BEGGING THE QUESTION AGAIN
Alistair Begg has doubled down on the position he espouses regarding trans-marriage that got him removed from American Family Radio. This in spite of almost universal criticism by the conservative Christian community and the gracious attempts of a host of pastor friends to change his mind. And, this in sprite of the encouragement he has gotten from so called “gay pastors” across the country. In the process of digging in his heels on the issue he has issued a warning to Christians to beware of their pastors or any other preacher or teacher who disagrees with him, strongly suggesting that those who do are very likely practitioners of, or have personal inclinations towards, homosexuality or other sexual perversion themselves. Furthermore, he has blatantly wrested Scripture such as the parable of the prodigal son to support his position.
To begin with, I want to make it clear that this article is about much more than the controversy brought on by and surrounding any one person. It underscores the general shallowness, superficiality, carnality, celebrity fetish, and defense of it all that characterizes so much of what claims to be Bible believing Christianity in America today.
Secondly, I want to make it clear that this isn’t an effort to pile on, cancel-out or destroy Begg or any other professed Christian who goes astray doctrinally or otherwise. I’m aware that mercy is promised to those who are merciful (Matt. 5:7). (This disclaimer shouldn’t even be necessary, but we live in an atmosphere now when those who conscientiously and correctly “contend for the faith,” (Jude 3) condemn sin (Eph. 5:11),” or warn against false teaching and teachers (1 Tim. 1:18-20) open themselves up immediately to accusations and insinuations by unbelievers and professed Christians alike of being a “Pharisee,” a “legalist,” “unloving,” “judgmental,” etc. and targets them for the same kind of projection, gas-lighting and labeling that is typical of the WOKE Left. What an upside-down, twisted, state of affairs we have come to.
Christians, regardless of their status, or rightness otherwise, are subject to correction and rebuke when they’re in error, and ought to receive it with humility and gratitude. When Peter was in error, Paul “withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed,” but Peter didn’t double down on his erroneous position. When “Apollos … an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures” was in error he humbly and gratefully received correction from Aquila and Priscilla. He didn’t double-down with an arrogant defensiveness reeking of pride (Gal. 2:11; Acts 18:24)
Some have said that Alistair Begg has a “right to be wrong” (“wrong” in this case being a euphemism for sin) relative to this issue. I respectfully, and I think rightfully, disagree. We all have the capacity for, and a propensity towards, being wrong (that is, guilty of sin). But does anyone have a “right” before God to be wrong? Answer: No. First and foremost, before thinking about the “right” of anyone (especially any preacher with a microphone as big as Mr. Begg’s) to be wrong, we need to think about the responsibility that everyone, preachers and teachers especially, have to be right.
The Word of God, the Spirit of God and the fear of God enables believers to know and do what is right, and pastors are commanded to be “rightly dividing the word of truth.” (See Isa. 8:20; Ps. 119:105; 2 Tim. 2:15). The way a man receives and responds to correction immediately reveals a lot, and in time reveals a lot more, about him. We should pray that the days ahead reveal much better things about Mr. Begg than he has so far revealed about himself.