Posted on 07/30/2008 4:08:36 PM PDT by LAforme2008
Some in our community have written letters to the News-Sentinel suggesting that the wildfires in California are a result of God's judgment on our state for the state Supreme Court's legalization of gay marriage.
As a pastor, I would caution all of us against making such claims.
Jesus directly addressed the issue of whether disasters mean that God is judging in Luke 13:1-5: "Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. "Jesus answered, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those 18 who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them — do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.' "
Jesus indicates that it is dangerous and wrong to jump to conclusions about the relationship between disasters, whether caused by human evil or by accident, and the sins of any particular group of people.
This does not mean that we are not all guilty of turning away from God and are all in need of salvation, but it does mean we should not jump to the role of prophet and claim to know how God is working through such events.
Some prominent Christian TV personalities made comments after the Katrina hurricane that I found embarrassing and dishonoring to Christ. One claimed that since Ellen Degeneres is from New Orleans, was chosen to host the Academy Awards and is a lesbian, therefore Katrina was a judgment on New Orleans and Hollywood for that choice.
That was an outrageous conclusion and simply made all Christians look like narrow-minded, judgmental people in the eyes of the watching world. It certainly did not make anyone in Hollywood or New Orleans take notice and repent.
There is plenty of sin in the world, and we do not wish to overlook it. But we who are Christians would have a more positive effect on the world if we paid more attention to following the example of Jesus who was well known as a friend of sinners and socialized with tax collectors and prostitutes without condoning their particular sins.
The apostle Paul asked the Corinthian church, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? (1 Corinthians 5:12)"
Instead, our business should be to love, serve and accept others and in that way have an opportunity to share the truly good news of Jesus Christ's love for all.
Steve Newman is senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Lodi.
Sure it did.
Friction?
Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again.....CCR
Yea most likely. See.... this is why homosexuality should not be allowed.
Amos 3:6
When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it?
Isaiah 45:7
I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.
Micah 1:12
Those who live in Maroth writhe in pain, waiting for relief, because disaster has come from the Lord, even to the gate of Jerusalem.
The bible is very clear that God does bring disaster as punishment, or to turn people’s hearts. But for us to make a specific pronouncement is arrogant. We can’t know why God does any specific thing.
***Steve Newman is senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Lodi.***
Finally a pastor with common sense! I wish there were more like him.
So the purpose of God's the disaster should not be discussed and never be assumed to be a punishment?
So God will punish and no one will ever know for what reason.
Does the city of Sodom bring anything to mind?
"except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
Why not? Everybody knows you can start a fire by rubbing two sticks together.
Well said. Consider this:
Matt. 5: 44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
The exception is when God tells us in his Word what something specific means. God is very clear in Scripture why Sodom was destroyed. But for a preacher to start preaching Florida or California is being punished or not punished - that’s not biblical.
So now that the Scripture are no longer being added too God has ceased to punish. How convenient for the Sodomites.
I take it that you believe that all prophecy has come to an end, you say it is not biblical?
It is not a question of whether God causes disasters, but of whether we can really know why any particular disaster occurs.
There’s nothing “evil” in a hurricane, earthquake, or fire. We insist on building and living where these things occur, that’s all.
The last few words of Jesus’ warning are most important. He is saying: In some translations, he says, If you don’t change your ways, something worse will happen to you. In other words: If you don’t change your ways, you are going to go to hell!
Well, since the fires mostly affected rural, conservative-leaning Californians and came nowhere near all of the newly married gay couples in the coastal cities, I would say anyone making this claim doesn’t have much confidence in God’s ability to aim his wrath. ;)
So you're saying Christ peached salvation by good works? What reference do you have for these last few words of Christ?
Read the account of the Last Judgment in Matthew. People who did good works go to Heaven. People who failed to do good works go to Hell.
Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
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