalizations for voting for a candidate who supports the killing of babies in the womb.
Their lines? “You are not pro-life. You are only pro-birth.” That is profoundly dishonest.
Consider Tim Keller’s puzzling Facebook post, which stated that although abortion is evil, we are not told in the Bible how to stop it. That is bizarre. It’s actually quite simple: Vote for candidates who will stop it.
We figured that out regarding slavery. Why wouldn’t the same apply for abortion?
Then there was the article last week by John Piper that in essence stated that since Trump is prideful, his boastfulness is a sin comparable with abortion, thus one does not need to vote for Trump, the obvious pro-life candidate.
Piper’s exact quote was, “And I think it is baffling and presumptuous to assume that pro-abortion policies kill more people than a culture-saturating, pro-self pride.”
That reasoning is treasonous to truth. Ask the 60 million babies who have been dismembered by abortion—with no anesthesia—if they are more bothered by the president’s brashness than their own painful, needless deaths.
If the murdered babies could be polled, this demographic—the 60 million—would be 100% supportive of President Trump and his attempt to end the slaughter.
The result is The Forming Coalition. Traditional Catholics are partnering with true evangelicals, whom I call “ABC.” ABC means “Authentically Biblical Christians,” as I am uncertain if the once-glorious term “evangelical” can be redeemed.
Civil Unions
And while we are discussing the pope’s approval of “same-sex civil unions,” let it be noted that in virtually every country where “civil unions” begin, same-sex “marriage” is demanded next. That is always the case.
And if you are going to grant “civil unions,” you eventually have no legal grounds to deny same-sex “marriage.” Some rather uninformed Christians contend that we, as believers, should not expect unbelievers to follow the same rules. After all, they say, “Sinners are supposed to be sinners.” So, we ought to affirm “same-sex unions.”
If that logic is accurate, then we should not expect unbelievers to follow other “rules,” and we should abandon the laws of murder, theft and a host of other prohibitions.
The Real Issue
As one who has worked extensively in the defense of one man-one woman marriage, it is obvious that the radical homosexual agendists do not care about marriage. How do we know that? When so-called homosexual “marriage” was finally legal for the first time in the U.S., one would have thought there would have been a pent-up demand for such “weddings.”
There was not. Why? Because the radical homosexual agendists do not want “marriage.” They want you to affirm their sin and say it is not a sin. In fact, they want you to celebrate their sin.
Love in Action
Loving those who define themselves as having same-sex attraction is commanded by God. That is good, holy and righteous.
But coddling them in their sin is a most unloving act. Affirming any sin is harmful to all involved.
The greatest demonstration of a lack of love is to directly or subtly approve of sin, be it homosexuality or any other sin.
The greatest demonstration of love is to help people understand 1 Corinthians 6:9-12, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
What a glorious phrase: “Such were some of you, but you were washed ….”
People who really love and care for those with same-sex attraction help them call sin sin, and then assist them in receiving forgiveness through Jesus and the empowerment to overcome the temptations of sin through the Holy Spirit.
Be Bold, Pray, Fast
We have been in the room in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in which the first—in all of history—same-sex “wedding” or “marriage” took place on April 1, 2001, in violation of 5,000 years of history.
My wife and I were hosting a group of 26 intercessors in Holland. We went into this room, initially unaware of what was taking place or that we were there on the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which took place in New York City on June 28, 1969, the beginning point of America’s yielding to the homosexual agenda.
These intercessors did not try to find some way to accommodate sin. They began to pray for renewal of minds and to come against the stronghold that binds homosexuals. These prayer warriors are far more loving than those “evangelical” leaders who coddle people in sin. The intercessors wanted to see people set free from bondage, not be encouraged to celebrate it.
The Pope and Others Are Wrong; Many Others Are Right
What provoked this series of articles were the anti-biblical comments of the pope, and the way these thoughts are paralleled in varying Evangelical circles.
But there is good news.
Just as there are many in the wrong, there are so many who know what is right. I am not certain whether they are merely a remnant. I actually think they still might be—at least at this point—the majority.
Yet, they have been an intimidated and bullied majority.
But they are rising up. And their voices, much louder, will soon be heard. {eoa}
Dr. Jim Garlow lives in San Diego, California with his wife, Rosemary. Together, they co-founded Well Versed, a ministry to those in the U.S. Congress, those at the United Nations in New York City and global political leaders, by bringing biblical principles of governance to government leaders—and the people who elect them.