A Storm in a Teacup.

Just thought I would share this.  I know it’s lengthy, but it’s important.

For the past few weeks, Alistair Begg, pastor of Parkside Church in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and host of the Truth for Life radio program, has been caught in what he calls “a storm in a teacup” over advice he gave about attending an LGBTQ wedding.

His sermon, this past weekend was a response to a controversy over comments he made during a promotional interview for a book last fall, which recently went viral on social media. During the interview, Begg recounted talking to a woman whose grandson was getting married to someone who was transgender. She was a Christian and loved her grandson and she was seeking advice on what to do.

Begg, who opposes same-sex weddings, suggested she go to the wedding and bring a gift. By doing so, she would show her love for her grandson, even though she did not approve of the wedding.

he said, “Your love for them may catch them off guard, but your absence will simply reinforce the fact that they said, ‘These people (Christians)are what I always thought: judgmental and critical.”

Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but if you’re a true Christian and you’re actually living a true Christian life, people are going to consider you judgmental, critical, and a lot of other things anyway.  Other professing Christians who are not living the Christian life will also judge you for your convictions, because they love this world more than they love God.

Begg’s comments set off a firestorm among many evangelical Christians. And it seems everyone has something to say about it.

Here are some troubling statistics…according to the Public Religion Research Institute, and yes, it’s a real thing.

White evangelicals remain one of the least likely of all US religious groups to support same-sex marriage.

Thirty-eight percent of white evangelicals say they support same-sex marriage.  By contrast, 87 percent of nones, 81 percent of Jews, 77 percent of Buddhists, 77 percent of white mainline Protestants, and about three-quarters of Catholics approve of same-sex marriage.

I find those statistics very troubling and a sign of just how far down the moral and spiritual ladder our society has fallen.

That advice, he said, in the sermon, was based on Jesus’ command for Christians to love even those they disagree with or disapprove of.

“Jesus said you are supposed to love your enemies,” 

He did say that, and I fully agree.

He said that Christians should show compassion, and not condemnation, for those who have gone astray. Also, true. But let’s examine the word astray.

One of the passages he used was the parable of the lost sheep where the shepherd had 100 sheep and one went astray and he left the 99 and went looking for the one that went astray.

Let me make a couple of comments here.  Some background, I consider myself a reformed Baptist, and just to clarify, reformed means I’m basically a Calvinist, that’s a very derogatory term, I don’t like it, but it’s one that people are familiar with, it means that I hold firmly to the doctrines of grace and so is everyone else that has been engaging in this controversy.  Steve Lawson, John MacArthur, Todd Friel, and even Alister Begg himself are all calvinists and all have something to say about this.

With that said, the the parable of the lost sheep is not referring to Jesus going out to find an unbeliever, he is going out to find a born-again believer, someone who already belongs to Him, who has gone astray or for lack of a better term, backslidden. The sheep belonged to him already.  Now we can discuss predestination and election at another time, but for now we will just leave it where it is.

Begg also used the parable of the prodigal son, he said that it illustrates the need for forgiveness over judgment, I agree, but he’s taking it out of context a little.  The prodigal son was convicted of his sin, and he returned to his father and asked for forgiveness. 

Yes, we should forgive those who have done us wrong whether they ask or not, but in the case of this particular wedding, these people have not been convicted of their sin, they are content to remain in their sin and they aren’t seeking forgiveness.  They haven’t sinned against us, but they are continuing to sin against God.

Was his advice wrong? Yes, but in the context, I can see why he gave it.  I think he could have given it differently, chosen different words, and not taken scriptures out of context.  My advice would have been much different to say the least.

Do I think that this particular advice should have caused the firestorm that it has?  No.  I think it’s making a mountain out of a molehill.

I think he could’ve and should’ve given different advice and not said some of the things he said, but people are saying he has fallen from grace and calling him a heretic, and it’s simply not true. He just gave some bad advice and it’s sad that such a little thing is overshadowing 40 years of faithful service to the Lord.

I’ve been asked before if I would attend a gay wedding and the answer is no, I would not.  Not for a friend or even a family member.  It’s not something that I need to ponder on or try to come up with the least offensive way to put it.  I stand for the truth of God’s word without apology and if that offends some people, that’s too bad.

I believe that for a Christian to attend a gay marriage is too much like supporting and affirming it, which Paul condemns in Romans 1:32.   It’s also an offense to God because in scripture He clearly condemns homosexuality and transgenderism, he calls them abominations.

With all of that said, the truth is, if you’re going to live the Christian life, as a true Christian, if you’re going to publicly walk with Jesus and stand for the truth, you’re going to be a walking target for hate and persecution. It will come from every side, from both lost people and church people.  That’s just a fact of life.  

The question isn’t whether you should or shouldn’t follow Jesus and live the true Christian life, you should. The question is…are you prepared for the cost?