"Picketing Sin and Boycotting Moral Failure" "...When the Gospel is Reduced to Political Protest."

Audience One ^ | 15 May 2005 | Steve Camp

[thePilgrim]

"Picketing Sin and
Boycotting Moral Failure"
by Steve Camp

"...When the Gospel is Reduced to Political Protest."

Several years ago, many in the media and in the church were in an uproar that “Madonna had done it again” – going too far with her book release, SEX, and her companion album, EROTICA. The "Queen of Sensual Shock" had consumers talking, governments banning, educators clamoring, librarians shuffling and, yes, evangelical leaders boycotting. What Madonna had actually done, in an ingenuous sort of way, is to bring to light what our world around us is wrestling with everyday; mainly a self-absorbed, narcissistic, hedonistic belief system absent of moral restraint. Biblically, it is what Judges 17:6 so succinctly states "...every man is doing what is right in his own eyes". That statement sums up the "Oprah Winfrey School of Theology" impeccably. But something more profound was being communicated as well… Madonna is more sold out to her sin, than many Christians are to their Lord.

Read rest of article.

[Colofornian]

Actually, I believe that MacArthur's positions is that the world should be changed by the preaching of the gospel and the converting of people to Christ. I'm not sure why you would have very little regard for people who have that belief.

That's reductionistic thinking to the max. The gospel is conveying what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross, but we do that by both words & deeds. In other words, the gospel is also that Jesus embodied in giving himself away for others before He ever went to the cross.

In the book of Acts, those who cared for widows embodied the gospel. You can't get anyone more "pro-gospel" than the apostle Paul: "All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do." (Gal. 2:10)

So what? Do we "change the world's poor" by only "preaching the gospel to them & converting them to Christ?"

Hey, if MacArthur's angle or your angle doesn't cut mustard w/the apostle Paul, don't export it. The poor are not simply "a political cause"; the preborn are our neighbors, they're not simply a "political cause."

And don't hold the victims of political oppression, whether it's done by the govt or "only" allowed by the govt, as hostages to evangelism. In other words, we don't simply choose to "protect" the preborn by only proclaiming the gospel to abortion clinic workers.

The good Samaritan didn't just proclaim the gospel in words to the man in the ditch. He lived it. He risked himself to save the man in jeopardy.

[Colofornian]

Camp seems to be in the camp of Cal Thomas and MacArthur, who believe that Christians should not atempt to change the world by getting involved in 'causes'. This is one reason I have very little regard for MacArthur or Cal Thomas.***

I've also talked to a lay leader in MacArthur's church who flat out said Rahab was wrong to lie to protect the three Hebrew spies. We all know Rahab, the prostitute, not only lied but in essence was in cahoots with those engaging in espionage. I guess this lay leader thought James was wrong to commend Rahab in his book; or tha author of Hebrews to include Rahab in the Hall of Fame of faith.

[Colofornian]

Camp seems to be in the camp of Cal Thomas and MacArthur, who believe that Christians should not atempt to change the world by getting involved in 'causes'. This is one reason I have very little regard for MacArthur or Cal Thomas.***

I've also talked to a lay leader in MacArthur's church who flat out said Rahab was wrong to lie to protect the three Hebrew spies. We all know Rahab, the prostitute, not only lied but in essence was in cahoots with those engaging in espionage. I guess this lay leader thought James was wrong to commend Rahab in his book; or tha author of Hebrews to include Rahab in the Hall of Fame of faith.