The most recent political upheaval and social climate has revealed issues within society and in the church. Some are condemning the church for not taking a visible stand against perceived social injustices and others are condemning the church for not being more clear on incompatible social norms to Christian living. Abortion, Gay Rights, Racism, and Sexism are the four primary social injustices declared in society of which the church is either being condemned for lack of compassion or being too worldly; but both can not be true at the same time. So what is it? Where SHOULD the invisible true body of Christ stand and declare in regards to these four social issues?
ABORTION:
All over the news we see ministers openly supporting abortion while at the same time other ministers openly condemning abortion. This has brought confusion to the world. To correctly know where the church SHOULD stand we must set aside human feeling and emotion and look toward God. What has God made known about the value of human life and when it is declared life. The explicit verse is Jeremiah 1:5 where he explicitly states:
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Here we see the value of a person, before birth. And before birth we see the life of someone is declared. Thus, pre-born people are known beings with a purpose.
From the perspective of someone lead by the Holy Spirit in writing scripture we see that a person is a person before birth (Psalm 139:13-16). Also in Exodus 21:22-25 we see killing a unborn baby is given the same valued penalty as murder.
We can come to two clear and explicit conclusions from God's perspective:
Therefore: a fetus/unborn life is a living growing person with equal value and purposes. This is the stance anyone who claims to know God must share if they truly know and understand God and his will.ABORTION:
All over the news we see ministers openly supporting abortion while at the same time other ministers openly condemning abortion. This has brought confusion to the world. To correctly know where the church SHOULD stand we must set aside human feeling and emotion and look toward God. What has God made known about the value of human life and when it is declared life. The explicit verse is Jeremiah 1:5 where he explicitly states:
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Here we see the value of a person, before birth. And before birth we see the life of someone is declared. Thus, pre-born people are known beings with a purpose.
From the perspective of someone lead by the Holy Spirit in writing scripture we see that a person is a person before birth (Psalm 139:13-16). Also in Exodus 21:22-25 we see killing a unborn baby is given the same valued penalty as murder.
We can come to two clear and explicit conclusions from God's perspective:
- A fetus is a person, a life.
- A fetus is equally valuable to a post-birth person in purpose and consequence.
For ministers, pastors, and anyone claiming to follow Christ to encourage, support, and aid in abortion is to act in contrary to God and what he declares in scripture. To condemn and vilify those who stand against abortion is wrong! God condemns abortion and it goes against his most greatest principle of The Life Giver!
The Church needs to reach out to those who are confused on the matter in a loving and kind manner. Instead of focusing on the self-seeking hardships that may result from giving birth; HOPE, RESTORATION, and GODLY POTENTIAL need to be proclaimed over the life of the mother and the pre-born person! This is where the church needs to take the open and public stand on this issue.
True Social Justice: To seek TRUE justice in this matter is to actively seek to SAVE LIVES and PROTECT those who can not protect themselves- such as the unborn person. While simultaneously offering HOPE and RESTORATION to whose who have had abortions or who are considering it.
Also read Your Feelings Do Not Determine Truth | Me, Myself, And I and "Doing Me" | Abortion and God's Gift
GAY RIGHTS:
This message has been just as confused by the church. Some are all for gay rights and others are against it. Some ministers are openly Gay and others see it as an unwanted struggle. Again, we must set aside flawed human emotion and corrupted desires and see it from God's perspective.
We must first understand that the human heart is sinful and that all people are sinners by nature. Sin leads people to manifest this in their lives. One of the manifestations of the sinful heart is same-sex attraction. How do we know this? Because God explicitly declares this: (Genesis 19:1-13; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9). This NOT to say people who are gay are worse than others. That is NOT true. Everyone is sinful. The difference is those who declare Christ as their Lord and Savior understand that their sin is sin and is a unwanted struggle that Christ payed for on the cross.
This is where the age old guilt tripping and condemning from the world hits hard. Just look at the comments from the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19:9 "“Get out of our way,” they replied. “This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! We’ll treat you worse than them.”" That is the age old 'don't judge me' card used to force a guilted acceptance. Lot stated it is wicked but he is not the one who declared it as such; God did. He is just in agreement with what God has declared.
There is a correct perception on this issue though. The church has NOT done a good job at being kind and gracious in this issue. Aside from the confusion from other people in the church; it has not graciously reached out to build positive relations and dialog with people of the LGBT community. BUT this does not make the truth at the heart of the matter any less true.
Related to this issue is Same-sex Marriage. Again, the world and its courts and laws do not define Godly truths. A holy and pure marriage is not determined by worldly laws or supreme courts. Thus fighting for the right to marry and to evolve a countries laws and definitions does not make it true justice or a righteous justice. When that which is sought is contrary to what God has made known, it is not true social justice but worldly appeasement.
Also read The Original Pure and Holy Marriage | SCOTUS and God
True Social Justice: The church needs to actively reach out to the LGBT community, participate in positive dialogs, and show the grace and kindness of God even if the LGBT community does not see the need for God's Grace in this aspect of life. The discussions need to be Gospel centered in the person and work of Christ and WHY Jesus had to do what he did on the cross. The church should NOT condemn them and explain why EVERYONE is condemned without true faith in Christ's work. That there is HOPE, PEACE, and the truest sense of IDENTITY found only in Christ.
Also read Don't Judge Me | Freedom for The Law and Sexuality | The "Jesus didn't say it" Reasoning | Born This Way | Follow Your Heart? | How "Love is Love" is Unloving.
RACISM:
Historically the church has not been consistent in this issue and has been confusing the world on this issue as well. Some notable ministers and pastors have been racists. That's just a fact. Racism exists. But history and human nature does not define what God has declared. Human nature can not be the measuring stick of truth and goodness. Some in the church have bought into the worldly definitions and manipulative messages to distort biblical truths. We will break down this issue in the way God declares it:
There is only 1 race: The Human Race which all came from Adam and Eve. There are different ethnicities with unique social, cultural, physical, and location identifiers. But ALL people are equal in value and purpose (Genesis 1:26-27) and ALL people are loved by God (John 3:16). ALL people are equal before God and he does NOT show favoritism over one ethnic group over another (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9).
Favoritism for one ethnic group over others is ungodly. This not only applies to those who identity as 'white' in favoring other 'white' people, but ALSO applies to anyone who favors 'black' people over 'white' people. Favoritism is favoritism no matter who is pushing it. WHEN this happens, because it will and does; it is the church that needs to speak up and speak out against it.
True Social Justice: The church needs to stand with those who are oppressed and expose any and all sorts of favoritism within its self and in the world. It needs to actively seek UNITY and PEACE for ALL ethnic groups. It needs to proclaim the VALUE of all people. It needs to openly REBUKE and REMOVE from its own ranks people who are unrepentant in their favoritism for one ethnic group over another.
Also read Racism and God | The Beauty of Accountability
SEXISM:
Sexism has historically plagued the church. Similarly to racism, the same truths apply. All people are equal in value and are all loved by God. The one difference that God has declared are the responsibilities he rests on the sexes. The unique responsibilities do NOT reduce their value! That is a worldly misconception. But in God's supreme will some times the uses a different sex to fulfill the responsibilities that the other sex failed to do. When a father leaves his family, the mother has to fill both roles. But, God will still hold the father accountable for his failure. The same is true for when a mother negates her responsibilities for what ever reason; she will be held accountable.
True Social Justice: The church needs to stand with those who are oppressed and expose any and all sorts of favoritism within its self and in the world. It needs to actively seek UNITY and PEACE for ALL sexes. It needs to proclaim the VALUE of all people. It needs to openly REBUKE and REMOVE from its own ranks people who are unrepentant creating obstacles for a certain sex to fulfill their ordained responsibilities. It needs to EMPOWER and SUPPORT each sex to fulfill their responsibilities.
UNTRUE SOCIAL JUSTICE:
The world WILL hate Jesus and those who follow him. Jesus makes this explicitly clear. The world will evolve and invent its own social norms that may stand in contrary to what God has declared. Each of these four issues have in fact evolved to includ issues that are contrary to God. Abortion has included the idea of Woman's Sovereign rights over her body. This flies in the face of what is declared in 1 Corinthians 6:19: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?" Seeking social justice in this area is NOT true social justice but a defiance and rebellion against God. Gay rights is another issue that is founded on worldly principles that are contrary to God. The fight for this is to lead people into a greater dependence on selfishness and infects the core of ones identity. Seeking social justice for this may sound good to the world but actually leads people to deeper self idolatry. Showing favoritism in racial issues can lead to false sense of social justice; where a ethnic group is so heavily favored it leads to neglecting others ethnic groups and disunity. This is also true for Sexism.
The church WILL be condemned for not standing up for UNTRUE social issues. The church will be hated and those who disagree will be labeled and vilified in society. The Church needs to be constantly reminded that it is not seeking the world's favor but God's Glory. When the church properly addresses TRUE social issues and seeks TRUE social justice as God sees fit, he will be Glorified, even if the church is hated by the world. The climate of the culture does NOT justify the rightness of the church. God does, by how well the church seeks his commandments and truth.
Also read Test, Discern, and Righteous Judgement | The Absolute Greatest Message To Tell Everyone | What is 'Doctrine' and does it matter? | The Amazing Grace of God | "The World" According To God
Some will argue this is why the church is shrinking and people are leaving the church. This is untrue. People who leave the body of Christ and never return were never actually part of it to begin with. There is the viable church but there is the invisible church. Those who have been called by God, chosen, and sealed with God for all eternity. This is not seen by man.
Also read Is The Church Shrinking? | Radicalized Christians? | The Church and Politics | Who would Jesus vote for? | God and The Government | The Joy of TRUTH
If you have any questions or comments about this article please contact us or join our discussion forms
No comments:
Post a Comment
What do you think?