The Gospel and the Slaughter of the Innocent

This week I received the 2010 abortion statistics for my home state of Florida provided by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration - compiled by gestation weeks and county where the terminations occurred. Good news and bad news. The good - there was a slight drop in the state of Florida totals from 2009 – from 81,919 to 79,908 (2010), an average of 220 babies per day. Broward County, where I live, also saw a small decrease from 2009 – 12,827 to 12,186 (2010), an average of 33 babies per day. Palm Beach County to our north also saw a decrease from 2009 - 5,904 to 5,645 (2010) an average of 15 babies per day. The bad news, to our south, Miami-Dade saw an increase from 2009 – 18,615 to 19,390 (2010) an average of 53 babies per day.

We praise God for every decrease in the slaughter of the innocent, however the loss of life represented in the 2010 report remains staggering – difficult to comprehend. I've yet to hear  daily television or radio newscasts report that "Today, sources at the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration reported that another 33 babies were murdered in Broward County while still in their mother's womb." The loss of life continues unabated without notice or comment – as though it wasn't happening!

Michael Spielman (www.abort73.com) has said, “The domestication of abortion has made it tragically commonplace, so much so that we seem to have lost our ability to be outraged by it. How is it that even we who oppose abortion are not more overwhelmed by the fact that it is legal, in the United States of America, to tear apart the tiny bodies of helpless unborn children?” (“A Biblical Mandate to do Something about Abortion”)

Where is the response of the Church in the midst of this holocaust? Where is the moral leadership of its shepherds in a culture of death that encourages and justifies the brutal killing of one's own offspring? Where is the compassionate intervention for those at risk for abortion?

Just days before the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Rev. Flip Benham of Operation Save America (OSA), said, “Abortion will come to an end, when the Church of Jesus Christ makes up her mind it will come to an end – not a second sooner. The responsibility for ending abortion in America rests squarely upon the shoulders of the Church of Jesus Christ.”

His words are consistent with the vision and mission statement of OSA which says in part,

“As the Church changes its heart toward unborn children, God Himself will hear from heaven, forgive our sin, and bring healing to our land. We believe that Jesus Christ is the only answer to the abortion holocaust…There are no cheap political solutions to the holocaust presently ravaging our nation. Like slavery before it, abortion is preeminently a Gospel issue. The Cross of Christ is the only solution.”

How I wish the American Church would embrace that truth. Earlier this week Pastor Rusty Lee Thomas wrote,"…abortion is a national sin that has wrought national calamities. Part of these calamities is good has become evil and evil, good. All of us are either complicit or complacent when it comes to the American holocaust. Our nation is staggering under the weight of blood guilt."

Ultimately, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the solution to America’s abortion crisis. Innocent blood has polluted the land and profaned the name of the Lord. However, there is a greater blood shed at Mount Calvary that can transform the heart of a mother to choose life for her child, and cleanse the guilty - forgive, heal and restore the post-abortive. America needs to hear God’s truth about abortion wrapped in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. His blood is sufficient to cover the sin of abortion - the sin of pushing a girlfriend, wife or daughter into an abortion - the sin of paying for an abortion - the sin of performing an abortion or the sin of doing nothing about abortion.

As we face the national tragedy of abortion, the Church of Jesus Christ faces a great challenge as well as opportunity to make a difference. I am here to serve the Church in that effort.

Rev. Jim McGarvey

Church For Life

Serving the Church in its response to America's abortion crisis as it:

- communicates the message of the sanctity of human life

- ministers healing and restoration to the post-abortive

- provides compassionate help to those at risk for abortion.

Further resources:

The Sanctity of Human Life” a message given on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday January 23, 2011 at Riverside Christian Fellowship at http://www.954church.com/media/sermons?page=6

My PowerPoint message, "Abortion, the Devil & the Church - Exposing the Satanic Forces Behind Abortion" given at Riverside Christian Fellowship, October 4, 2009, online at http://www.rcfonline.org/podcast/page/19/  You can see the PP slides by clicking next to “Notes”

New York State Defiles the Marriage Bed

America should be in fear of God's judgment. Another state has turned its back on the truth - not someone's opinion - but transcendent truth upon which our very existence depends - God's created order for the procreation and survival of the human race. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth…'" (Genesis 1:27,28a ESV) "'…she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 23b, 24 ESV)

 The image of God is stamped upon man and woman. As heterosexual beings they complement one another in the procreation of offspring who in turn bear that same image of God, sustaining generation after generation of human life. The perversion of homosexual sin cancels that process and negates the purpose of God, profaning the glory of the Creator. Once again, as in the murder of the unborn, Satan attempts to deface the image of the God he hates. 

We have been warned, "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous."  (Hebrews 12:4 ESV)

Pandering to "Itching Ears?"

In his second letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul commended the believers for their faithfulness in the face of persecution. He went on to say, "...God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed."  

(2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 ESV)

Those are strong words. Paul points out that God's holiness demands justice for those mistreated because they follow Christ, just as His holiness demands justice in the punishment of those who reject Him.

I wonder if the American church is hesitant to proclaim God's judgment because it has experienced little persecution and suffering for its confession. Even a casual reading of the Book of Acts and the letters of Paul lead one to conclude that in his day embracing the Gospel often led to persecution and suffering. It was part of his theology. He advised Timothy, "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (2 Timothy 3:12 ESV) His words echo that of Jesus himself. "‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.'” (John 15:18-20 ESV)

Is the American church so comfortable with "easy believism" (I say I follow Christ but without the cost of following Christ), that it has an aversion to hearing about God's judgment of those who reject Christ. The "judgment" message hits too close to home. Could some preachers feel uncomfortable proclaiming God's judgment of those who reject Christ for the same reason that they choose to proclaim a watered down gospel to gain "followers" of Christ.

The danger of "easy believism" is that it leads to presumption (I "say" I am a Christian without the evidence of being a Christian – the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration). Both presumption and unbelief are deceptive. They are equally dangerous.  It is interesting that after his words regarding persecution (cited above),  Paul went on to say, "…evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3:13 ESV)

We would do well to heed Paul's warning to Timothy. "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV)

How prevalent is this modus operandi in the American church? Are we pandering to "itching ears?" It is pretty obvious today that a "watered down" gospel draws an audience - sometimes a big audience. But in light of Paul's theology, the question we must answer is, "Does that end justify the means?

Persecution, Power and the Gospel - Paul's Ministry Model

Last year I watched a video that documented the persecution of Pakistani Christians by Muslims. I can’t help but compare the witness of those Pakistani Christians with the western church’s  aversion to suffering and it’s efforts to promote a more palatable gospel for fear of offending the audience. The contrast is startling - the American church’s quest for acceptance and favor vs. the boldness of the Pakistani in the face of hatred, hostility and death. I wonder which is more Biblical? 

Listen to Paul’s perspective - “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation...” (Rom. 1:16 ESV); “...we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles...” (1 Corinthians 1:23). The Jews killed Stephen and James (Acts 7,12). Paul and Barnabas were attacked, stoned and fled for their lives in Iconium (Acts 14); Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned in Philippi (Acts 16); caused a riot in Thessalonica and had to leave Berea when trouble makers followed them there. (Acts 17)

 Paul’s ministry in Ephesus resulted in rioting by the followers of Artemis (Acts 19) and a riot followed his appearance in Jerusalem where he was arrested (Acts 21). He told the Corinthians that he was “...afflicted in every way...persecuted...struck down...” (2 Corinthians 4:8 ESV). To what end? “Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.” Then he reiterates his point, “Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be obvious in our dying bodies.” His suffering for the gospel was to the benefit of others - he goes on to say, “So we live in the face of death, but it has resulted in eternal life for you” (2 Cor. 4:10-12 NLT). 

What is the lesson for the American church from the early church and the persecuted Pakistanis? The power is in the gospel message, “Christ crucified” - it’s about sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8). It means being reconciled to the fact that we have been warned in advance that the gospel will be opposed, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you...Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” (John 15:18-20 ESV) 

Paul echoed Jesus’ word, “Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 12:12 ESV) When Christians faithfully suffer persecution for the gospel, there is an opportunity to see something that is an enigma to the world - the supernatural life of Jesus Christ visible in the life of the believer. Therein is the power. Christ is lifted up. He becomes preeminent - not the personality, prominence, charisma, stage presence, eloquence, or intelligence of man. No need for compromise, gimmicks, enticements or any other human effort to make the message more attractive. Evidently Paul faced that temptation, “For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom...” but he held fast, “...but we preach Christ crucified...Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:22,23 ESV) Paul put it this way, “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord...we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:5,7 ESV) Paul relied on the power of God not the cultural relevance of the preacher.

The blood of the martyr, not an accommodating message, will always be the seed of the church. History teaches us that the success of the gospel has never depended on the cleverness or ingenuity of man, nor taking the path of least resistance in its proclamation. Again, we can do no better than follow the Pauline example - “...since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.” (2 Corinthians 13:3,4 ESV) 

He revealed his secret to these same Corinthians, linking suffering/weakness and God’s power. As they ministered in the midst of affliction in the province of Asia, he writes, “We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:8,9 NLT) What a contrast to the American church’s quest for relevance by dumbing down the gospel. The success of gospel ministry has never been determined by its acceptance or popularity any more than the notoriety, prominence, power and prestige of its preachers. The longer I preach, the more I realize that what God does is far more important than what I say as I step out of His way. As John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30 ESV)