Sunday, January 18, 2009

How Barack Obama Will Make Christ a Minister of Condemnation

January 17, 2009 | By: John Piper
Category: Commentary

At Barack Obama’s request, tomorrow in the Lincoln Memorial, Gene Robinson, the first openly non-celibate homosexual bishop in the Episcopal Church, will deliver the invocation for the inauguration kick-off.

This is tragic not mainly because Obama is willing to hold up the legitimacy of homosexual intercourse, but because he is willing to get behind the church endorsement of sexual intercourse between men.

It is one thing to say: Two men may legally have sex. It is another to say: The Christian church acted acceptably in blessing Robinson’s sex with men.

The implications of this are serious.

It means that Barack Obama is willing, not just to tolerate, but to feature a person and a viewpoint that makes the church a minister of damnation. Again, the tragedy here is not that many people in public life hold views (like atheism) that lead to damnation, but that Obama is making the church the minister of damnation.

The apostle Paul says,

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves , nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

What is Paul saying about things like adultery, greed, stealing, and homosexual practice? As J. I. Packer puts it, “They are ways of sin that, if not repented of and forsaken, will keep people out of God’s kingdom of salvation.” (Christianity Today, January 2003, p. 48).

In other words, to bless people in these sins, instead of offering them forgiveness and deliverance from them, is to minister damnation to them, not salvation.

The gospel, with its forgiveness and deliverance from homosexual practice, offers salvation. Gene Robinson, with his blessing and approval of homosexual practice, offers damnation. And he does it in the name of Christ.

It is as though Obama sought out a church which blessed stealing and adultery, and then chose its most well-known thief and adulterer, and asked him to pray.

One more time: The issue here is not that presidents may need to tolerate things they don’t approve of. The issue is this: In linking the Christian ministry to the approval of homosexual activity, Christ is made a minister of condemnation.

7 comments:

Julie Nickerson said...

Wow, didn't know he was doing that. Is Rick Warren still participating?

God save our country....

Terri (MOM) said...

OMG that is SO VERY SAD but I KNOW that the only reason Obama is our next president is because the Lord is allowing it and will some how use him to accomplish His plans. I too will miss W.

Ryan said...

This is strictly politics... Obama has openly stated he is against gay marriage and to pick this bishop is only attempting to win the gay vote back. He is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

But please don't forget that even tho this bishop is openly gay, and shouldn't be in that position of the church, that God loves all. We are all born sinners and we will die sinners and nothing will change that.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that he should just continue his sins despite not being able to help his urges. All I'm saying is that we ALL fall short, and NONE of us deserve heaven, but God loves us anyway.

Again, this is only shallow and stupid politics. Not too long ago, there were news articles that stated the Pope beleived that GW Bush was the Anti-Christ.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0MKY/is_9_27/ai_108881880

All Politics.... Dirty Politics...

Terri (MOM) said...

Yes God loves all but not all will enter heaven and CERTAINLY not all will die a sinner!! Your wrong honey. Believers will die as saints, redeemed by Christ blood! Thank you Lord!! I get the jist of what your trying to say, but you misspoke and I dont want anyone to be confused that they will die as a sinner no matter what. If that was the case Jesus didnt need to die on the cross, THANK GOD HE DID!!

Ryan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ryan said...

Yeah.. you missed what I was trying to say. You can be the most dedicated Christian, but you will eventually sin down the road anyway. We can't help it. We will always "fall short" because we can NEVER be perfect. To deny the fact that we all sin (Christian or not) is only fooling yourself.
The difference between Christians and non-Christians is based on coing to grips that we all are sinners, but beleiving that Jesus sacrifised everything he had for us out of pure love and acceptance, despite all of our imperfections.
Anyway, getting off topic. This Obama presidency should be "interesting" to say the least.

Hope said...

I loved this post, thank you. At this point about all we can do is pray for him and our country...pray pray pray!