Category: Sexuality

Advice for Evangelicals after the Election of Trump as President of the United States

11/9/2016

Today is November 9th, one day after an election where Donald Trump was elected president of the United States. It is also a fact that he is president in large measure because he received over 80% of the Evangelical vote. Since I was one of those who went through the agony of eventually voting for our president-elect, I also feel very qualified to offer the following article on the other side of the election.

Voting for Mr. Trump was one of the most difficult and excruciating things I’ve ever done. In the end I did so primarily due to one issue – abortion. After watching former Secretary of State Clinton coolly and confidently support abortion up until the last minute before a child is born, while also stating that an unborn child has no rights whatsoever – that was the turning point for me. There was no sense of anything in her except great pride that we do this in America. Because Mr. Trump had made it clear that he would oppose abortion (albeit with a promise – not exactly the most trustworthy currency in an election) I chose to vote for him. I did so without a sense of great pride in my vote – without any kind of bravado – I simply did it to protect the unborn. Having said this – and having read far too many facebook posts from both sides that broke my heart after the election – I want to offer unsolicited advice to those who are evangelicals who voted for president-elect Trump.

President-elect Trump needs our prayers (as does President Obama) as he faces the presidency. First and foremost, it is my opinion, based upon his actions and words, that we need to pray for this man’s salvation. I was never under any deception that he was or is a Christian – regardless of what the President of Liberty University says. This man needs to repent of sin and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – period. By the way, if that statement offends you, I believe all men and women need to repent and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. If you are a “true evangelical” then this is THE issue for us ultimately – is he (or anyone else for that matter) someone who has come to understand that he is a sinner by choice and by nature – has come to understand that Jesus is the God-man who came and paid for sin by His death, burial, and resurrection – and has come to repentance over his sin and now has put his faith in Jesus Christ to pay for his sin and make him acceptable to God.

President-elect Trump also needs our prayers to govern wisely as the chief executive and commander in chief over our armed forces. Ask anyone who has ever held this office, there is tremendous pressure and responsibility associated with it. And take it from someone who is only a father and pastor of a local church – the more authority you have – the greater the damage you can do by making unwise and ungodly decisions. My unwise choices affect the 14 people in my family – and at least 175-200 people who attend the fellowship I am honored to serve. Things like pride, ego, marital infidelity, foul language, caustic comments, and perverse treatment of women, are unwise and ungodly from a biblical perspective. Sorry if this offends you but I am a pastor who is responsible to teach God’s Word – and advance a godly and righteous lifestyle. We can support him in some ways – but we need to be clear that these actions and attitudes are unacceptable. Should we show our president-elect grace and love? Absolutely. But can we afford as evangelicals to just gloss over the clear elephant in the room when it comes to his character and ungodliness? If we do – we will lose the moral authority to speak to our society – especially those who opposed him in the election who need the gospel so badly.

President-elect Trump – and our nation – need our prayers for healing and unity. Only someone who has lived under a rock for the last year and a half is unaware of the incredible rift that there is in our nation. He is not responsible alone for this rift – but this past election cycle only made us aware of how wide it is. I am painfully aware that much of this rift is due to vastly divergent worldviews. Both sides of this divide view the moral stances of the other as moral bankruptcy. He will face deep divides that will require wisdom, patience, and understanding to even begin to address. As an evangelical there are issues within our nation where I have to take a stand that is unpopular – very unpopular with those who oppose it. There are moral issues – issues about sexuality – issues about justice – issues about racism – issues about abortion and crisis pregnancies – issues about how to help those in financial need – so many issues that even trying to list them makes my head swim. What makes it worse is that currently any discourse about them has become so incendiary that basic communication (where we respect one another) seems almost impossible. We so quickly descend into sound bytes and insults at the drop of a hat. Oh how we need to move away from listening to the talking heads and talk radio and actually listen to one another once again. The rhetoric of the election has left us all battered and worn out emotionally. Pray that our President – and our president-elect can begin to heal the fractures – rather than make them worse.

One final word though to those of us who are evangelicals – and it is a word of great warning. If we choose to swagger through the next several months before and after the inauguration we are going to see the gospel itself face a terrible backlash. If we act as if Mr. Trump has great moral authority after what we’ve learned about how he treats women and his own marriage – we will alienate a large group of women who need to hear the gospel. They will see our joy over his election as an endorsement of his immoral actions – and will turn a deaf ear to the message of the gospel. If we act as if it wasn’t a problem that he didn’t distance himself from the KKK and other white supremacist groups with the strongest words possible – we will alienate many in the black community. They will see our joy in his election as an affirmation of what they already see as systemic racism and will turn a deaf ear to the gospel. If we act as if Mr. Trump’s bravado and pride – and the many morally questionable insults toward his opponents – should be seen as just politics as normal – we should not be surprised to see a rejection of our gospel as if it is associated with such insults. If we don’t at least attempt to see the political discourse toned down from its new lows in foul language that should offend people’s sensibilities - too many will deduce that we have come to endorse of this kind of talk. They will mock us when we say that the Bible teaches us to reject “corrupt communication from our mouths.” They will see such statements as just another way we’ve embraced hypocrisy as Christians. This will, in turn, justify in their minds turning a similar deaf ear to whatever else we have to say about salvation and the gospel. I’ve already seen too many posts by those on the other side of the political divide who are saying that if Trump represents evangelicalism – they are done with it.

Be careful precious saints of God – and be wise in the days ahead. Our attitudes and our demeanor can do much to either advance the gospel or turn people off to it. May God give us wisdom, especially in these days to prove ourselves true sons of God – who embrace both truth and our role to be peacemakers. THE most important thing is that we, as evangelicals, see that what our nation needs most is the grace of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ. These are the only things that will bring about the much-needed revival in the church and the even more-needed spiritual awakening among the lost. So that these things may come to our nation may God give us grace to be men and women wise enough to navigate such a time as this.

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50 Shades of Grey - An Old Fashioned Response

2/12/2015

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It is only a few days until the movie “50 Shades of Grey” is going to be unleashed on the public through local theaters. I find it sad that this movie is infecting audiences on Valentine’s weekend. I’ve not seen the movie, nor have I read the book. All I needed was to read reviews about the basic content of the book and movie to know that I wanted nothing to do with them. The book and the movie are part of an ongoing effort to recast love as something overtly selfish and self-centered. They are attempts by a fallen culture to denigrate women and deceive men into thinking that women want relationships and sexual intimacy to involve selfish demands, violence, and denigration. Nothing could be further from the truth. But, just as the Bible warns us, this movie comes to us dressed as an angel of light. The truth is that its message is demonic – even though it parades around dressed in characters like a wealthy mogul and a beautiful woman. Scripture would refer to the man as a whoremonger and violent abuser – and the woman as a ring of gold in a pig’s snout. (Sorry – but every once in a while biblical language is needed to shock us back toward reality – and away from the Hollywood glitz and glamor.)

            Our culture has been imploding for years. The sexual revolution that began in the 1960’s promised us a less burdened, more wonderful, loving world. One sees something far more sinister in the decades old wake of this movement. It began with a turning from God in the matters of love and sexual intimacy. By removing the so-called Victorian era restraints from our lives we were promised freedom. What has come instead is an ever more perverse denigration of our lives and relationships. God intended sex to be embraced in marriage (between a man and a woman). 50 Shades of Grey is not about sexual freedom – it is only just another step into the perversion and slavery of sexual immorality.

            Love is selfless – does not demand its own way – and is kind and gentle. This is what the Scriptures tell us. Love lays down its life for the beloved – and would rather die than see harm come to the one that is loved. A godly husband is one who protects his wife and family by giving himself over to a godly sexuality – even before he is married. He embraces full manhood – looking forward to the day that he can win a wife by showing her he will be like Christ in his love for his bride. He reveals, by his behavior and his character, that he does not see love as 50 shades of grey where the black and white of sexual morality is blurred by a selfish drive for whatever his flesh demands. He sees things in plain black and white, where his understanding of sexuality embraces the wisdom and blessing of God’s Word.

            There is another film coming to theaters this weekend. It is one you will probably not see advertised all over television and print adds. This movie is entitled, “Old Fashioned.” It is worth seeing simply from the audacity of its content and shocking scenes of sexual morality in it. It is rated PG-13 not due to sexual immorality – but due to the dangerous things it says about purity, chivalry, and real manhood. I watched the trailer for this movie and was astounded by its audacity to speak of things like chivalry, respect for women, commitment to godly principles, and promises made to one’s future spouse (before we are married). The only reason I used the word audacity is because such things are usually mocked in our culture. There is a line in the trailer where the main male character says, “When did treating women with respect become the joke?” Unfortunately that is what is happening to our culture as it continues to run madly toward sexual immorality. Purity, godliness, sexual morality, virginity have all become things we mock and make fun of instead of things that we strive for and honor. Yet it is these things that God holds up for us to honor, embrace, and strive for as we live for Him. These things become even more important when we’ve had pasts before we came to Christ that have been lived for the world’s definition of love. This is a false definition that promised freedom and happiness, but instead only delivered bondage and broken lives in need of God’s healing. Thankfully His grace can and does bring forgiveness and a promise of something far different.

            Another scene that shocked me was when the main male character was asked why he lived by the principles he did. His answer was this, “I don’t believe dating trains us to be good husbands and wives. It trains us to be skilled in the superficial.”   When the woman asking him this answered, “Who talks like that?” His answer was only, “I do.” Who does talk like this? Theater reviewers may find that number to be many more than they think.

            It was little surprise to me that when I looked for reviews on this movie – the majority of secular reviews blasted it saying that it was heavy handed and preachy. They hated the premise – and hated the things it lifted up for us to consider even more. To embrace a life that views sex as something other than a hedonistic plunge into whatever our desires demand is foreign to our current sex-crazed world. Yet, I believe that there will be a large group of people who will see this movie and feel relieved. They will be relieved that there are still people out there who embrace “Old Fashioned” values.   They will rejoice over something that sees chivalry, respect for women, respect for God’s order, and romance that does not mean immediate demands for sex as good things. They will be excited over a movie that doesn’t attempt to drag us down to the lowest levels of immorality, but rather attempts to help us have something that is moral, good, and yes – godly (gasp). They will be grateful for a portrayal of purity that makes us want to strive for something higher and better.

            What is truly amazing to me is that God’s way is not in hues of grey. Love, according to what He wants for us, is bursting with color and joy. Having been saved out of a sexually immoral lifestyle, I can attest that the world’s way is the one that is grey and lifeless. It doesn’t bring joy, and it constantly doesn’t live up to its billing. Each new relationship is begun with hope that it will be better than the last – but only winds up being fodder for additional country songs about broken hearts and broken lives. Every woman should know the joy of a man who pursues her because he truly loves God and loves her in a selfless and self-sacrificing way. Every man should know the manly call from God to pursue a woman by showing her his character and willingness to lay down his life for her. This is God’s way – not 50 shades of grey – but 10,000 bright and brilliant colors of true love.

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When Erotic Liberty Trumps Religious Liberty, part 1

1/26/2015

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Ours is an interesting generation. With the direction of recent events in our society it is evident that there is a new “right” that is being invented by the courts which at the same time is eroding a right that was recognized by our forefathers as fundamental to a people who desire to be governed well.

Recently, there has been a growing legal trend that supports a new so-called “right” in our nation. That right is Erotic liberty. Erotic liberty is the right to not only choose whatever sexuality you desire, but to have that erotic choice affirmed and celebrated by the rest of society. When your newly formed “erotic rights” are infringed upon – even by those who hold a differing view of your actions due to their religious liberty – erotic liberty trumps religious liberty and even freedom of speech. This is quickly becoming the case as regards first the new right of homosexual marriage – and if the current trajectory continues – it will be the case in regard to any form of erotic liberty.

The most high profile cases of this are the baker that was put out of business by his refusal to make a wedding cake for a homosexual couple who were married, and now a Fire and Rescue Chief in Atlanta who was fired because of his religious views on homosexuality and homosexual marriage. But a basic search of this topic on the internet will turn up a whole host of court cases and disciplinary actions taken against those who hold to a biblical view of sexuality.

This may sound inflammatory, but there is a greater emphasis on suppressing the religious liberty of bible-believing Christians on this issue, than there is on radical Islam and terrorism in our nation. Let me make my case by illustrating that there are no nationwide calls by our president and others to be careful about intolerance toward Christians when it comes to their views about marriage. Counter to that, the Governor of Virginia is so concerned about the new wrong view of marriage (that wrong-minded view is now considered to be the view that marriage is between a man and a woman only) that he is seeking legal action making the words husband and wife removed from all Virginia government documents and replacing it with the word “spouse” instead. God-forbid that we would refer to marriage partners as husband and wife. Thus, while our elected officials loathe referring to militant terrorists as “radical Islamic terrorists,” they have no problem calling those who hold the view that marriage is only between a man and a woman bigots, homophobes, and civil rights violators. They refuse to refer to the insurgent group in the Middle East as ISIS (the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) but rather choose a name that does not identify their religious affiliation as Islamic. That would be encouraging prejudice. They decry (and they should) any kind of action against Islamic places of worship – or even businesses associated with Middle Eastern proprietor. But when it comes to a man who is a Christian who says that he cannot celebrate a gay marriage by making a cake, it is all out war until the man is run out of business.

Thus we see the rise of Erotic Liberty as a fundamental right. Whatever your sexual orientation – others MUST celebrate your choice as right and good. This will be enforced by both societal pressure as well as a growing governmental legality. The sexual revolution that began in the 1950’s and 1960’s with the denigration of marriage through the re-defining of fornication as living together and no-fault divorce, is now reaching it fruition with gay marriage and the denigration of gender as something determined by your biology. We now see a young lady moving to New Jersey so that she can marry her father. Bathrooms being re-thought, no longer according to biological gender, but rather according to whatever gender someone considers themselves to be that day. We watch communities and school systems struggle with whether they can have boys and girls playing sports exclusively on the basis or biological gender. We struggle with whether it is proper for religious institutions to be able to hire leaders who agree with their now “wrongly-held” views of marriage and sexuality. This is the trumping of religious liberty with erotic liberty.

Where do we go to find some source of stability in this time of revolution? It seems to hold to a bible-based view of sexuality is dangerous in our day. So what are we to do if we hold to the Bible as God’s revelation of Himself and His views on all matters on which it comments? That is the burning question that is waiting to be answered for those of us in the evangelical, bible-believing community today. It is also the question I will seek to answer in the next installment of this series of articles.

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Articles

Advice for Evangelicals after the Election of Trump as President of the United States

50 Shades of Grey - An Old Fashioned Response

When Erotic Liberty Trumps Religious Liberty, part 1

Biblical Articles

Categories

​Articles

​Advice for Evangelicals after the Election of Trump as President of the United States

50 Shades of Grey - An Old Fashioned Response﻿

When Erotic Liberty Trumps Religious Liberty, part 1

Biblical Articles

Categories

Articles

Advice for Evangelicals after the Election of Trump as President of the United States

50 Shades of Grey - An Old Fashioned Response