Tag Archives: Acts 5:29

Living as an evangelical Christian in a secular society

The Honourable

Scott Morrison

MP

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Morrison in 2021

30th Prime Minister of Australia

Incumbent

By Spencer D Gear PhD

Taking a stand for biblical values on sexuality

Citipointe Christian College, Carindale, Brisbane, has taken a stand for biblical sexual values and that has meant telling the truth about homosexuality. The effect has been fury of the secular agenda piled by the pro-LGBTIQ+ community and media against this Christian College.

ABC News, Brisbane reported: ā€˜A parent and teacher at a Brisbane Christian college that is demanding parents sign a contract affirming students identify as their birth gender and that homosexuality is “sinful”, says she is looking for another school for her child to attendā€™ (ā€œBrisbane’s Citipointe Christian College defends demanding parents sign contract on student gender identity, homosexualityā€).[1]

The News item continued: ā€˜In an e-mail to parents . . , principal Pastor Brian Mulheran said the new clauses in the enrolment contract were included to “ensure that we retain our Christian ethos, which is the foundation of what has made the College what it is today”ā€™.[2]

The contract states “the college will only enrol the student on the basis of the gender that corresponds to their biological sex” to maintain consistent with the college’s “Christian Ethos Requirements”.

It goes on to state that the college “acknowledges the biological sex of a person as recognised at birth and requires practices consistent with that sex”.

Another clause states the college has the right to “exclude a student from the college” should they not adhere to the “doctrinal precepts including those as to biological sex”.

To keep their child enrolled at the school, parents must agree with a set of “religious beliefs” laid out in a “Declaration of Faith” attached to the contract.

Part of the declaration states that “any form of sexual immorality (including but not limited to; adultery, fornication, homosexual acts, bisexual acts, bestiality, incest, paedophilia, and pornography) is sinful and offensive to God and is destructive to human relationships and society”.[3]

Morrisonā€™s view when it becomes law

Now that homosexual marriage has been legalised in Australia, what is Morrisonā€™s view? Notice how he dodges the journalistā€™s questions:

Scott Morrison says he supports the law of the country but wouldnā€™t say if his personal opposition to same-sex marriage has changed since it was legalised. . . .

Mr Morrison abstained from voting for marriage equality when it passed the House of Representatives in 2018, and he voted ā€œnoā€ in the national survey.

When asked if he is still personally opposed to same-sex marriage, the prime minister replied: ā€œItā€™s law. And Iā€™m glad that the change has now been made and people can get on with their lives. Thatā€™s what Iā€™m happy about.ā€

When pressed on whether his opinions have changed, he told reporters in Perth: ā€œI always support the law of the countryā€ (SBS News 2019).[4]

So, he supports Australian law but didnā€™t own up to his personal beliefs about homosexuality in 2019. I wonder, as a Pentecostal Christian, whether he accepts the Bibleā€™s view on the topic. See Romans 1:25-27 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

Godā€™s view is different from Morrisonā€™s. Those who practise homosexuality (male & female) will not inherit the kingdom of God. Whether ScoMo is a PM or an ordinary Christian, he should support the Bibleā€™s view.

Scriptures: Christians must obey government, but not at the expense of biblical teaching.

Iā€™ll examine two biblical passages relating to Christians and government. They are:

(1) Romans 13:1-5 (NIV):

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is Godā€™s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are Godā€™s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

Letā€™s apply this to what is happening at Citipointe Christian College where the College has been forced to remove its statement on homosexuality from entry requirements.

The Guardian Australia reported:

While Citipointe Christian College says it ā€œdeeply regretsā€ that the contracts made students feel discriminated against, the principal says the school has the right to maintain its ethos and the ā€œfreedom to continue to provide an education based on our shared beliefsā€.

Rom 13:1-5 is not addressing a local issue but the laws of the State and nation. God sets up authorities. He is in control of them ā€“ no matter how bad they are. I struggle to understand these verses in light of the Nazi governments, and those of Pol Pot, Idi Amin, etc. However, I have to accept that God allows these horrific regimes to punish the people.

These verses point to the danger of getting too close to government in dependence on school funding. Citipointe demonstrates how Big Brother could have influenced the changing of the values of a schoolā€™s ethos.

(2) Matthew 22:19-21 (NIV),

19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.ā€ They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, ā€œWhose image is this? And whose inscription?ā€

21 ā€œCaesarā€™s,ā€ they replied.

Then he said to them, ā€œSo give back to Caesar what is Caesarā€™s, and to God what is Godā€™s.ā€

The obvious application is to paying taxes but its impact may stretch further with Caesarā€™s requiring Christian institutions to change their values.

We must obey God rather than human authorities.

ā€˜But Peter and the apostles replied, ā€œWe must obey God rather than any human authorityā€ā€™ (Acts 5:29 NLT).

This sums up the Christians responsibility to government, especially when the values of Christians clash with those of regimes. I consider that is what we have with Citipointe Christian College and its values that clash with those of government.

In my view, Acts 5:29 is causing some potential clashes when private schools receive so much funding from federal and state governments. There is a temptation to toe the government line rather than being true to their Christian heritage.

Governments who want to trash or compromise biblical values.

See my articles:

clip_image003Tolerance, homosexuality and not inheriting the Kingdom of God

clip_image003[1] ā€˜Homosexual unions, homosexual marriage, mass media & politiciansā€™

clip_image003[2]Why should we oppose homosexual marriage?

The personal disappointment for me is that our Pentecostal Prime Minister is not standing beside the Citipointe Christian Collegeā€™s leadership in the promotion of sexual Christian ethics.

Notes


[1] Accessed 1st February 2022.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] SBS News (AAP) 2019. Gay marriage is the law: PM Morrison, 13 May. Available at: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/gay-marriage-is-the-law-pm-morrison (Accessed 5 February 2022).

Copyright Ā© 2022 Spencer D. Gear. This document last updated at Date: 05 February 2022

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Scott Morrison’s failure to integrate faith with politics

Morrison in 2009

By Spencer D Gear PhD

See Acts 5:29 (NLT), ā€˜But Peter and the apostles replied, ā€œWe must obey God rather than any human authorityā€ā€™. The NRSV has a similar translation.

1. Prime Minister Scott Morrison doesnā€™t mix religion with politics.

Before the 2019 election,

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says his ā€œfaith is not about politicsā€. . . . Asked directly . . . if he believed gay people go to hell, Mr Morrison replied: “I support the law of the country.”

“I donā€™t mix my religion with politics or my faith with politics and itā€™s always been something that has informed how I live my life and how I seek to care for and support others,” he said. “That is what I always seek to do”

The Liberal leader abstained from the final vote on the floor of Parliament.

“It’s law. And I’m glad that the change has now been made and people can get on with their lives. That’s what I’m happy about” (Bagshaw 2019).

2. I find Morrison to be a disobedient Christian

Firstly, ScoMo is to be commended that he abstained from the final vote on homosexual marriage.

However, the position, ā€œI donā€™t mix my religion with politics or my faith with politicsā€ is in violation of Acts 5:29.

How is it possible for him to have a Christian faith that ā€œhas informed how I live my life and how I seek to care for and support others,” and yet not affect how he votes in Parliament.

The biblical view is that ā€œwe must obey God rather than any human authorityā€ (Acts 5:29 NLT). Therefore, He is not a holistic believer in Christ. However, I must admit that itā€™s a tough job being an evangelical, Pentecostal Christian in a secular, democratic society. Iā€™ll be surprised if he survives the next election.

However, some extreme statements have been made about Morrisonā€™s rise as a PM at the last election:

Pastor Adam F Thompson from Voice of Fire Ministries and Adrian Beale from Everrest Ministries told a congregation of Hope City Church that Morrisonā€™s elevation to power was divinely inspired.

Thompson, who says he can interpret dreams and that supernatural signs and manifestations accompany his ministry, said heā€™d received a message from God that Morrison and the Coalition must win the election (Hutchens 2018).

Is Thompson prepared to make a signs and wonders prophecy for the next Australian election?

3.Ā  Could this be one of those jobs?

Could this be one of those positions where it would be better not to take such a position, even though Christians are desperately needed in the political process?

Hereā€™s a Christian ethical dilemma:

Do homosexuals go to hell? If a journalist asks this question, how should Scott Morrison reply?

First Corinthians 6:9-11 (NIV) states:

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[1] nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Here homosexual male acts are included with other wrong-doing such as sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, theft, greed, being a drunkard, slanderer and swindler. It doesnā€™t say such sinners will be sent to hell but that they ā€œwill not inherit the kingdom of God.ā€

What is the message in Romans 1 regarding homosexuality? See Rom 1:21-31 (NIV) where male and female homosexuals ā€œreceived in themselves the due penalty for their errorā€ (v. 27). They ā€œinvented ways of doing evilā€ (v. 29). What is the result of such actions? ā€œThey exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the CreatorĀ ā€“ who is for ever praised. Amenā€ (v. 25).

There are consequences for doing such evil. They will not ā€œinherit the kingdom of Godā€ and will receive ā€œthe penalty for their error.ā€

  • This is a journalistic question, ā€œDo you believe homosexuals go to hell?ā€ where it would be appropriate for ScoMo to respond: ā€œGo read your Bibles! Particularly read Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 6. Thatā€™s where youā€™ll find the answers.ā€

Could this be a job as an MP to avoid? I donā€™t think so. Instead, ScoMo needs to practise the Matt 10:16 (NLT) principle, ā€œLook, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.ā€

4. Conclusion

In my view, Morrison has failed to integrate his Pentecostal faith with his day-time job of Prime Minister. At least he took a step in not voting in the final vote on gay marriage. But he admitted his perspective, ā€œfaith is not about politics.ā€

To the contrary, all that he does has to do with his relationship with Jesus. His values must be informed by the Acts 5:29 requirement.

5.Ā  Notes

[1] ā€œThe words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.ā€

6. Works consulted

Bagshaw, E 2019. ‘I support the law of the country’: Debate over sexuality and religion creeps into election campaign. The Sydney Morning Herald (online), 13 May. Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/federal-election-2019/i-support-the-law-of-the-country-debate-over-sexuality-and-religion-creeps-into-election-campaign-20190513-p51mxm.html (Accessed 16 September 2019).

Hutchens, Gareth 2018. ā€œ’Darkness’ coming if Scott Morrison not re-elected, Pentecostal leader claims,ā€ The Guardian Australian Edition, 7 September. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/sep/07/darkness-coming-if-scott-morrison-not-re-elected-pentecostal-leader-claims (Accessed 11 September 2021).

Copyright Ā© 2021 Spencer D. Gear. This document last updated at Date: 11 September 2021.