In a previous video post featuring Tony Jones, you may have gotten a taste of the group which has labeled themselves the ‘outlaw preachers.’ The title was self-imposed, and, I must say, is spot on accurate! Time and time again we hear the same defense on their tweets, posts and videos…which can be summed up as simply saying ”Our God wouldn’t judge a loving relationship.” This of course, is their defense for promoting homosexuality within the church as acceptable in the eyes of God. It is also a denial of the Law and judgment of God regarding sin.
After having an eye-opening exchange of words with gay-affirming ‘pastor’ Jay Bakker (son of Jim and Tammy Faye) and hearing his unbelievable denial of Scriptural authority, it became very clear that this man is herding a group of rebels around him for nothing less than an all out frontal attack on the Word of God.
Something like that you might expect from such a rebellious crowd, and there’s likely no hesitation by evangelicals in saying the ‘outlaws’ clearly deny that homosexuality is condemned in scripture, and by doing so, reject the doctrine of judgment.
Now the so-called outlaw preachers may not be such a surprise to you, but it’s not just tatooed, rebellious youngsters who are denying hell and the judgement of God…oh no! The outlaw preachers are open, in-your-face rebellious, yet there is another attack on these doctrines, and it’s coming from within my own denomination, the SBC. Suddenly, both of Peter’s epistles seem more applicable today than ever! There are attacks from without and from within.
Here’s the difference. The outlaws attack the doctrine openly with words, while there are many, many pastors within the SBC who have launched their own attack of Hell and Judgement, not with words, but with silence!
A few days ago, the Baptist Standard published an article on how most pastors insist that hell is the last topic they would address to their congregations!
Only 59 percent of Americans believe in hell, compared with 74 percent who believe in heaven, according to the recent surveys from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
“I think it’s such a difficult and important biblical topic,” said Kurt Selles, director of the Global Center at Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School. “There’s a big change that’s taken place as far as evangelicals not wanting to be as exclusive.”
At the recent annual Beeson Pastors School, Selles led two workshops to discuss, “Whatever happened to hell?” He asked how many of the pastors had ever preached a sermon on hell. Nobody had, he said.
“I think it’s something people want to avoid,” he said. “I understand why. It’s a difficult topic.”
Of course people want to avoid it! But I reject the fact that it is a ‘difficult topic’.
Let’s face it, Jesus made it very clear, and in fact spoke of Hell and Judgment more than anyone else in Scripture!
Because so many SBC pastors are silent on hell and judgment, in my opinion, they are attacking it. Silence of truth is an attack. If you have been truly called of God to proclaim the Gospel, you must, by necessity, proclaim the truth of judgment and eternal punishment! If you do not, you are denying the Gospel message!!
Preachers, listen, without hell and judgment, there is no grace!!! If you continue to remain silent just because your congregation might not like it, then get out of the pulpit, you don’t belong there, and perhaps never did.
The ‘outlaw preachers’ and many SBC pastors are both guilty of denying the doctrine of judgment, and thus attacking the Gospel. The first, openly, with words, the second, in silence.
