Posted on 05/31/2007 8:50:39 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
He is 88 now, bent by age and ailments, spending his days sitting with his beloved bedridden wife, Ruth, at their home in the mountains of North Carolina.
Yet the stature of Billy Graham, whose global ministry got its start in Minnesota, continues to grow. In December, the Gallup Poll named him among the 10 most admired men in the world - a 50th time for him on that list. The Billy Graham Library, a multimedia experience highlighting Graham's life and ministry, opens today in Charlotte.
Few living Christians have been stronger unifying forces, commanded such respect or influenced more people. Among high-profile evangelists, he stands out for personal integrity, openness to cultural change and a lack of interest in wealth.
In this e-mail interview, conducted earlier this spring, he reflects on his desire to see heaven soon, his concerns about the war in Iraq and the changes taking place in American evangelism.
Q: How are you and your wife, Ruth, doing?
A: One of the joys of growing older is the opportunity for us to spend more time together. Sometimes we'll just sit for hours, holding hands and talking or watching a video, or even just enjoying each other's company in silence. After a lifetime of travel and being apart so much, we treasure this stage of our lives.
At the same time, old age has its burdens, and we aren't immune. Whoever said, "Old age isn't for sissies" had it right. For years Ruth has struggled with serious pain because of the degeneration of the bone structure in her back, and she is now bedridden. I have several continuing health issues. Ruth and I know that each day is a gift from God, and we are thankful for them.
Q: What gives you comfort and hope? What is your daily faith practice?
A: My greatest comfort comes from knowing that I belong to Christ, and that no matter what happens, he will never leave me or forsake me. He will be with me as long as I'm on this Earth, and some day I will go to be with him in heaven forever. I look forward to that day!
The Bible and prayer have always been the foundation for my daily walk with God, and they still are. For many years I've made it a practice to start the day by reading the Bible and praying, and I still do this as much as possible. Ruth and I also try to end the day by praying together and reading a brief passage of scripture.
Now that reading has become more difficult, I probably read the Bible less but pray more. Of course over the years I've memorized many passages from the Bible, and I'm especially thankful now that I did this. I wish we gave more attention to Bible memorization in our churches today.
Q: America's evangelical subculture has recently undergone some interesting changes, including the rise of new, more liberal voices whose views on cultural issues stand in sharp contrast to those of the religious right. What do you make of such changes?
A: As an evangelist, my calling has always been to proclaim the central message of the gospel: What Christ did for us by his death and resurrection, and our need to respond to him in repentance and faith. I've always tried to avoid being associated with groups that focus on political issues, either on the right or the left. That isn't my calling.
Sometimes trying to be neutral isn't easy - kind of like the man I heard about in the Civil War who decided to wear a blue coat and gray trousers and got shot at by both sides!
However, I'm very concerned about the growing polarization we see today, both in our society generally and even among some evangelicals. Somehow we've got to find a way to get past this and find a common ground.
Q: Have your views on such issues as foreign policy and homosexuality grown more liberal through the decades?
A: Well, I hope they've grown more balanced over the years, although I try to avoid labels like "liberal" or "conservative." When I was young, I thought I knew the answer to almost everything, and I cringe when I look back at some of those ill-considered remarks. The world is complex, and as I've grown older I've learned that foreign-policy issues, for example, usually aren't as easy as they may seem on the surface.
Homosexuality is not a lifestyle that is endorsed by the Bible, although I don't believe Christians should single out homosexuals for condemnation or contempt. God loves the homosexual just as much as the heterosexual, and so should we. We have all sinned, and we all need God's grace and forgiveness. We also all need God's strength to fight temptation and to change our lives.
Q: Do you follow news from the Middle East and Iraq? If so, is there anything you'd like to say about the conflicts in those places?
A: I try to follow the news from there, and Ruth and I pray every day for our president. I don't think any of us can appreciate the pressures he faces. We pray also for our military personnel who are serving over there, and for their families.
Some of the tensions in the Middle East go back thousands of years to Abraham in the Bible, with the births of Ishmael and Isaac. I also think we aren't as knowledgeable about Islam as we should be, or the centuries-old conflict between the Sunnis and the Shiites. These conflicts took centuries to develop, and they won't be solved overnight.
At the same time, we ought to pray for peace in that part of the world, and encourage our leaders to do everything they can to promote peace.
Q: What has age shown you most vividly?
A: To depend on the Lord for everything, and to be thankful for everything he gives us, including hope for the future. I've also learned that even if we can't do everything we once did, God isn't finished with us, and we can still serve him. Sometimes the greatest service we can do for someone is to pray for them, and I find myself doing that more and more.
I admit I don't like the burdens of old age, but it can be a special time of life, and God has lessons to teach us through it, if we'll only listen. Unfortunately, we can become so preoccupied with whatever is happening to us at the moment - or so worried about what might happen to us in the future - that we forget to ask God what he is trying to teach us.
Sometimes, of course, God isn't teaching us something new, but simply reminding us of things we've known all our lives, and making them more real to us. For example, more than ever I've realized just how short life is, and how important it is to live for eternity and not just the present. This world is not our final home, and if we are Christians, we know we are only pilgrims passing through this world on our way to heaven. We ought to live each day as if it were our last. Someday it will be.
Q: A family difference of opinion about your burial site surfaced earlier this year in the news. Can you comment on it?
A: Ruth and I both know that the moment we take our last breath on Earth we will be together in Heaven. And at our age, we know it won't be long before we are in God's presence for all eternity - and that's what really matters.
As for our final resting place, we are prayerfully pursuing this very personal decision together, just as we have tried to do throughout our 63 years of marriage. The determination will not be made by our family, our organization, or outsiders, but will be ours alone. We are agreed that we will be buried together, side by side, and that's more important to us than where we will be buried.
Q: What is your vision of heaven?
A: The Bible tells us that heaven is far more glorious than anything we can ever imagine. It tells us that all the things that burden us now - the pain, the sorrows, the heartaches, the disappointments, the injustices, the wars, everything - will vanish. Nor will we be subject any longer to death, because Christ's victory over death and hell and Satan will be complete. Most of all, we will be in the presence of God forever. Every good thing we experience on Earth is just a hint of what we will experience in heaven. Why would anyone not want to go there?
The Bible says something else about heaven that I've always found intriguing: It says we will serve God there. In other words, God will have work for us to do in heaven - and yet we won't grow tired, like we do here. Some people think heaven must be boring, but nothing could be further from the truth.
I so admire this man. He was faithful in all things. He surely deserves the words...”Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” He was the Paul of our century.
Homosexuality is not a lifestyle that is endorsed by the Bible, although I don’t believe Christians should single out homosexuals for condemnation or contempt. God loves the homosexual just as much as the heterosexual, and so should we. We have all sinned, and we all need God’s grace and forgiveness. We also all need God’s strength to fight temptation and to change our lives.
It would have been nice if he had talked about repentance instead of just forgiveness. “Go and sin no more” would have been a good quote.
"Some of the tensions in the Middle East go back thousands of years to Abraham in the Bible, with the births of Ishmael and Isaac. I also think we aren't as knowledgeable about Islam as we should be, or the centuries-old conflict between the Sunnis and the Shiites. These conflicts took centuries to develop, and they won't be solved overnight. At the same time, we ought to pray for peace in that part of the world, and encourage our leaders to do everything they can to promote peace. "
It is true that the issue is not as simple as air-dropping twinkies in Jordan to help ease the bruised feelings of the Muslims. However, the answer itself doesn't really SAY anything.
Or how about this:
"Homosexuality is not a lifestyle that is endorsed by the Bible, although I don't believe Christians should single out homosexuals for condemnation or contempt. God loves the homosexual just as much as the heterosexual, and so should we. We have all sinned, and we all need God's grace and forgiveness. We also all need God's strength to fight temptation and to change our lives."
Yes, it is true that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that we all need forgiveness. However, all sins are not equal and God shows repeatedly throughout the scriptures that this one is particularly an abomination. Here it is short and sweet: a practicing homosexual is going to hell.
"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. 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, emphasis mine.
If you really believe the word of God, then this is not something to be taken lightly. Because of "moderate" comments like these and his chummy talk with the Clintons not too long ago, I really am starting to worry about him. I have to wonder if the mega-success hasn't started to get to him and that he is not the man on fire for Jesus that he once was.
I think that’s what he meant when he said “we also all need God’s strenght to fight temptation and to change our lives.”
I preach often enough to hear from plenty of my congregation what ought to have said. I can only follow God’s leading and obey his voice. I think Billie has done just that. Who are we to second guess someone God has used to bring millions to Him?
IMO he had to be. Because Billy Graham was a lifelong Democrat, and a Clinton supporter, and he knew that neither would go over well with his Evangelical supporters. At the end, though, I think he just didn't care who knew.
“Who are we to second guess”. I agree.
It’s easy for me to see now some of the things he is saying.
I, too, cringe at some of my words and attitudes as a younger person. And now I am old.
It isn’t until you become an octogenerian and have all this time to sit quietly and to remember, and to reflect—and to repent of even those things you once thought were for someone’s good when they were actually only serving some egotistical need in yourself—then and also when you meet each day knowing for certain that you are closer to meeting the Lord than you were yesterday—then you can say things that may not seem militant enough or strong enough, or brilliant enough for those who are much younger.
There is a saying that the Devil works like a noiseless file. Meanwhile, as we grow old, God is also busy working on us...smoothing out the crusty parts of us with His marvelous grace. It seems to me in my old age that God still works in mysterious ways, but now His touch brings His mercy and we tend to want to become more like Him in that way, if we have ears to listen.
We finally began to assimilate the depths of wisdom (and not just read) in the words of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians:chapter 2.
I think in some 88 years, he's said the "Go and sin no more" part plenty of times.
I see a flawed, weak man. I think his son will be a better leader than he was.
I would have to liken Mr. Graham to Ahimaaz (2 Samuel 18:19-32).
For the best example of verbatim evangelistic preaching I recommend Peter, in Acts 2:14-40. After preaching Jesus Christ to the crowd, we come to verse 37: convicted souls asked “what shall we do?”. Verse 38,39: Peter’s instructions were, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”
“Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God”
This includes a whole lot of people who are not homosexuals. Don’t see how that is being singled out here. Objectively, this one sentence includes just about everyone that I know.
I didn't say it singled out homosexuals. I cited it in response to the question at hand. Now, read the second half of the same passage that I underlined: "And that is what some of you were. 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." The key idea here is "and that is what some of you WERE" (emphasis mine). The believer gives up these things as a way of life. There are times where you slip, perhaps even in huge ways (like David with Bathsheba and Uriah), but it is not a way of life. "By your fruit you shall know them". The godly man cannot do all the good he wants and the evil cannot do all the evil he wants.
It is a stalwart testimony of a great champion of the faith.
I deplore anyone throwing rocks at him.
Quix, you bumped this interview and I read it for the first time this morning.
Billy Graham has some very good comments here, and I’m blessed for having read them. He speaks with wisdom, and I’m edified.
Sunday blessings,
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