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(Editor’s Note: This is the conclusion of a two part article issuing a call to solemn assembly and repentance to Christians, the churches and their pastors among Black Americans.)
The Bible teaches any sex outside of marriage between a male and female is sin. But now, we say in agreement with the world and for political acceptance, “we can’t stop the kids, so let’s help them do it safely with condoms.” Then, in order to sound “open, affirming and tolerant”, we stand with the world vigorously denying that any sexually transmitted disease including AIDS is a judgment from God for transgressing His Word. Therefore, like ancient Israel, we find no relief from the consequences of our willful rebellion through any source, human or divine (Hosea 5:8-15)!
Indeed, many black Christians are now shocked and offended by the attempt of American gays and lesbians to tie their quest for full and equal rights (including the right to marry each other) to that of black Americans. But didn’t we see this coming? Compromise has consequences! Our moral compromises for the sake of political gains have come back to bite us or don’t we believe any part of God’s Word (Psalm 146:3-9; Isaiah 30:1-5, 31:1-3)?
A number of those black Christians and pastors now railing against the moral outrage of gay and lesbian marriages have also conveniently forgotten a major compromise we (and many throughout the American Church) have made that has helped pave the way for this wickedness. Whatever all of the motives involved, when we in our wisdom began to openly reject and re-write Scripture to allow for the dismantling of male/female roles as God designed them in the family, church and society, we validated the world’s rebellion against Him and it’s foolishness (Psalms 2:1-3; I Corinthians 3:18-20)!
Under the deceptive auspices of the so called “Full Gospel” for example, there are pastors and church members calling themselves wise in this present age who have corrupted the Word of life to equalize female access to the pastorate and positions of authority over men when the whole church is gathered together in worship. They believe they are doing this without in anyway undermining the biblical concept of male headship.
However, Paul, the great apostle to the Gentiles, would clearly not agree. He instructs from the Lord that because of the importance of male headship as God designed it, women are to pray or prophesy only with their heads covered, are not to speak, teach or take authority over the men when the Church is gathered in worship and that proven headship in the home is a qualifying factor for selection of male leadership in the churches (I Corinthians 11:2-16, 14:34-37; I Timothy 2:11-3:15).
Thus, the Lord asks, “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us?’ Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood...Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord; so what wisdom do they have,” (Jeremiah 8:8-9, NKJV)? So then, the Lord has allowed this blatantly wicked display of rebellion by modern day Sodomites to in part, shame His people (those who will be shamed) for our compromises with His Word. We are hypocrites to demand that the world honor God’s design of the family and male headship while we destroy them ourselves!
Shall I go on to speak of how the Christian divorce rate is equal to the world’s at 50%? How from the pulpit to the pews in so many churches among us there is all manner of ungodliness, sexual immorality, drug and alcohol abuse, out of wedlock births, lying, stealing, bitterness and fighting? The Lord also declares, “...everyone is given to covetousness,” (Jeremiah 8:10b, NKJV)? If God and the world can see these things, why won’t we?
The Lord reveals one reason we are in denial is the lying tongue of too many of our church leaders. He says, “From the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace,” (Jeremiah 8:10c-11, NKJV). Unless the whole Word of God is the foundation for restoring black men, families and our community, every effort is superficial!
Therefore, as James warned, adultery with the world and the pride of pastors and people alike who refuse to repent saying, “What have I done?” has made our God an enemy in remedial judgment (James 4:4-6). However, His fatal judgment is at the door; none of the guilty in or outside of the churches will escape as the prophet warned and saw come to pass for Judah (Jeremiah 8:10a, 12-22)! The only biblical option is to humble ourselves and repent now before it is too late!
If We Return, God Will Revive And Heal!
Let us then humble ourselves, my brothers and people. Our God is full of grace and mercy and will forgive us on the basis of the blood He shed on the cross at Calvary. Let us humble ourselves before our Lord Jesus in fasting, weeping and grief (Joel 2:12-17; James 4:7-10), soberly confessing and repenting from our sins as did David (Psalm 51:1-17; I John 1:8-2:2). Come, let us return to the Lord in faith; trusting His good intentions toward us to revive us and heal our land (Hosea 6:1-3).
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