This subject has been heavy on my heart because it shows how culture is influencing Christians in negative ways. If this situation wasn't important, I wouldn't write about it because I've already been harshly criticized by some Chosen fans for my other posts and videos. Find those HERE. But it's my desire to please God and I feel these things are important to Him. I've also shared about my concerns in this 8-minute video: The Chosen: Gay Pride Compromise.
Let me start with a pertinent analogy...
Working as a Waitress
When
I was first married, I worked as a waitress at a Village Inn Pancake
House. There were rules about how I wore my hair and how I dressed. If
I'd worn a button saying "I like International House of Pancakes," I'd
have been reprimanded or fired. Why? Because it would have been disrespectful to my employer. I could have been the best waitress on staff, but that wouldn't have allowed me to wear a button that offended the owner of the restaurant. And no respectful Village Inn manager would have allowed that kind of display from a waitress.
I could still prefer IHOP, but it wouldn't be appropriate for me to advertise that fact while at work at Village Inn.
But imagine this: Imagine the manager let me wear the IHOP button, and some of the Village Inn customers were offended by it. So other Village Inn workers came to my defense and told these customers that they were ignorant and unloving, and they should go to another restaurant if they don't like my button. And the Village Inn manager said that while he thinks his restaurant is better than IHOP, he's not going to prevent his wait staff from wearing buttons promoting other restaurants.
If you're wondering why I shared this scenario, read on and it will become clear.
How Scripture Defines Faith and Love
God defines love as obeying his commands and warning people to turn from their sins. This is an important truth taught in Scripture. For just a few verses confirming this, see Romans 1:16; Colossians 1:28-29; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 and John 14:15; 21-23; 15:10; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:6.
Ephesians 5:1-17 says we must “walk in the way of love” and “have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
Defining Vulgar and Harmful on The Chosen Movie Set
These truths came to mind when I read that Dallas Jenkins, the director of The Chosen, had defended his employee's right to display a gay pride flag on a camera on the set of his movie about Jesus even though he could easily set guidelines against such displays. Jenkins said he only prohibits things which are “harming someone else, or if someone's vulgar.” (Source)
Scripture says LGBTQI+ lifestyles are shameful and unnatural, causing people to reject God and damage their souls (Romans 1:26-32, Jude 1:7). Pride in these sins is both vulgar and harmful in God's eyes.
Calling Love Hate and Hate Love
On twitter, a journalist named John Root suggested that Christians boycott The Chosen and pray for those involved. Several members of The Chosen cast and scores of Chosen fans responded with tweets claiming Jesus would be ashamed of anyone who suggested such a boycott.
However, that claim is not at all Scriptural.
Jesus is never ashamed of someone speaking up for His Word.
“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Jesus, Mark 8:38
Jordan Ross, an actor who plays one of the disciples in The Chosen tweeted to John Root, “get outta here with your hate, homophobia and ignorance.” Ross later clarified his Tweets "were
directed at the people who were bullying, threatening and condemning my
friend ... threatening to get one of our crew members fired over a
pride flag."
Jenkins claims he holds evangelical views about gay pride,
but he wanted to clarify that Ross' tweets were aimed at people "making
awful comments directly about our crew member, calling for his firing."
I
read the Twitter stream and perhaps I missed something, but I couldn't
find any Tweet were Root said unkind things about the crew member or called for his firing. This is Root's original Tweet and this is the Tweet Ross tagged.
This situation is a perfect example of the way people are calling good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20-21). If we believe God's commands are loving and worth defending, we're called hateful and ignorant. If we defend a person's right to mock God on a movie set about Jesus, we're called loving, fair-minded, and Christlike.
Because
John Root's initial tweet said the gay flag wasn't appropriate for a
church or ministry setting, Jenkins and Chosen fans defended it by
claiming The Chosen is neither a church or ministry, but we'll discuss that later in this article.
Conform or Transform?
There is great pressure to conform. Will we defend a popular mini-series and a gay pride flag or God's Word?
I have repeatedly stated in my posts and videos that there are good things in The Chosen. I've never told people to quit watching it, but I'm concerned that so many Christians are defending anything and everything about it.
Chosen fans have defended things in the script which directly contradict Scripture. They've overlooked Jenkins public claims that Mormons worship the same God as Christians, and now they are defending Jenkins' unnecessary acceptance of a gay pride flag on the set.
Jenkins' Contradictory Claims
Jenkins is in charge. Nothing prevents him from setting rules for his employees' workspace, especially when that workspace is visible to everyone. And this isn't simply about an employee wearing a button for a competing restaurant. This is about an employee mocking God's commands.
I have never heard anyone make the claims Jenkins has made about his mini-series, saying that God called him to give the world “the definitive portrayal of God's people” (source). And after this gay pride incident, he said his show has “one of the most Christian content in history” (source).
Ironically, because John Root's tweet said a gay pride flag was not appropriate in a church or ministry setting, Jenkins says he's not comfortable being called “a Christian production” and wants to clarify that The Chosen has no official statement of faith (source).
These claims are seriously contradictory. Jenkins believes God called him to an incredibly important Christian mission, but he's not comfortable being called a Christian production company.
It's interesting how gay rights has forced people to lay their cards on the table. It's an issue that has caused some recording stars to drop the word “Christian” from their description. See Who Determines Your Morals?, Backward Logic, and Trendy Apostacy.
It's Not a Church and Not a Ministry
When people express concerns about The Chosen's Scriptural accuracy, fans are quick to point out that it's not the Bible. Of course, it's not. However, if The Chosen is sharing Jesus with the world, as fans claim, shouldn't its biblical accuracy matter?
Read about these concerns here: Are You Willing to Address Scriptural Contradictions in The Chosen? Watch a YouTube video on Bible Love Note's channel here: Let's Talk about The Chosen's "I Am the Law of Moses" Statement.
Now, while continuing to claim that The Chosen is doing a marvelous work for the Lord, fans have joined Jenkins in defending the gay flag by claiming The Chosen is not a church or a ministry.
Apparently, Jenkins and these fans feel that only a church or ministry should prohibit displays of gay pride on set. Does that mean a Christian business owner has no responsibility to set rules for his employees? Of course not. Saying The Chosen production company isn't a church or ministry doesn't negate Jenkins' responsibility as a Christian.
The Bible teaches that Christians should be living our faith, defending our faith, and sharing our faith in every setting, in our home, our workplace, our friendships, our family life etc.
Colossians 3:17:23-24: Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him... Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
A secular business like the Village Inn wouldn't allow their employees to advertise for another restaurant because that contradicts their purpose and mission. And the Word of God is far more important than pancakes.
Standing Firm in our Declining Culture
Our race is getting faster and harder (Jeremiah 12:5-6). If we want to remain faithful in our anti-Christian culture, we need to quit defending errors and start being noble Bereans (Acts 17:11).
Romans 12:2: Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Let's transform, not conform, dear Christians.
Galatians 1:10: Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 2:4: We speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.
Proverbs 29:25: Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
Let's seek God's approval, not cultural approval.
Ephesians 5:1-17: “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”
Let's walk in the way of love as Christ loved us, calling us to repentance, telling us to have nothing to do with darkness. If you doubt that gay pride is darkness, please see Biblical Teaching on Homosexuality.
To watch my video on this subject see: The Chosen: Gay Pride Compromise.
No comments:
Post a Comment