Unworthy rebels, redeemed by the King of Kings and made servants fit for His use.
This week, Chris and Rich discuss the matter of professing Christians who claim to hold to the core tenets of the faith while their practice is at odds with clear biblical teaching.
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Article – Saying the Right Things Doesn’t Necessarily Prove Genuine Christianity
This week, Andrew Rappaport joins Chris as they discuss the recent mass shooting in Nashville, Tennessee and the growth of culturally acceptable violence against certain groups in the nation.
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STTK Article – Audrey Hale and Culturally Acceptable Violence
On March 27, 2023, Audrey Hale, a young woman who identified as a man, entered a Christian school in Nashville and killed six people, three of whom are children. Fourteen minutes after the shooting began, Hale was confronted by local law enforcement officers who ran to the sound of the guns and ended the ongoing threat. Audrey Hale has stepped out of this life and is receiving the just wrath of God for her evil deeds.
The investigation is ongoing and motives have been hinted at but not yet confirmed. The police Chief has stated that Hale was a former student of the school and may have had resentment over being made to attend there. We know that Hale intentionally planned this attack and had a manifesto. Until the investigation is complete and all the details released, much of what will be discussed in the coming days will, for now, be speculative, even if ultimately proven correct.
What is interesting, of course, is the response of politicians and the media. They have immediately been discussing the need for drastic gun control laws. Like a moth to the flame, this is the reaction we must expect. Yet, what will not be discussed is Hale herself. What will be avoided is Hale’s mental state and the profession of a gender status that does not comport with her biological state.
In fact, it is quite likely that this story will quietly disappear soon because any discussion of the shooting must include the shooter. And mainstream voices do not want to amplify Hale’s transgender claims. Yet, we must consider Hale. What were her motivations? What drove her to such hatred and violence? And what connection might it have to her professed identity? These are necessary questions but questions most in the media and political spheres will not touch for all the money in the world
Most of these mainstream voices utterly eschew violence of any kind, unless it happens to occur within the camp of those believed to have been unjustly oppressed by society. Consider the BLM and Antifa riots of just a few years ago (and continuing into recent history). Many political and media voices applauded these violent and destructive rages as “mostly peaceful” protests. And, when pressed on the destructive path these protests took, many decried such objections by claiming protests did not have to be polite or peaceful. They likewise scolded such questioners, reminding them that these persons had been oppressed all their lives and their anger was not only natural but justifiable.
Politicians, celebrities, and media personalities have even applauded and encouraged the pursuit and harassment of persons holding to conservative political views. Just a few years ago, Congresswoman Maxine Waters encouraged her constituents to pursue such persons when seen in the public sphere, like eating at a restaurant, and openly protest and harass these people, letting them know they are not welcome. A sitting Congresswoman openly advocated public harassment in order to chase conservatives out of public view.
Likewise, we have seen ongoing protests at various public universities where students not only attempted to prevent a conservative speaker to appear but sought to disrupt and agitate the gathering. Repeatedly, these students were applauded by the media, politicians, and school administrators for their behavior. They have been continuously inculcated in the mantra that “words are violence” and that those conservative speakers engender hatred, misogyny, bigotry, racism, and anti-trans hate. Their behavior is encouraged by elitists and leftists who claim that any opposition to the approved narrative cannot be tolerated. That intolerance of such persons is a virtue and there are no rules on how to shut down their unapproved speech.
This morning, Fox News ran an article about a Wayne State University professor who has been suspended for writing a social media post calling for the murder of conservative speakers rather than mere protest. The professor wrote that protesting against conservative speakers legitimizes their position and gives the media reason to denigrate protestors. Therefore, he advocated for the assassination of such conservative-minded speakers on the basis that their speech is bigoted and oppressive. Understand this, he advocated for violence to end the opposition to leftist ideology.
Following the shooting in Nashville, and the revelation that Hale professed to be transgender, some persons have lamented, not that she murdered children, but that transgender persons would become victims of the right. One such publicly transgender person tweeted that all transgender persons should flee Tennessee because they would be persecuted and “exterminated.” Others have (echoes of BLM and Antifa here) lamented the shooting on one side while simultaneously claiming the shooting happened because of laws as the one passed in Tennessee which bans the use of medication and surgeries (read that as poison and mutilation) on minors under the poorly named label of “gender-affirming care.” Such laws have been decried as bringing about an actual “genocide” within the transgender community. In other words, the victims are not the children and adults killed in cold blood by Hale but rather the transgender community.
Coming back to the horrendous crime committed by Hale, it is not hard to see that our society has sanitized and blessed violent rhetoric and behavior if that violence is directed at the right people. Can Hale’s actions be tied directly to this culturally approved call for violence? That will remain to be seen. Yet, we cannot deny that many such acts of violence receive a pass and a kind of tacit approval. Why? Because violence and intimidation have long been the tool of totalitarian tyrants to bring a people to heel. And those that perpetrate the violence are useful until the tyrants achieve their goals. Hale’s actions are pure evil and that evil continues to be approved of and encouraged in certain circles.
Ultimately, this ties back to the true reason for all vile acts in our society, sin. We drink sin in like water and celebrate it like it is the highest of virtues. We rebel against God in every possible way and encourage others to do likewise. And anything that attempts to disrupt our full embrace and celebration of sin must be shouted down or destroyed. Why was a Christian school attacked? Because it is a soft target is clear from the Police Department’s new conference. But, also, because a Christian school is a representation of God’s will on earth. It matters not how much they believed the Bible or what it taught. As long as it was Christian and bore any resemblance to Christ is enough for it to be hated and for the desire to destroy those in it to bloom.
Sinners hate God with a vengeance. It was sinners who put God the Son on the cross at Calvary. They cannot kill Him again, so they will seek to shut down or destroy those who proclaim to be His followers. While there can and should be much debate over the cultural celebration of sin (and the violent rhetoric so often approved of), the most we can hope to accomplish is the minimization of the impact of such recurring violence. The only true antidote to such vile sin is the gospel itself. We must continue to bring the good news that Christ forgives sinners who repent and turn to Him. That sinners can be freed from the shackles of sin and death. Only then will sinners who harbor such hate come to love Christ and His commandments. And that must be the single most important thing we take from this horrendous crime. Audrey Hale needed Christ. And there are thousands, even millions more, Audrey Hales who need to hear of Christ as well. Let us be busy proclaiming the gospel to them.
Recently Rick Warren has discussed the scriptures which led him to believe it is permissible for women to preach and teach men. Chris and Rich examine the scriptures to see whether these claims are true.
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“I Don’t Support a Theology That…”
On this Rewind episode from last year, Chris and Rich discuss why and how Christians can engage in the current culture wars. All our efforts should be for the glorification of God and the proclamation of the gospel.
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MacArthur – The Christian’s Response in a Pagan Society, Pt. 1
MacArthur – The Christian’s Response in a Pagan Society, Pt. 2
MacArthur – The Christian and Government
MacArthur – The Christian’s Responsibility to Government, Pt. 1
MacArthur Letter to Gavin Newsom
John Calvin Commentary on Romans 13: 5-7
Got Questions? – Why Did Jesus Warn Against Saying the Word Raca?
This week, Chris discusses a recent video debate put out by The Gospel Coalition wherein Jen Wilkin made an argument that Christians should consider placing their children in public schools. However, she also tied this argument to the idea that public school involvement is a form of the command to love one’s neighbor. Does such an argument have biblical merit?
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This week, Chris and Rich discuss the modern evangelical embrace of emotionalism in events such as the Asbury Revival and TV shows like The Chosen. Similar to progressivist teaching, which denies the sufficiency of Scripture as God’s Word, emotionalism can undermine the Bible by declaring we need something more.
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Squirrel Chatter Episode on Asbury
Denny Burk – Some Thoughts on the Asbury Revival
This week, Chris and Rich discuss the fruit of the Spirit which is the evidence of Christ’s work of salvation in a believer’s life.
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In response to a recent video where Andy Stanley of North Point Community Church affirms gay Christians in the church, Chris and Rich discuss the video and the biblical understanding of what makes someone a Christian.
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Rich’s Interview on A Word Fitly Spoken
Article – Such Were Some of You
Matter of Theology – Affirmation or Repentance
Dividing Line Episode Regarding Andy Stanley
VOR Episode – Has “Page CXVI” Abandoned the Faith?
What is a Christian? A Christian is a person who was once a rebel sinner, at war with God through wicked works. But by God’s merciful redeeming grace, he or she has been freed from their sins and adopted into His family through the propitiatory work of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21-26). Because Jesus died in the place of sinners on the cross (taking the wrath of the Father they deserve) and was buried in a tomb, only to raise Himself from the grave of the third day, those who trust in His work receive His righteousness in the great exchange (2 Cor. 5:21). Now, through this free and marvelous gift, sinners become saints and have the promise of everlasting life. And on top of this, they are made new creations with new hearts and new desires (2. Cor. 5:17). This is a Christian.
Yet, how does one come to be a Christian? What must we do to be saved? Romans 10:9 tells us, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This belief and confession come from faith in Jesus Christ and His completed work on the cross. There are no works that we can do because we are slaves to sin and the wages of our sin is death (Rom. 6:20-23). There is no work we can offer to God that will merit any kindness from Him for all our sins are an abomination before Him. God cannot look on sin without pouring out His judgment upon it (Hab. 1:13). Therefore, the free gift of salvation must be given by God by grace through faith that no man can boast of having saved himself (Eph. 2:8-9). In fact, faith itself is a gift from God. Therefore, we are called in Scripture to repent, turn from our sins, and trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins (Matt. 3:2; Mark 1:14-15).
Repentance from sins, while a gift from God Himself (2 Tim. 2:25), is a command of God to all those who would find forgiveness in Christ. It is a change of mind which leads to a change of action. It means we agree with God that our sins have put us at odds with Him, that we are deserving of His judgment, but that we will no longer live in the sins from which He has redeemed us (Rom. 6:2). It is the mark of a believer that he or she will live a life of ongoing repentance, persevering against temptation, trials, and tribulation until they day they are ushered into glory (Matt 24:13). The saint is one who once walked in the ways of this world but has turned to become more like their Savior (1 Cor. 6:9-11). Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. And true salvation is marked by the saint who continually lives a life of repentance and seeks to do the good works of God, which He prepared for us beforehand as a testimony to His redeeming work and the glory of His name (Eph 2:10)
With all this in mind, we must face a crisis that continues to rear its head in the professing church. Thanks to weak and shallow preaching in the professing church, through those who promote easy believism and seeker-friendly methodologies, there are professing Christians today who do not believe one must live a life of repentance in Christ to be a Christian. Even worse, they preach an ideology that one can be identified by their sin of sexual immorality and still be a follower of Christ. Today, within the professing church, there is a continual call for churches to accept the idea that there can be “Gay Christians,” “Queer Christians,” or “LGBTQIA Christians.” That persons who live ongoing lifestyles of unrepentant sin before God can somehow still be followers of Christ and should be treated as such. Such an ideology is foreign to Scripture and should never be permitted within the church.
Putting aside for the moment the ludicrous attempts to redefine what Scripture clearly teaches on sexual immorality, let us address the idea that such a thing as a “Gay Christian” can exist within the church. Paul clearly teaches that to continue in the practice of any sin is to be a slave to sin (see again Romans 6). One cannot be a slave to Christ, having been freed from the power of sin and death, yet remain in unrepentant sin (1 John 1:6). In fact, the church is called to examine the fruit of professing Christians to see if we are genuinely in the faith (Matt. 7:15-20; 1 John 4:1-6). Therefore, a genuine Christian cannot be defined as someone who not only lives in sin but identifies, and qualifies, themselves by an adjective attached to their Christianity. To clarify, one cannot be a “Liar Christian,” an “Adulterous Christian,” a “Thief Christian,” or a “Murdering Christian.” To identify one’s self by an unrepentant sin and attach that descriptor to Christ is to blaspheme the very Savior that person claims to follow.
Such as it is with being a “Gay Christian.” God’s word repeatedly condemns sexual immorality throughout the Bible including acts of homosexuality. Only by twisting and redefining what Scripture says can anyone hope to alter this unchangeable truth. Therefore, just as any other unrepentant sin would reveal that a person is not redeemed (because it reveals their heart remains unchanged and enslaved to sin), for any person to describe themselves as openly homosexual is to admit to God they reject His commandments on sexual purity. Any willful rejection of God’s commandments demonstrates one does not follow Christ at all (Luke 6:46-49).
The greatest lie a professing pastor or church can tell a person living in disobedience to God is that it is fine to remain in their sin, that they still are accepted and loved by God. While we do not need to be morally perfect to come to Christ, as none of us can ever do so, to follow Christ means that He has changed us and continually works by the power of the Holy Spirit to produce repentance and good works. Any pastor or church that tells professing Christians they can live in rebellion to God by practicing sexual immorality heaps lie upon lie to those under their charge. What they are doing is leading such persons to further sear their own consciences against God. His law is written upon our hearts (Rom. 2:15) and it accuses us of our sin, bringing conviction upon us. It is meant to lead us to repentance and faith in Christ. Yet, professing pastors, desperate for the applause of the world, seek to deaden the voice of that God-given conscience by telling openly homosexual people they can worship Christ just as they are. Such a lie comes from the deepest pits of hell.
Pastors, Christians, and churches do not demonstrate love when they refuse to call out sin and preach repentance to those professing to follow Christ. Paul condemned such wickedness in the Corinthian church when they allowed a man engaged in an openly incestuous relationship to remain in their midst (1 Cor. 5). Paul commanded the church to apply discipline in this man’s life, to cast him out of the church that he may come to repentance. Today, in many churches, this act would be considered cruel and unloving. Yet, to Paul, this act of church discipline was an immense act of love in hope that the man would genuinely repent and turn to Christ. To refuse to call our friends, loved ones, acquaintances, or even strangers to turn from sin because they may be upset with us is no act of love. It is an act of pure selfishness because we care more about how we are seen among the unregenerate than how we are seen by God. Even worse, it is an absolute denial of the power of the Holy Spirit to bring about repentance and faith to those who desperately need Christ. Those who refuse to preach repentance serve not God, rather they serve the father of lies himself, Satan.
True love in the church is that which preaches the entirety of the gospel. That we are, by nature, rebel sinners who deserve the full and righteous wrath of God. Yet, in His gracious mercy, He sent His only Son to save sinners. That through the propitiation of Christ on the cross, our sins may be forgiven and our hearts may be made new. And, in being made a new creation, we now have new desires that we might serve our Lord by obeying His commandments. Yet, while we live in this life, we will struggle against the desires of the flesh. The temptation to sin will always be present with us but, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome and choose not to sin. Will it always be easy? No. We will stumble and fall? Yes, and quite often. This too is part of our journey on the path of sanctification. This is the power of the gospel. This is what must be preached. Without apology or adulteration.
Woe to those professing pastors, Christians, and churches who preach not the true gospel. You reveal yourselves not to fear God but man. And, if you continue on this path, you will prove that you never belonged to Christ, to begin with. Repent of the fear of man. Do not accept the lies of this world. Rather, trust in the power of the Holy Spirit alone and His redeeming work in the life of believers. To do anything less is to blaspheme the Lord you claim to follow. And you may one day find yourself standing before Him as he says, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt. 7:23)
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