Earlier this month I participated in a live radio programme where the topic was President Obama’s declaration of support for homosexual marriage. Due to distance and the cost of the phone call, I wrote in my comment as follows, though only the first paragraph was aired:

“My problem with the first question is more than just Obama’s endorsement of an un-natural abomination, but that in the USA, there is now a good chance that the powers-that-be will want to make this abomination mandatory, never mind optional. Gosh, as I understand it, in Hollywood today, it is almost impossible to get a job in film, TV and entertainment unless you are homosexual.

Regarding your second question, I find it very biased, as you assume that sodomites are treated unfairly and unequally for their deviant behaviour.

Sorry, I do not agree with that position. Their views and actions deviate from the norms of society and human history and should not be tolerated in decent society.
Why does humanism demand we pander to the dregs of society and deviant behaviour and cloak it in the disguise of political correctness and human rights?
It’s about time a spade was called a spade and sodomy for what it is – a deviation.”

On hearing may statement, the noted American Christian panellist acknowledged that this was the correct biblical view point, but then he went on to condemn me for not following John 8:7. In John 8:7 says Jesus “….. He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.” He (the panellist) then went on to say that I (for “I” read “Christians”) should not condemn homosexuals or samesex marriage for he himself had many, many homosexual friends and their relationships were more lasting and monogamous as the Christians he knew. Who then, he asked, was he to say they were doing wrong?

My problem with this misguided chap is not that he pro or anti homosexuality, but that he takes the view that it is wrong to stand on Christian principles as he quotes Jesus as his reason for doing nothing!

It is my opinion, that this lukewarm Christian attitude has led the western world into its present sad position; where the Church is under attack and on the defensive, especially in the USA; where pornography is freely available to all; where births to single mothers exceed those of married couples; where sexual immorality is taught to primary school children.

Yes it is true in Matthew 7:1 that Jesus said “Judge not, that you be not judged.” However the term “judge” is used in more than one sense; and Christ’s meaning is plain and clear:

1: Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus prohibit the civil judgement of the courts upon evil doers. In fact, this is approved throughout the whole Bible.

2: Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus prohibit the judgement of the church, through its officers, upon those who walk contrary to His teachings. Indeed, both Jesus and His apostles support this.

3: Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus prohibit or forbid private judgements which we are intended to bring the wrong-doer to knowledge of their error, for Jesus himself tells us that we are to judge men by their fruits. (See Matthew 7:15-20)

What Jesus deigns to prohibit are rash, uncharitable judgements, a fault-finding spirit, a disposition to condemn without examination of charges. To interpret it in any other way is heresy.

In Second Timothy 3:16-17, Paul says of the Christian Holy Bible:

“All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work.”

It is patently obvious here that if we are to use the Word of the Lord for reproof (blame expressed to the face; censure for a fault; reprehension) or correction (the act of correcting; the act of bringing back, from error or deviation, to a just standard, as to truth, rectitude, justice or propriety; as the correction of opinions or manners), then first there must be some judgement made.

Then in Second Timothy 4:1-2 Paul continues:

“Therefore I solemnly witness before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is going to judge the living and the dead according to His appearance and His kingdom, preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.”

A second time he mentions the same, for Christians to use the Word to reprove and rebuke the wrong doers. Certainly this is expected of us.

When it comes to “judging”, the words of First Corinthians 5 are particularly apt and enlightening, particularly in respect of homosexuality and similar sexual immorality. For as First Corinthians 5:1,6,7, 11-13 says:

“On the whole it is reported that there is fornication [sexual immorality] among you, and such fornication as is not even named among the nations, so as one to have his father’s wife ….. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? …… Therefore purge out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. ……. But now I have written to you not to associate intimately, if any man called a brother and is either a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one not to eat.
For what is it to me to also judge those who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But God judges those who are outside. Therefore put out from you the evil one.”

It is quite clear that we should, indeed that we must, judge our Christian brothers and sisters for their own good and salvation. Luke 17:3 confirms this position saying: “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother trespasses against you, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive him.” First Timothy 5:20 says likewise: “Those who sin, rebuke before all, so that the rest also may fear.”

If we do not judge, we cannot rebuke. If we do not rebuke, we can be held accountable for the sins of our brothers and sisters. I believe this principle is well established in Ezekiel 3:19-21 which warns the watchman,

“Yet if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. And when the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and when I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the righteous so that the righteous does not sin, and if he does not sin, he shall surely live because he is warned; also you have delivered your soul.”

For the leaders of this lukewarm Christianity which now seems to have engulfed and overwhelmed the modern Church, I believe the words of the Lord from Revelation 3:13-19 say it all:

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
And to the angel of the church of the Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Head of the creation of God, says these things: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot.
So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be clothed, and so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent.”

Church, brothers and sisters, we have to stand up and judge and condemn that which is not in accordance with the will and spirit of God. There are sins of commission – when we do something wrong – and there are sins of omission – when we omit to do anything and we sin as a result.

I argue that the modern Church leadership is guilty of the sin of omission, particularly when it comes to its passive and implicit, and yes even explicit acceptance of the erosion of Christian values and beliefs. A famous statement is attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group. It reads;

“First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

To me, Niemöller sums up the main problem with the misguided Christian heretic view that Christians are not to judge the abominations which they see before them in the Church, or even in Christian society. To me, this misguided view is the work of the enemy, a doctrine brewed in Hades and designed to keep the Church of Jesus in a continual state of impotency and erosion.

How on earth are Christians to be in the world, “but not of it”, if Church leaders do not have the strength of character stand up and preach the full gospel in its unabridged version. Yes, the full gospel is offensive to some, but it is the very word of God and has the power to save. It has the power to heal and set free. The full gospel can convict, and bring to repentance. The full gospel can save souls.

The prosperity gospel, on the other hand, just leads to hell.

Brothers and sisters please love the sinner, but condemn the sin to hell! If you don’t, then as First Corinthians 5:6 says, it will contaminate your Church, and as Niemöller says, when they come for you, there will be no one left to speak out for you!

If you get where I’m coming from here, will you now stand and help make a difference for Christ and His Church?

Amen.