Twenty-plus Democrat presidential aspirants have been reduced to basically five credible candidates—37-year-old Millennial and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg is one of them, who could get the nomination or be on the ticket as vice president. If the aging Biden wins the nomination and presidency, then one day “passes,” we’d have our first openly practicing homosexual, accompanied by his gay “spouse” Chasten, as president of the United States. Time magazine already put them on the cover as our potential “First Family” (May 2019).
Interviewed for USA Today in an article titled “Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s Countercultural Approach to Christianity is What America Needs Now,” the “devoted Christian” takes aim at our president for hypocrisy; attacks the “religious right”; advocates our Christian faith going in a “progressive direction” and wants LGBTQ proponents to “beckon people onto the right side of history.”
While campaigning, he loves quoting Jesus telling us to care “for the least of these…” (Matt. 25:31) as he endorses abortion-on-demand up till birth for those most in need of protection, helpless babies in a mother’s womb. He criticizes fellow Indianan, pro-life Vice President Mike Pence, and advocates the abolition of the Electoral College.
Pete’s father was a Marxist professor who publicly praised the Communist Manifesto. He dedicated much of his academic career to the work of the Italian Communist Party founder.
Regarding Mayor Pete, multitudes in the media are giddy about his ascendancy but are downplaying the issue of his homosexuality and gay “husband” for political reasons.
Meanwhile millions are being desensitized to acceptance of homosexuality through multiplying gay characters in entertainment, pervasive gay pride events and children propagandized in schools. Recently USA Today celebrated the explosion of LGBTQ characters on TV with a front page story (11/8/19) even featuring a picture of the lesbian Batwoman as a superhero and a record 38 transgender characters!
Culturally Relevant or Biblically Faithful
While engaging in conversations regarding Mr. Buttigieg’s lifestyle and other “gay Christians,” we’ll need to “winsomely and skillfully “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). Remaining silent conveys support for what the Bible clearly reveals as serious sin before our Holy God. He may be articulate and attractive but the liberal Episcopalian Mayor Pete advances heretical positions to the masses.
Today people can self-identify as anything they want and society airbrushes away what in our heart of hearts we know to be wrong in order to appear non-judgmental, welcoming and politically correct. Majoring on people’s “brokenness” and minimizing their sinfulness, we’re viewing this conduct as “not so big a deal” to skirt accusations of “bigotry, hate speech and intolerance.”
For two decades presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren maintained she was a genuine Native American. She ignored the nickname of Indian “Pocahontas” and anyone questioning her real heritage was dismissed emphatically as a misogynist. “How dare people question what she says is true!”
Like in a paternity suit where an irresponsible and selfish man repudiates fathering a child until DNA proves otherwise, Ms. Warren finally capitulated and admitted the counterfeit label and her deception.
Whether it’s Mr. Buttigieg or simply people we know, a person claiming to be an authentic Christian and a practicing homosexual is, according to Scripture, a counterfeit convert.
In the gospels Jesus made clear the seven distinguishing marks of a genuine Christian. Uppermost is unswerving obedience to His Word (John 8:31), not selective or spasmodic adherence. “Whoever says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4). In no uncertain terms, Jesus warned that on judgment day there will be those professing “Christians” sent tragically into eternal judgment for calling Jesus “Lord” but not doing what He said (Luke 6:46-49).
Flyover of Fundamentals
A Christian is one who has repented, is born again and obeys Jesus as Lord or as Kanye West wears on his cap, “Jesus is King.” The Bible is the authoritative, revealed will of God for every area of life (2 Tim. 3:16). Jesus said He came that we might have “abundant life” (John 10:10) and we obey His commandments that are not “burdensome” (1 John 5:3).
God designed us male and female (Gen. 1:26-28) with marriage between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24-25). Marriage is to be held in honor with God warning that judgment awaits the sexually immoral (Heb. 13:4). His standard is clear: purity before marriage and fidelity in marriage (1 Thess. 4:1-8).
Scripture throughout forbids sexual involvement in seven areas: with parents, children, another’s spouse, siblings, same sex, animals and dead people. There is not one verse in all the Bible that affirms the practice of homosexuality.
Homosexuality is considered an abomination before God and is classified as immoral, unnatural, shameful, indecent and perverse (Rom. 1:18-25, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, 1 Tim. 1:8-11, Rev. 20:13-14, Lev. 18:22, Lev. 20:10-14).
10 Biblical Reasons True Christians Are Not Practicing Homosexuals
1. There’s never a time when God starts loving people, because “God is love” (1 John 4:8) and His passion is to bring us into relationship with Him as our Father to fulfill our unique destiny as we obey Him in turning from harmful habits that destroy.
2. To call oneself an authentic Christian and remain a practicing homosexual is a direct contradiction of biblical teaching.
3. Practicing homosexuality is most definitely sinful and contradicts biblical teaching on God’s order for human relationships, marriage and family.
4. Homosexuality is not simply another “alternative lifestyle” but an aberration condemned by every major world religion.
5. All of us are born with a fallen nature giving us a tendency to do wrong, but through repentance and redemption we can then choose to do right by the transformative power of God working within us.
6. There is a major distinction between a person’s chosen behavior, which can change, and one’s predetermined race that is immutable.
7. Homosexuality’s cause is complex yet cannot be justified. Ministry to those ensnared warrants compassion as we consider some common contributing factors like self-will, dysfunctional home, abuse, seduction, media influence, pornography, fatherlessness, youthful experimentation and identity confusion. [Note: Marie Osmond just revealed because of abuse as a young girl she thought, “I must be gay,” but God rescued her.]
8. There is no “gay gene” yet some are more susceptible to same-sex attraction than others, but Scripture teaches God never lets anyone “be tempted above what you can endure, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).
9. There is a difference between desire and deed, so people with feelings and fantasies are not necessarily sinning so long as they do not yield to the seductive sexual temptations.
10. Homosexual behavior can definitely be changed in anyone humbling themselves and repenting, as evidenced by multitudes throughout the world who testify to their freedom in Jesus Christ.
Here’s the deal: Whether a high-profile figure like Pete Buttigieg or an ordinary person, God offers hope, forgiveness and freedom to everyone who repents and believes the transformative and liberating message of the gospel. As His ambassadors we must winsomely and courageously communicate hope through Jesus Christ as darkness increases in our culture today.
Martin Luther warned us 500 years ago, “If I profess with the loudest voice in clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point that the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages is where the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is merely flight and disgrace if he flinches at this point.”
Note: For further resources to help you, go to Bullseyechallenge.com for free, immediately accessible brief videos on this topic.
Also, be sure to check out Larry Tomczak’s “Here’s the Deal” podcast on the Charisma Podcast Network. {eoa}
Cheri Fuller and Cindy Lamb Curry 
Marilyn Hickey 
Charisma Staff 
