If you’re unaware of what has formally become known (by me) as “The Alistair Begg Tumult,” you can easily look it up via your favorite internet search tool. Lots of folks have written about it and I’m not planning to rehash the details.
Instead, I want to humbly state for the record, “I told you so.”
If you’ve been paying attention, you know that American Christianity (not to be confused with Biblical Christianity) is built on the vaguely defined doctrine of “accepting” everyone without passing judgment. The Jesus of American Christianity is annoyed (even angry) with the church for excluding sinners. But don’t take my word for it. Here’s a quote from a typical Progressive Pastor:
“Jesus didn’t love sinners and embrace outcasts to make them acceptable to God. He did it to show them, and everyone else, that God had already accepted them…” – Zach Lambert (Restore Austin)
There you go! That’s the gospel of American Christianity. In order to spread this teaching, evangelists befriend sinners to demonstrate that American Christians are no better than the vilest perpetrators of wickedness (and shame on me for calling the perpetrators of wickedness, ‘vile.’) God accepts drug kingpins, murderers, wife beaters, child abusers, and anyone else (who isn’t a Biblical Christian).
How powerful is the message of American Christianity? It’s powerful enough to burrow into the theology of a guy like Alistair Begg. That’s kind of astonishing when you realize he has been a solid Bible teacher for decades. He isn’t trying to build a platform of ‘radical inclusiveness.’
For his part, Mr. Begg tried to make a distinction between loving sinners and affirming sin. Anyone who has spent more than ten seconds talking to unrepentant pagans (i.e. American Christians) knows that they can’t comprehend love apart from affirmation. Refusing to condone their sin is ‘hate.’ It seems Alistair is out of step with culture.
Anyone who thinks hanging out with sinners will turn them into saints is out of step with culture. Don’t take my word for it, look up what other Christian leaders are telling Alistair Begg.
(Ephesians 5:5) For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.
One Response
I’m not sure he is swept up in the “affirmation”-ism that’s decaying theology in America. I think he was honestly trying to show where the line is between loving and affirming. I don’t agree with him, but I think he was trying to pave a way for the person to say “I love you, but I don’t agree with you”, but that’s not what going to a wedding does.