Life Advocate Commentary - Does God embarrass you?

May/June, 1997 Volume XII Number 6 - COMMENTARY

Does God embarrass you?
by Stephanie Hunley

Recently I heard a pastor speak regarding the matter of sin and God's divine judgment against it. He spoke specifically on sins that warrant the death penalty such as sodomy, rape, and murder.
During the course of his message he stated quite profoundly, "Our God is an embarrassment to us." What he went on to convey is that we perceive God to be too harsh. While these statements may shock you, they speak volumes concerning the "state-of-the-art, state-sponsored church" in America.
The God of the Old Testament, Who devoured Nadab and Abihu by fire (Levitcus 10), and the New Testament God who killed Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5), quite frankly, has been a hindrance to our "soul winning" programs. In order to maintain civility with our pagan culture, we dare not "offend" the heathen by reading to them scriptures such as Leviticus 20 or Deuteronomy 28: 15-68. Our response has been to change the message. We use nice little packaged phrases such as, "Your sin makes God sad." After all, if you tell folks that God is angry with them you may lose a "convert." There has arisen in the American church a false concept that God neither hates sin, nor sinners.
Billy Graham stated a couple of years ago, "Bill Clinton would make a great evangelist, he has all the gifts."
Billy Graham's statement gave the green light for lost souls to continue walking in their sin. If Bill Clinton can smoke dope, commit adultery, have American citizenry burned in their homes, and kill his own offspring, surely God will just have to overlook our sins. Apparently, with all the "prayer meetings" that Billy Graham and Bill Clinton have had, they overlooked this embarrassing scripture written by the Psalmist, David:

"The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates." (Psalm 11: 5)

It is highly unlikely Clinton will hear this verse read in Hillary's church this coming Sunday.
We have called evil good, and good evil -- replacing God's Holy Righteousness with our own feeble emotions. In this day of "enlightenment," we are more compassionate and wiser than God. Psychology has replaced prophetic warnings; seminaries have become cemeteries; and pews are full of corpses waiting for the "rapture." We have become a Law-less people:

"For both the priest and the prophet are profane; Yes, in My house I have found their wickedness." (Jeremiah 23: 11)

Let me make a case in point. Last July the ACLA came to visit the Cincinnati/Dayton, Ohio area. Their mission was to raise public awareness regarding late-term baby butcher, William "Mudd" Martin Haskell. Anti-abortion advocates from both cities, along with a few out of town visitors, joined together at Haskell's place of residence. Haskell's driveway was secured by an armed guard, a sodomite, and a couple of lesbians (sodomite wanna-bes). Several picketers began to speak to the sodomites regarding their despicable lifestyles. Their response was predictable (just as it was in Sodom and Gommorah prior to the fireworks display), they mocked and jeered. The next thing I noticed was a person from "our" side bawling her eyes out, apologizing to the sodomites for the insensitive behavior they received at the hands of the picketers. (Apparently these folks failed their sensitivity classes.)
Haskell's guard consoled her and got her a few Kleenex from his vehicle (probably purchased with blood money). After a few minutes, she returned to the "pro-life" side and resumed picketing.
Now I ask you, "What is wrong with this picture?"
Apparently the harsh reality that God hates sodomy was an embarrassment to her. Her compassion blinded her to God's unchanging laws.
I don't like to give people the "victim" status, but this lady is just a casualty of a false religious system -- one which worships the "mush god."
As Christians, we are to have the mind of Christ. This includes loving what the Lord loves, and hating what He hates. We cannot allow our human emotions to overshadow God's Word. We must agree with God regardless of how uncomfortable we become. And we must quit apologizing to the wicked for the only true God we serve.
To stop any further embarrassment of God in your life, please consider the following questions:
1) Have you been born again? Have you repented of your own wickedness? (You cannot stand against evil if your heart and mind have not been transformed.)
2) Do you fear God? (The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Proverbs 1: 7)
3) Have you read the Bible systematically, beginning in Genesis through Revelation?
4) Do you believe the God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament? If not, When did He change?
5) Will individuals and nations receive the same judgments as Israel for their disobedience?
As you ponder the preceding questions, please keep in mind that God's commandments are eternal. Keeping them is not optional in this day of grace. And when you come to know the God of the Bible, you'll never be embarrassed again.
Stephanie Hunley is an anti-abortion activist in Ohio.