Barnabas Piper: A Chicken-Hearted Mistake

August 1, 2012 Blog, Christianity, Culture, Current Events, Family, Food, Marriage, Refuting "Christian" Marxism Print Page

 

Barnabas Piper, son of John Piper, has sought to explain why participating in Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day yesterday was “a bold mistake.” He views sodomy as “one of the most defining, contentious, and complex issues facing this generation of the church,” and since it is so combative and heated, he believes that fanning the flames of the conflict by offering such public promotion will serve only to draw battle lines and harden hearts, rather than “serve people of opposing viewpoints and lifestyles.” By making such strict distinctions, we are formulating a mentality of “us versus you,” which, according to Piper, is not conducive to winning people’s hearts. He says that it is not always wrong for moral beliefs to divide people, but it is nevertheless not “desirable” and should be a “last resort.” He concludes, “Marching on Chick-fil-A tomorrow like an army will produce nothing more than defined battle lines, and the result will be greater contention and fewer softened hearts. On both sides.” Barnabas Piper’s basic argument is that, if we wish to do good to the homosexual community, we do not want to alienate them and make them think of us as evil. Instead, we should be kind to them, love them, and serve them. He probably sees this as a great example of Christ’s injunction to “love your enemies” and win them over.

But there are a number of problems with this.

1. Homosexuality is certainly a contentious issue today, and it is also, for better or worse, one of the defining ones – but it is not complex. God’s Word is incredibly clear on it, and the arguments buttressing the liberal reinterpretations amount to nothing. By seeing it as complex, Piper actually works to sear the consciences of those who are seeking a motive to morally support sodomy. If the truth of the matter is unclear, then our obligation to believe the truth and act upon it is mitigated. But it is not unclear; Scripture teaches plainly that sodomites will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9).

2. The “us versus you” mentality is not necessarily a bad one to perpetuate. God has created a number of distinctions in this world, including families, nations and races, and He has also ordained for the moral-spiritual distinction between the church and the world to be manifested not only in the church’s sanctified holiness, but also in the visible sacrament of baptism. The Lord Himself commands us: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate” (2 Cor. 6:17). This separation is incumbent upon us, since the sodomites have separated first; in their rebellion, they are asking us to take their side and morally permit their perversion. The sides have already been formed by their sinful decisions, so the only question is which side we will publicly support.

Certainly, drawing a line in the sand will lead many homosexuals to become more belligerent and hard-hearted, but biblical preaching cannot be blamed for being the occasion of others’ rebellion. (God will still be glorified!) On the contrary, it would be the only way to awaken sodomites from their sin-induced slumber and pull them out of the fire (Jude 23).

3. The idea of “serving” homosexuals by not inciting any anger in them stems from a weak and vague understanding of love and service that seems to emerge from a more sentimental and gushy idea of love (one where the romantic love between husband and wife is projected into every other relationship) which seeks to make another person feel loved, but which does not necessarily seek the person’s ultimate well-being. The absurdity of this distortion of love is evident when we consider how any public condemnation of sin would be prohibited by Piper’s false idea of service. Even worse, any public defense of our most holy religion would be seen as unduly divisive and mean-spirited. Sure, Piper, tell that to Charles Martel as he waged war against Christendom’s enemies at the Battle of Tours. Tell him that it’s unchristian to buy a chicken sandwich.

4. The church today has utterly lost any semblance of the biblical doctrine of hatred, which gives license to antichrists to overrun society. If we love God and His law, we hate all who violate it and sin against Him (Ps. 139:21-22). This always can receive some qualification, for there is a sense in which God loves all and we ought to love all, but today the error consists of overemphasis in the other direction.

5. Piper’s arguments are thoroughly terrible and amount to an effeminate spewing of thoughts that are intended to retroactively rationalize one’s feelings. Piper’s premises entail patently absurd conclusions – that we should not condemn sin in any public setting, and that we should denounce all the efforts of our forefathers who defended Christendom – but he doesn’t know or doesn’t care. Soon enough, the feelings which work to condemn any public advocacy of Christianity will eventually lead to (and already, at this moment, involve) the abandonment of the beliefs altogether. If we are today concocting horrible reasons to bolster our feelings against the public advocacy of Christianity, then tomorrow we will simply abandon the belief altogether. By calling the public condemnation of sin a bold mistake (even in the minor and relatively inconsequential form of supporting a restaurant), Piper simply reveals cowardice.

6. The love and approval of sodomy in our culture and in the church – including the approval that comes in the form of mousily calling it a sin while never wanting to offend sodomites - is a disease that needs to be painfully expunged. The earlier we do it, the less painful it will be; the more we capitulate and provide terrible “we need to love them” reasons, the more we will be expected to be ever more penitent and obeisant as the egalitarian monstrosity advances. And whatever suffering we endure, we ought to take comfort in that it receives the gracious blessings of our Lord and King (Matt. 5:11; Luke 6:22).

Also see Pastor Bret’s response to Piper and again here too.

 

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About Nil Desperandum

Nil Desperandum is currently a college student in Ohio. His interests include theology, philosophy, and the application of biblical law to society.

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  • John

    It seems that both the Pipers want peace at any price with egalitarianism, the ruling spirit of our age. Yes, as the Apostle Paul says, we should strive to be at peace with all men–when that is possible. But it isn’t always possible. As the Bible declares, there is a time for war as well as for peace. Usually the war is figurative, but sometimes it must be literal.

    So many Christian leaders today seem to have an overwhelming desire to ingratiate themselves with liberal elites, those they seem to admire as their social and economic and even moral betters.

    Such affection corrupts the essence of our faith. Our Lord fearlessly spoke the truth and never cared if it offended the corrupt “betters” of his society. Also we might reflect on the warning from the Book of James that we endanger our souls when we fawn over rich men.

    Seeking to be fashionable at all costs is effeminate. To correct this tendency, the Church needs to shift in a more masculine direction. Paul likens Christians to soldiers, and when all other options fail, soldiers must fight.

    The forces of godless equality are determined to advance and conquer what remains of Christendom. They won’t stop unless we stop them.   

  • Richard

    Thanks for this article.

    On an unrelated note, I might have messed up the “star” voting feature (above this comment box.)

    So if it gives you a really, really high rating, or a really, really low one, it might be my fault.

    I’m not sure.

    I wanted to mention it just in case.

    I consider myself a Christian, although I’m not sure what kind. I do totally line up with y’all on this issue. Homosexuality is bad enough, but what’s worse are the bullies who try to get everyone else to accept the homosexual agenda — and then many of them deny that the homosexual agenda even exists.

    I hate some liberals. Truly hate them. Because I see how their values and thoughts and behavior affect others, harm others.

    Thanks again.

    • Michael

      No liberal can be a Christian just as no Christian can be a liberal, the two are opposites and having nothing in common. Liberalism is of the ungodly those who care for nothing as morals do not exist to and with these people, typically are liberals atheist or atheists liberal. These people have no guidance nor are they bound to law other than to mankind’s law, and whoever follows only mans law is of no use to God. These people have no moral guidance, never have and never will, do not be fooled by them and by the others who support their justification of their corrupt ways as they are truly cunning and foremost lost in their own stupidity. For them is life now and never later, nothing is to make them hinder to any thoughts or ideas, all their ways are wicked not one is not, not one. As you see they acknowledge themselves as animals, alive now and to be dead soon and then nothing after, from this they do not care for any other but will live as they desire, which all of this kind live an immoral life. Don’t be fooled by some for no matter what any man says all man have been touched by Christianity in their daily lives, even if they are not of any faith and it is for this reason some will have a conscience, but a conscience that is stale in their lives. Do not be fooled by some who appear different and morally driven for non are of this kind, we must not socialize our inner circle among them, yes we can never escape them but keep them away from your personal life for they will assuredly corrupt you as well. One must be careful of these people for they despise all religion as people of God refuse to take part in their heinous ways and what fun is it for a wicked man to be on his own if no one else will share in his wickedness.
      The words on who these people truly are at heart is infinite just as the evil is in their hearts. Any man can call himself a Christian but nearly all are hypocrites who do so and it is these people who are the most dangerous, the ones who are false and their numbers are large. These people will suffer the greatest judgement out of any in the world for they are the ones who make the evil appear as good and deceive all mankind and taint a dark image of the truth. These are the greatest enemies and once you can distinguish these people from the true people will things only then make more sense and be clearer, and so a great change may occur.

  • Michael

    It would be wise for people such as himself to run now and hide himself forever for when It comes no man such as himself will be able to hide nor will he find death to relieve himself for what is to come to him. When death blows in the wind will it be people as such who will breath in death first, as those who commit are not as guilty as those who accept and boast out its evil as good. Whoever accepts evildoing ways and yet do not commit these ways themselves are just as guilty as those who act out these ways, and to those who boast it out as right have already placed their bed at the gallows. I would say God help these people, but God does not want them so let Satan shelter them day and night until their end.

    More and more so called “christians” and “churches” are accepting wickedness, do not be fooled by them for they are in no way people of Christ! Christs words have spoken the truth, but mankind has twisted his words for their own satisfaction. Many churches today open their arms to wicked people and preach to them their ways are nulled as God loves all, fools are these people and to every church as such will be burned to the ground with those inside it, let them live and die in thier wicked false lies and doings. As these churches are, do they believe Christ will be as, on his return they believe all will be forgiven and nothing will come of it if they acknowledge him. And so he will open his arms just as the churches do and love them all, but they have not acknowledge him for they never followed his Word but lied of his Word. Just as it has been told he will turn his back to the people and say “I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!”. It is believed that Christ is loving and forgiving which he will be if you believed and followed his Word, but to those who have not will no pity nor mercy be shown to them. There will be no joy on the day of his return, but many will hate him and curse him for all will mourn because of him. His tongue will not speak love for his tongue will be a double edged sword on his return and only will death come from his mouth.

    So naive are most Christians today, they listen and follow any mans words who preaches to them in the church. Just because the world calls them a deacon, preist or a pope they are holy, good and true. A shame to see that those do not heed Christs words. It is for all these differences that man has made masses of dominions to Christianity, all want to be unique and boast of who they are and what they follow. Each church believes they are right and the other is wrong and just as Cain and Abel do the chuches hate one another, they have turned their own bothers into their enimies. All churches are so proud but which church truly holds to the truth? There is not one, not one, for all have their own blemishes of lies and everything that is anything but of God. I just do hope when the time comes people will see and listen, but sadly will they still never understand and instead of seeing the truth they will take the truth as the lie.