God's Wrath and God's Kindness

The coverage of the sad unfolding of events continues in Haiti. It's so hard to watch the pain. It's also hard to listen to all the comments from different talking heads... including one Pat Robertson who says this happened because the Haitians 'had made a pact with the devil'. Pat, that's a little harsh, don't you think? Pat, you're an evangelist - do you think you could have pointed your audience to some words of truth and hope from God's Word? We never know exactly why these kinds of things happen, but we can look to the truth from scripture to get a glimpse of some ideas, rather than relying on Pat Robertson. Romans chapter 1 tells us that the 'wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness'. So how is that wrath shown? Natural disasters could be one way, couldn't it? If God is omnipotent, then He could have stopped that earthquake from happening. So He's either not omnipotent, or He chose to let it happen. My Bible boldly teaches His omnipotency, so I believe He let it happen... and for a reason. That reason can possibly be found in an account in Luke 13, where a tower fell on some people and killed them. And Jesus tells the survivors, 'unless YOU repent, YOU will all likewise perish'. So there's a warning in tragedy. The warning is a clarion call to those onlookers - REPENT. Many people in Haiti have rejected Christ and have followed false religions. This is their call to repentance. And this call is not only for the Haitians, but for anyone and everyone who does not follow the God that could have stopped this earthquake. And so we pray for the Haitians in their hour of desperation. We pray for people's kindness to go far in the relief effort. And we pray that they see the kindness of God amid the disaster, for it is the kindness of God that leads people to repentance.

Walking Away From the Truth?

A couple days ago I heard of a pretty well-known Christian music artist who left his wife and 'came out of the closet'. Nothing surprises me anymore. How does someone get to the place where he has spent his whole life writing and singing profound songs of faith and then announces he's gay. He's a gay Christian! (according to his own description of himself). Is this hypocrisy to the highest extent? Or is this just the sin he's got to deal with in his life. After all, don't we all have something we're dealing with?

Lest anyone think I am a homophobe, let me be clear. I know homosexual people. Some of them have been, and are friends of mine. I don't hate them. I care about them. I just don't agree with their lifestyle. I know at least one person who was miraculously delivered from that destructive life of sin and got married to a beautiful Christian woman and he is now a father of a pretty little girl.

But this is the problem I have with this whole deal: Yes, Christians stumble. We're sinners! But when someone makes a choice to ignore God's Word and enter into a habitual lifestyle and practice of sin, then I have got to question whether they are saved at all. My Bible tells me that God 'hates those who practice iniquity' (Psalm 5:5). Did this man throw in the towel? Did he decide to quit the battle? Did he give up fighting the good fight? Did he decide perseverance was not for him? Was his sexual urges more important to him than God's commands?

Who am I to cast stones? Who am I to judge? There are no stones being thrown here. There is no final judgment call coming from this blogger. I will only hasten make mention that God's Word does not equivocate on the issue of homosexuality. God calls it a sin... and He hates those who practice sin. Just the same as someone practicing adultery, hatred, stealing or lying.

The issue is self-control. It is a fruit of the Spirit, you know. We shouldn't be practicing murder because we have self-control. We shouldn't be practicing rape or incest, because we have self-control. We shouldn't gorge ourselves with a dozen donuts or drink a keg of beer because... say it all together now kids... we have self-control. Self-control is evidence that we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. A lack of self-control - in any area of our lives - may not indicate that we are not Christians, but it should make us question where we really are. A lack of self-control is a serious character flaw, and I might suggest that it could be eternally fatal. Someone who claims to be a Christian who cannot control their sexual urges had better do some serious soul searching and self examination. They might be deluded.

I obviously don't know where this man stands in regard to his self-proclaimed relation with his creator. But I do know that his experiences do not validate whether the Word of God is true or not. God's Word stands no matter what - and according to this Word, this man is in sin and needs to repent. He is in a dangerous position, appearing to have walked away from the truth. God forbid that I would ever walk away from the truth. The older I get, the more I see it all around me. And it scares me to death.