A recent study published by the highly respected Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reveals that 57% of evangelicals attending church on a regular basis, do not believe that the Christian Faith alone guarantees reconciliation with God and eternal life; that other faiths do the same. That leaves only 47% who still believe that salvation is found in Christ alone. (Press here)

Bear in mind that the respondents here in this survey are evangelicals attending church on a regular basis. Clearly, then, much of the fault lies with Christian leaders - especially pastors teaching from the pulpit on Sunday mornings. Either ...

• the basics are just not that important to them;
• or they're frightened of teaching that the Christian Faith asserts exclusive legitimacy for itself - a claim that will label them intolerant and bigoted. 

Let's not kid ourselves here: it's the second of these two possibilities that's the most likely: fear of being labeled intolerant - and what these days inevitably follows in its wake: censure and outright persecution. In short, many of our leaders are fearful, plain and simple - not all of them, of course, but far too many. And if they're fearful, it's inevitable that they're passing that fear on down to the men and women in their congregations.  

  

The result is obvious: we're producing wimps - both unwilling and unable to face up to the hostility that in these Last Days is prophesied to be our certain lot - at least for those who hold to the "faith once delivered." Instead of producing courageous believers rushing into battle with the gospel message, we're producing milksops huddled down in fox holes. And at the very moment when the ever mounting turmoil leading up to the Tribulation is opening the hearts of the unsaved! What a tragedy! 

  

The scheme many of our leaders are using to conceal their timidity is dialogue. And it's not that dialogue in and of itself is bad; it's that in the hands of timid leaders its purpose is to play down the differences that separate the Christian Faith from other faiths - producing a modus vivendi that's repulsive to God. Why? Because it's what the Christian Faith doesn't share in common with other faiths that's of ultimate importance: that salvation is found in Jesus alone - the Second Person of the Triune God.    

  

I'm fine with dialogue - as long as its purpose is to force a flat-out confrontation with Jesus Christ - and his claim that salvation is found in him alone; that every other faith is false. Our purpose is not to win friends, but to lead sinners to Christ. Our purpose is not to run parallel with the world, but to intersect the world. 

  

What's truly telling in so many of the dialogues is the reticence of evangelical pastors to declare blatantly and forthrightly that homosexuality is an egregious sin - and unless repented of and thoroughly forsaken warrants excommunication. Instead what we get all too often is equivocation:

• "This is my interpretation."
• "This is what God has so far shown me."
• "My journey of faith has not led me to conclude that homosexuality is acceptable."
• "I respect your opinion."

"This is my interpretation." "This is what God has shown me." "I respect your opinion." That's all nonsense - pure and simple! Again, what we have here is an unwillingness to declare that the Bible condemns homosexuality - and that's the end of it.

• There's no declared willingness to break off the dialogue if its only purpose is to debate the viability of that injunction.
• There's no willingness to acknowledge that continuing the discussions will inevitable give the appearance that the condemnation of homosexuality is, in point of fact, a debatable issue.

And if homosexuality is played down, so is sin generally. But sin is what salvation is all about - it's the sum and substance of Jesus' messianic mission - deliverance from both the penalty and the power of sin! In playing down the significance of sin, we're eviserating the meaning of the gospel message. Jesus as Savior is no longer what's being preached from the pulpit. It's Jesus as Friend. And it's not that Jesus can't be our friend; it's that first and foremost he's our savior. And if not our savior, then our judge - whether at the Bema or the Great White Throne. It's that simple! Our love and compassion for homosexuals is revealed in our desperation to see them saved; and that's possible only if we confront them with their sin. How complicated is that!

I'm very aware of just how difficult it is for homosexuals to forsake their sin. But my sympathy for their plight does not lead me to sympathize with their failure to do so. Is sanctification difficult? You're damn right it's difficult! But overcoming the power of sin is difficult for everyone. I'm 73 years old and have been pastoring for close to 45 years - and I'm sick and tired of all the excuses believers - meaning genuine believers - make for their bad choices - their refusal to own up to personal responsibility - the fact that, yes, God understands the terrible temptation they face but has supplied all the grace necessary to overcome it.

Paul the Apostle knew well the temptation to give up the fight. In 2 Corinthians, he complained about a "thorn in his flesh" and pressed God for deliverance. But God was unwilling to remove the thorn; and instead told him ...

And Paul's response should be ours as well ...