Posted on 03/25/2014 7:51:16 AM PDT by rhema
World Vision, an evangelical relief organization, announced today that they would now hire persons who are in same-sex marriages. The organization said, further, that this was no capitulation, just a recognition that some groups supporting World Vision have differing views on sex and marriage.
This is no surprise, on one level. The constellation of parachurch evangelical ministries founded after World War II have been running headlong, with some notable exceptions, toward the very mainline liberalism to which they were founded as alternatives. Some think if we can just barter away Christian orthodoxy fast enough we can catch the wave of that Presbyterian Church (USA) church growth boom.
But here’s what’s at stake. This isn’t, as the World Vision statement (incredibly!) puts it, the equivalent of a big tent on baptism, church polity, and so forth.
At stake is the gospel of Jesus Christ. If sexual activity outside of a biblical definition of marriage is morally neutral, then, yes, we should avoid making an issue of it. If, though, what the Bible clearly teaches and what the church has held for 2000 years is true, then refusing to call for repentance is unspeakably cruel and, in fact, devilish.
The devil works in two ways: by deception, “You shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4); and by accusation, “the accuser of the brethren” (Rev 12:10). For some people, the devil wishes to assure that there’s no need for repentance, for others that there’s no hope for mercy. Some people are deceived into thinking they are too good for the gospel while others are accused into thinking they’re too bad for the gospel.
The gospel of Jesus Christ tears down both strategies. The gospel clearly calls us to repentance, even when that repentance is hated by the outside world. And the gospel clearly calls us to mercy by faith in the blood of Christ, even when we can’t believe that we’d ever be received.
We empower darkness when we refuse to warn of judgment. We empower the darkness when we refuse to offer forgiveness through the blood of the cross.
We’re entering an era where we will see who the evangelicals really are, and by that I mean those who believe in the gospel itself, in all of its truth and all of its grace. And many will shrink back. There are no riots if the gospel you’re preaching doesn’t threaten the silversmiths of the Temple of Artemis. And there are no clucking tongues if the gospel you’re preaching isn’t offered to tax collectors and temple prostitutes.
There’s an entire corps of people out there who make their living off of evangelicals but who are wanting to “evolve” on the sexuality issue without alienating their base. I don’t mind people switching sides and standing up for things that they believe in. But just be honest about what you want to do. Don’t say “Hath God said?” and then tell us you’re doing it to advance the gospel and the unity of the church.
Donor bases come and go. But the gospel of Jesus Christ stands forever.
World Vision is a good thing to have, unless the world is all you can see.
As I posted yesterday, World Vision should change their name to WORLDLY VISION.
Or maybe someone wants to retire (hey ... the company lost so much money, it closed its doors) or maybe shutting down covers something up.
The homosexual mafia strikes again.
www.samaritanspurse.org
Better place to give.
LIEberals—— can’t live with them and it would be heavenly without them.
Suckerooos because I have orphan support going through World Vision.
Looks like it’s been left up to the individual Christians (Bakers, photographers, Fried Chicken Executives, Duck Hunters, and Hobby Store owners) to stand for the truth.
It seems that many of the “Organized” Entities, be they Churches or parachurch organizations, have dropped the ball.
JMHO.
bump
I hear you, I believe I did that too. Helping orphans is a noble cause. In the end, though I’d not be for these kinds of compromises, I wonder if there will really be any effect or much of an effect.
The Christianity Today article states:
“Abstinence outside of marriage remains a rule.”
They should have left this issue alone. I guess this is in the news because their homestate is Washington. They might have gotten some pressure there and of course, should NOT have given in if so.
Worldly Vision indeed! Sad, in that I have supported that ministry for 20+ years, and will now stop. I will write them a letter of explanation, and informing them I will tell everyone I know of their misguided decision.
I don’t know if this is true, this story poses that the Federal Government may have given them $180 million to much more in funding. It makes sense.
If this is so, it will take a lot of boycotting to take up that kind of slack.
“Certainly Stearns has witnessed the president openly threatening Uganda with a cut-off in aid for opposing the mainstreaming of homosexuality. It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to figure out that Stearns may be next.
World Vision and its leaders apparently have decided they and their principles can be bought for a price. Their “30 pieces of silver” are worth somewhere between $180 million and $333 million.”
- See more at: http://www.onenewsnow.com/perspectives/bryan-fischer/2014/03/25/did-world-vision-sell-its-soul-to-obama-for-filthy-lucre#.UzGO8YKsqHY.twitter
We have supported them as well and will do exactly the same thing you are doing. Very sad
No social-gospel capitulation in that organization.
When both of my daughters were going to a Catholic elementary school, they would put together “shoeboxes” as donations (during the Holidays) for Samaritan’s Purse. The people who organized this (not from the school) would always tell the Principal that they liked this particular school because they always got almost 100% participation from the student body.
Revelation 14:6-8 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth -- to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people -- saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water." And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
Oh and about that other gospel Paul has a few thoughts:
Galatians 1:8-12 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
World Vision you have warned - persist and you too will most certainly be accursed.
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