About That Kim Davis Thing

Mike Leake

It’s been a few months since Kim Davis dominated the news. In case the litany of daily outrages since that date has clouded your memory, I’ll briefly summarize. Davis, a county-clerk in Kentucky was jailed for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses. She has since been released and returned to work. During this fiasco she was mocked by many but held up as a persecuted Christian by many others.

So why am I writing on this months after the whole thing has blown over?

Mostly, because I care little about writing click-bait articles. I also think I’m making an important point here for us to consider given the imminent stories, much like this one, which will saturate our news cycle in 2016. I figure that a few months after the outrage of the day we can maybe think sensibly through this.

Here is my point: theology matters even in the midst of persecution. Therefore, we need to be able to differentiate between those persecuted/martyred for religious freedom and those persecuted/martyred for the Christian faith.

As a Oneness Pentecostal, Kim Davis has placed herself outside of orthodox Christianity. This is not merely saying that her brand of the Christian faith is a bit different than mine. This is saying that she denies the Trinity. That’s not some mere quibble on a tertiary issue, that’s denying a central tenet of the Christian faith. Not to mention that Oneness Pentecostalism teaches that one must be baptized by an ordained member of their church and it must be done “in Jesus’ name” or it doesn’t count. And if it doesn’t count you aren’t saved.

This does not diminish anything that Kim Davis did in standing up for religious liberty. We should stand with her in the issue of religious freedom. Just as we ought to even stand with people of other faiths who are persecuted and whose religious liberty is threatened. But we absolutely must differentiate this from standing up for her as a fellow Christian.

Now some might kick back and say during these perilous times we need to take any friends we can get. In the midst of persecution it isn’t wise to quibble over tough issues like the Trinity and baptism. While I agree with the spirit of such an argument, I can’t help but wonder if that same argument wasn’t winning the day in first century Pergamum.

Even though they were holding onto the faith, Jesus rebuked them for allowing the teaching of Balaam in the form of the Nicolaitans to run rampant through their church. Theology matters even in the midst of persecution. If they wouldn’t deal with this false teaching Jesus threatened to “war against them with the sword of [his] mouth”.

Jesus isn’t concerned with kicking someone who is down. It is true that on tertiary issues and minor doctrinal differences we really do need to band together in the midst of intense persecution. Truth be told, most of these extra-biblical distinctions tend to be muted when the fires of martyrdom rage. The reason Jesus takes the false teaching in Pergamum so seriously is because the war against false teaching within the church is more deadly than any cultural war.

If the church in America keeps her religious liberty but now subtly embraces Oneness Pentecostalism, this isn’t a victory for the church. It’s defeat. The enemy is more than happy to rescue us from the flames if it means we’re all singing kumbaya while swallowing the poison of modalism. 

So when 2016 comes and we’ve got many more news stories like this one, let us be careful to know which battle we are fighting. If it’s a battle for religious freedom then lets call it that. But it isn’t a battle for the Christian faith if the one at the forefront of the battle denies historic Christianity, no matter how accurate he or she might be on the Bible’s teaching on human sexuality.

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That’s a picture of Pergamum found here

Pray For Your church: 31 Day Challenge—Day Fifteen

Mike Leake

Day 15: That we would surrender our rights for the sake of Jesus

But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. (1 Corinthians 9:15 ESV)

1 Corinthians 9 isn’t about 1 Corinthians 9—it’s about 1 Corinthians 8 and 10. The folks at Corinth were split into factions. Some, those termed “the weaker brothers”, were struggling with eating food offered up to idols. The other group, those termed “the strong”, were standing upon their rights as believers in Jesus. In order to teach both groups Paul uses himself as an example. He was willing to give up any rights that he had for the sake of Jesus. He didn’t fight for his rights. He laid them down so that others could find freedom.

When churches follow Paul, who follows Christ, in this regard they’ll live in the true freedom that Jesus purchased. But a church which is consistently fighting for her rights—whether among one another or out in the marketplace—will inevitably be distracted by lesser things. She will die on the hill of her own perceived rights. If Jesus has already purchased everything we need for life and godliness, and if the Lord is our portion, then why do we need to fight for our rights?

Father, we thank you for the freedoms that you have given to us. We believe that You are our portion. We believe you are our shield and our protector. As such we are willing to surrender our rights for the sake of Jesus. Help us fight for others to have joy in Jesus. Thank you for already giving us everything we need. Amen.

Today in Blogworld 11.23.15

Mike Leake

Was Richard Baxter Orthodox on Justification?

This has been a question that has made the rounds since even Baxter’s day.

Trusting God with Our Money Troubles

It’s not surprising that money is the number one stressor, it’s also not surprising that the Bible speaks to this.

How Church Bullies and Abusers Deceive Us

I wish this weren’t even in existence.

10 Serious Problems with Jesus Calling

Haven’t read it myself but I’ve got mad respect for Tim.

See cats are evil:

Pray For Your church: 31 Day Challenge—Day Fourteen

Mike Leake 1 Comment

Day 14: That we would be patient

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. (James 5:7-9 ESV)

James 5 tells us that there will be times when it seems that evil is winning. The same thing that tempted Asaph in Psalm 73 is still true today—the righteous sometimes suffer while the wicked are living it up. In times like these it is easy for churches to panic and to become impatient. Such impatience inevitably leads to grumbling against one another. The remedy for this is given to us in this passage as well when James reminds us that “the Lord is at hand”. Jesus will one day make all things right. He fights our battles so we do not have to. Let us be patient and trusting of the Lord’s sovereign care.

Father, you are sovereign over us. There is not one day which the world is spinning apart from your care. You will never be dethroned. And yet we confess there are times with our limited perspective that things seem out of whack. In these times help us to trust you. Help us as a church to be patient and confident in You. Keep us from caving into fear and responding with grumbling against one another. May your return and your rule cause us to be patient. Come Lord Jesus. Amen.