I believe as Christians we should always be mindful of the manner and tone in which we proclaim the truth of God. Trusting in the sovereignty of God who works all things together for our good and His glory, I also believe we must be patient as our society generally and in some cases, our government legislatively, moves farther and farther away from its biblical roots. But patience doesn’t mean passivity or silence. Too often, Christians fail to speak up, not only on matters of faith, but also cultural and political issues that clearly contradict the will of God. Belief in God’s sovereignty doesn’t require that we be silent. If it did, why would anyone bother to share the gospel or pray? Salvation and answered prayer, after all, come as a result of God’s sovereignty.

There is no doubt that there’s a great political divide in our nation. Whoever first said that politics has become a contact sport was right. Many politicians of both political parties, instead of trying to unify us as a nation, spend a great deal of time taking shots at their opponents. Unfortunately, unity is not always possible. Last week, during a radio interview, Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) decided to “take a shot” at some in the Republican Party, specifically those he deemed “extreme” in their conservatism. He said the following, “Who are they? Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay? Is that who they are? Because if that is who they are and they’re the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are.” Since then, Governor Cuomo has backed off of his comments, claiming to have been taken out of context.

It would be easy to speak to his comments solely from a political point of view. That is partly the problem as many of our nation’s leaders speak only from that view while ignoring altogether God’s will as expressed in His Word. From a political perspective, my views differ dramatically from the governor’s. As for his comment that extreme conservatives have no place in the state of New York because that’s not who New Yorker’s are, since I live in Alabama, I’ll leave that for New Yorker’s. But I do take exception about what he calls extreme; right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon and anti-gay. What I find to be true is that the liberal, progressive movement likes to treat the Bible and the Constitution for that matter, the same. They want to make it seem as if neither says what they clearly do.

As for being pro-assault-weapon, personally, I’m not overly passionate about this particular issue. I don’t even own a gun, but it is a constitutional right and I know that when citizens start giving away rights, government’s tendency is to want to take more. As to the other two other issues the governor spoke about (right-to-life, anti-gay) I am passionate. For a long time I held to a pro-choice position, a position that is just simply not biblical. In fact, many in the Republican Party who claim to be pro-life make an exception in the case of rape and incest. An exception on this basis is also unbiblical. There may be many Christians who hold this position, perhaps only because they have failed to look into the Scriptures for counsel on this issue. If you are in this category, consider God’s Word and then humbly submit to His authority. The last characterization the governor made about extreme conservatives was that they were anti-gay. The first problem is with the way he phrased it, anti-gay. That’s another things liberals like to do, mischaracterize their opponents. Now I’m not naïve; there are people of both parties who spew hate toward those with differing views. And there have certainly been cases of discrimination against gays, just as there has been discrimination against others as well, Christians included. But to believe in the biblical view of marriage as God defines it and to state that you do is not hate, intolerance, nor discrimination. Simply put, it is biblical. To truly love someone is not to condone their sin, whatever that sin may be, but instead to lovingly share with them the truth of God, the reality of Jesus and the difference He has made in our lives. To confront anyone in any other manner than a loving manner is not Christian. We are sinners saved by grace and that grace should cause us to always be gracious as we share with others.

As we profess the truths of the Bible, don’t expect an easy road. Criticism will come and people will lash out at you with a whole host of names. They may call you arrogant, self-righteous; they’ll ask you who you think you are to judge, and then they will act as if because you yourself are a sinner, you have no right to say anything at all. They do this because they love their sin. They believe that what the Old Testament defined as sin is no longer sin because of Jesus. They forget that Jesus said He came not to abolish the Law and the Prophets “but to fulfill them”. They ignore the primary reason for which He came, to save His people from their sin. As far as I can tell, Jesus never said, “Now, go and sin more”. In fact, in Romans 6:1, the apostle Paul asks rhetorically, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” He answers in verse 2, “By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”

Lastly, don’t expect non-Christians to understand your perspective concerning these issues because they can’t (1 Corinthians 2:14). It requires the Spirit of God who imparts wisdom living inside of them. They are not in search of God’s wisdom, only their own. They may call you foolish, arrogant or extreme, but I can’t think of anything more arrogant and extreme than to disbelieve what God has said. Be encouraged though, these people are not to be feared; God is on His throne. Don’t let your imperfections mute you. Remember, Christianity is not about being perfect, but trusting in a Savior who is. Neither the Democrats nor Republicans nor any of us have all the answers. But God has them, and all His answers are right. So, cling to Him, His Word and live every day for His glory. And as you encounter those along the way who may be intolerant to your beliefs, continue to love them and pray for them knowing that our God is sovereign and that Jesus changes everything!

Certainly there are appropriate ways to say things, but ultimately, what Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty did was quote the Bible, specifically 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Jesus didn’t die to make what used to be sin, somehow, no longer sin. He took our sin upon Him to cleanse us from it and conform our wills to His. There is such a divide among people on the issue of homosexuality and same sex marriage. It makes many of our politicians cower in the corner, afraid to take a stance. It seems more and more our media and culture would like to make it seem that choosing to believe God’s Word over man’s opinion is somehow anti-gay and hateful. It’s not; to be pro-God is not anti-gay. As I listen to the firestorm created because of Phil Robertson’s comments, I’m reminded that it is really not our opinion that matters. It is about what God’s Word says. We can certainly choose not to believe it, but that doesn’t change its truth. God has spoken. The question is, are we open to hearing from Him?   

            From the beginning of the human race, God created marriage as a union between one man and one woman with Adam and Eve as our pattern to follow (Genesis 1-2). This is clear when Scripture is studied. Jesus recognized this fact in answering a question concerning divorce in Matthew 19:3-6. If God has made His moral standards regarding marriage plain, as He has, other types of relationships, such as homosexual relationships cannot be accepted as valid. Unfortunately, in our pride, we have attempted to elevate our thinking above God’s in order to change the things He has said so our sin can be seemingly more tolerable and therefore more compassionate. That’s what our postmodern world does; it denies God’s absolute truth in the name of tolerance on the false grounds of compassion. Our problem is really due to the lack of our acknowledging the Divine authority of Scripture. The unbiblical view of the marriage union is but one example of this. But God has spoken clearly on this issue and the most important words to hear are His:   

–          “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” (Leviticus 18:22)

–          “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; they have committed perversion; their blood is upon them. (Leviticus 20:13)

These moral standards are not changed in the New Testament: 

–          “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions.  For their women exchanged natural    relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” (Romans 1:26-27)

–          “Or 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 Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”  (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

–          “Understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and their mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.” (1 Timothy 1:9-10)    

            Whether you or I disagree with any of these passages above has no impact on its truth. We cannot continue to presume upon God’s grace and expect His blessings. What did Paul say, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2) Some of those that Paul encountered believed that the gospel of grace gave them a license to sin. Some believe that today, but it is not true. There is a difference in knowing we are sinners who sin, and having a willful desire to live in it. Grace truly received creates a heart that aims to please God. As a country, we bow our heads and pray for God’s blessing, our national leaders end their speeches with “God bless America” and all the while, we disregard His will concerning, not just the issue of marriage, but many issues in which He has spoken. Worst of all, we do it willfully. This is sin and willful sin impacts our relationship with God and our seeking Him through prayer. Consider the following verses:   

–          “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34)

–          “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” (Psalm 66:18)

–          “The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” (Proverbs 15:29)

–          “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayer.  But the face of the               Lord is against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:12)

            We don’t have to be perfect for God to answer prayer. If we did, He wouldn’t answer anyone’s. But we must realize that God searches and knows the motive of our hearts and He is not indifferent to our sin. No amount of disagreement with His Word on this issue makes it untrue. He has spoken. That leaves us with a choice, either we agree with those words or we deny them. Sharing God’s truth is never unloving. In fact, I would contend that sharing His truth in a loving way is the most loving thing we can do. The greatest expression of love, however, came at the cross, and it came because of Christ. In spite of our sin, God provided a means for our forgiveness, Jesus. Forgiveness comes only through Him. God’s power is greater than our sin and out of His love; He gave us His Son who lived a perfect life, died in our place and rose again. The power that brought Jesus from the grave is the same power that can save and keep you. And if His power can do that, it can certainly conform your thinking to what He says regarding this or any other issue. Now that’s good news.

This morning I went to see my dentist for my six month checkup and cleaning. Fortunately, I won’t have to go back for another six months. Every time I go to Dr. Paul Barganier’s office, I am reminded of a particular visit about nine years ago. As I sat in his office waiting to go back, I picked up and read that day’s devotion from Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest. I still remember that devotions specific relevance in my life at the time and though I certainly didn’t realize it then, I now also recognize what else God began in my life. It wasn’t long after my appointment that day that I purchased my own copy of Chamber’s devotional and began making it part of my daily reading. Up until then, my daily time with the Lord was very inconsistent. Many of Oswald Chamber’s devotions have been extremely relevant at particular moments in my life. God has used his writings to minister to me. I count his writings as a tremendous source of blessing. I made it a habit to not only to read the devotion, but also the chapter of the Bible for that particular day’s key passage.  

            This year, the theme at our church has been The Gospel on Display, about how we as Christians are to live out the effects the gospel has had on our lives. Dr. Barganier attends a different church, yet has nonetheless faithfully fulfilled the same Christian mandate, to live out the effects of the gospel, to be, the gospel on display. I have personally witnessed this on several occasions.

            God never does anything by accident. As Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest sat there on the table along with the other books and magazines, I know God drew me to that devotional on that day. I also know that this devotional has helped to further, not only my love for God, but also my love for writing devotions. I’ve thanked Dr. Barganier on several occasions for making it available in his office.  This morning, some nine years after I first read one of the devotions from it, I thanked him again and gave him a copy of my own devotional, Unveiled.

            We live in a society and culture that tells us that our faith should be private, that it’s okay to believe what you want; just keep it to yourself. That’s not true! As Christians, we are live out and share the things we profess to believe. Faith in God is not meant to be hidden away, but displayed for others to see. We never know the situations the Holy Spirit will use to further our walk with Christ or who He may use in the process. He has used many people in mine, some who may not even know it, and some who I may not have even realized He was using at the time. One of those people is my dentist, Dr. Paul Barganier, who by making this and other devotional’s available in his waiting room, not only was, but is being the gospel on display.