Not surprised with World Vision’s desicion.

In recent news as reported by Christianity Today, World Vision World Vision U.S. president Richard Stearns announced that they will now permit gay Christians in legal same-sex marriages to be employed at World Vision headquarters in the state of Washington

 Stearns quoted in Christianity Today:  

 "Changing the employee conduct policy to allow someone in a same-sex marriage who is a professed believer in Jesus Christ to work for us makes our policy more consistent with our practice on other divisive issues," he said. "It also allows us to treat all of our employees the same way: abstinence outside of marriage, and fidelity within marriage."

 Christianity Today writes: "Stearns said World Vision's board has faced a new question in recent years: "What do we do about someone who applies for a job at World Vision who is in a legal same-sex marriage that may have been sanctioned and performed by their church? Do we deny them employment?"

 I was one person that is not surprised by this decision at all. Does it sadden me? Absolutely. However, what we see with this decision by a professing Christian leader is exactly what Jesus said would happen in the last days. It is the slow and steady road into apostasy. Paul also said that many would turn to myths and fables, and Jude said certain men would creep in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

If the conservative evangelical is upset or disappointed in the decision, they should be. Here is a Christian organization that helps poor people throughout the world in Jesus’ name, all the while believing God approves same-sex marriage. How can Stearns believe Jesus would recognize homosexuality when He calls marriage a one-flesh covenant  between a man and woman. Jesus doesn't even acknowledge remarriage after divorce, in fact Jesus calls it adultery, not marriage.  How does a believer support this organization? Certainly many who made the decision to sponsor a child through World Vision prior to this statement on Monday are second guessing what to do now.  I can understand their consternation, and truly feel for them     

If a well-known professing Christian leader like Richard Stearns believes that a professing church sanctioned and performed a same-sex marriage, what does that have to say about his knowledge of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ?  How can a professing believer believe that unrepentant homosexuality is not a sin? Yet, this is exactly the push among a church that is heading deeper and deeper into apostasy. However, if you think this slippery sloop is happening over night, you are dead wrong.  

Consider this statement:

"What do we do about someone who applies for a job at World Vision who is in a legal same-sex marriage that may have been sanctioned and performed by their church?”

What is marriage? Does God call “homosexual marriage”, marriage if He calls homosexuality sin? Most conservative evangelicals will say no, same-sex marriage is not a marriage, because God calls the sin of homosexuality an abomination. Ok…so we agree that Richard Stearns cannot call same-sex marriage a marriage let alone believe that we can call a “church” a “church” that sanctioned and performed a same sex marriage. Therefore, we can conclude that the problem stems from Richard Stearns believing some pastor or church confirms that God approves of same-sex marriage.

If you believe same-sex marriage and the glorification of homosexuality is the beginning of a church compromising the sacred institution of marriage, you need look no further than the compromise of marriage through divorce and remarriage. I challenge anyone to read this article by Christianity Today and follow-up  that article with this excellent post by Kevin DeYoung, entitled,  “TheWorldliness in World Vision’s New Hiring Policy.”

 The challenge is this...In both of these articles, replace the word “homosexuality” with adultery and replace the word “same-sex marriage” with “remarriage”, the definition of remarriage being a sanctified union of a divorced person with someone else other than their covenant spouse. There is certainly compromise if you say a person must repent of homosexuality all the while ignoring that MANY are in adulterous remarriages.

If World Vision said they were allowing remarried people as employees, would we care? The statement would read like this:

“World Vision World Vision U.S. president Richard Stearns announced that they will now permit divorced Christians in legal remarriages to be employed at World Vision headquarters in the state of Washington.”

You may say, God approves of divorce and remarriage. This is not the same as same-sex marriage and homosexuality. Oh no?  How about a person divorced and remarried other than the false reasons given by most churches (Matthew 19:9 and 1 Cor 7:15)? What if a person divorced and remarried their adulterous lover (who also divorced his or her spouse) and the same church that approves of same-sex marriage says that they will marry anyone for any reason. This same couple believes that God ordained their marriage because they were unhappy in their other marriage. Valid remarriage?    

Do not be surprised of World Vision’s decision. Marriage was compromised many years ago when the church followed traditions of men who allowed no-fault divorce just like the Pharisees of Jesus day.  Then combine this with the rise of feminism which had a direct influence on the perversion of sexuality, not to mention the “ordination” of women into pastoral ministry. Include the many churches today that turn their heads to cohabitation and pre-marital sex. Then those same compromising self-righteous Christians will say Richard Stearns has the audacity to say…"It also allows us to treat all of our employees the same way: abstinence outside of marriage, and fidelity within marriage."

No,…I am not surprised of this decision. The church already ignores, Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery. (Luke 6:18) 

Why would I be surprised when Jesus said His before His eminent return that it would be as the times of Noah in Matthew 24.  Genesis 6:5 The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.

Paul had this to say: 1 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

So what is the answer? I have writen about this repeatedly, and I will not stop for the simple fact I do not ever want to come to compromise myself. Repent! Repent of homosexuality and repent of adultery remarriage so that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ can cover a multitude of sins. There is grace in repentance.

  1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

In Christ’s love,

Neil