by | June 12, 2022 · 4:58 pm

What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality?

The following is a near word-for-word transcript of sermon I delivered this morning, June 12, 2022, at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Warthen, Georgia.

I am sure by now most of you have heard that I was going to preach on something controversial this morning. This week I asked for prayer on Facebook live, because the subject matter is so sensitive. And do you want to know why I did that? It’s because we live in a world that is full of darkness and deceit and there’s an enemy who is fighting tooth and nail, fang and claw, to keep the truth of God’s Word hidden, and he has plenty of willing accomplices. These are they who “hold (or suppress) the truth in unrighteousness,” as spoken of in Romans 1:18.

  • Romans 1:18 KJV – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold [suppress] the truth in unrighteousness;

Over the years there have been multiple cases of companies, everything from auto makers to drug makers, who have been sued and even prosecuted for withholding critical information such as defects or dangers. Anyone remember the Ford Pinto? What about Fen Phen? A lot of people died, and a lot of people were permanently hurt because somebody didn’t want to tell the truth. Billions of dollars were paid out. Worse, thousands of lives were either lost or changed forever.

So, what does the Bible say about the Christian, the man of God, the preacher, who knows the Truth, yet, for whatever reason, suppresses it, hides it, or simply never talks about it? To what court will he or she have to answer? Let me tell you, he will stand before the Judge of the universe and give an account!

  • Jeremiah 48:10 KJV – Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

Unfortunately, there are several reasons why the truth is being withheld today; why what I’m going to preach about today is rarely addressed in public, much less from the pulpit.

  1. A lack of understanding – we are not confident in our knowledge of the subject, so we stay quiet or avoid discussion.
  2. Fear and intimidation. The threats are real.
  3. A faulty understanding of Scripture – bad theology – that attributes sainthood to the sinner without repentance and seeks unity through compromise.
  4. Sin is in the camp.

Well, let me tell you about my thoughts on those 4 points…

  1. I’ve done my homework. But that didn’t take much. I mean, one really doesn’t have to look far for evidence that men are men and women are women and that each was made for a purpose the other one was not designed for. But I’ve also gone to the Bible for answers to the lunacy running rampant in this world. And guess what, the answers are in there, so I’m ready to talk about it any time you want to drop the hat.
  2. Fear and intimidation? As President Biden so eloquently puts it, “Come on!” Who are we to fear when we are doing the will of God? Who are we to fear when we are speaking the truth? Those people we read of in the Bible were not included for our entertainment, you know; they are there for our instruction. How can we, with a good conscience, tell our children and grandchildren to be like young David, Daniel, or Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego?
    • How can we tell them to stand up to giants when we cower before lawyers and people who can’t decide which bathroom to use?
    • How can we tell them to be a Daniel and pray, even when the King says not to, even if it means the lions’ den?
    • How can we in good conscience praise Daniel’s three Hebrew friends for not bowing before Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue if we cower to every demand to affirm idolatry?
  3. As to the third reason why Truth is withheld – a faulty view of Scripture/bad theology and a desire to affirm every delusional definition of humanity, folks, all it takes is reading more than one verse, reading them in context, and avoiding the apologetic nonsense written by former Christians who’ve now found that the forbidden fruit isn’t that bad, after all. Most bad theology can be corrected by simply reading the Bible.
  4. And then, when it comes to sin in the camp, well, I have no idea if anyone here or watching from somewhere else is guilty.

    You may be like Achan in the Old Testament who took the forbidden treasure from Jericho and hid it under his tent. If so, that’s between you and God.

    What’s more likely, however, is that you know somebody with the bad theology and the hidden sin, and you’re more invested in it than you’d like to admit. As a matter of fact, you’ve even been wondering if God condemned that sin, or not? I mean, Achan was probably a great guy and loved his family, right? What was a little disobedience? Isn’t all sin the same? What would be wrong with simply letting him be who he is? Heck, think about all the church could do if he donated a little of that forbidden gold to the church!

Church, I do not want to be guilty of withholding the truth in order to keep the government happy, the activists happy, or even the church member happy. There may be a den of lions or a fiery furnace in our future, but I’d like to be remembered like Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednigo who said, “Even if our God does not deliver us from your hand, we will not bow.”

Now, before I say anything else, I want to remind you that we are to speak the truth in love. It is not my job to condemn anyone, only to love them as Christ loves them and gave His life for them. Therefore, when I say what I’m going to say, please understand that I don’t hate anyone. All I want to do is tell you the truth, even if it hurts, even if offends, even if it makes you mad. Because, when it’s all said and done, my job is to warn you the building is about to collapse – you have to decide get out before it’s too late.

Church, we are living in a day when the very creation of Holy God is under attack. We have so many people worrying about the climate and climate change, and maybe that’s a good thing, but God didn’t just create the world – he created man, “male and female created He them.”

In Genesis 1:26 we read that God said, “Let us make man in our own image…” Man, both male and female, was made in the image of God, yet today the very definition of Man is under attack. Let me tell you, when we think we are smarter than our Creator to the point of redefining and redesigning what was made in His image, we show that what we really hate is not ourselves, but God.

Folks, this is the month of June, the month that for so long was associated with beautiful brides. Now it’s a month dedicated to Pride. And sadly, too many church people have ditched the Bride of Christ at the altar and run of with the bride of Frankenstein. Churches and whole denominations that were once known for their piety and Bible study are now ordaining practicing homosexuals, lesbians, transgenders, and even those who can’t decide. The truth is no longer being taught and preached as the image of God becomes more distorted every day.

So, then, what does the Bible say about homosexuality? I’m not asking you what CNN says. I’m not asking you what a government agency says. I am not asking you what you read on the internet or saw on TV. What does the Bible say?

Well, because this is such a complicated topic and one that deserves a lot more discussion than what I’m able to cover today, I want to tell you what the Bible says based on 4 questions.

I. Is Homosexuality a Sin?

The first thing we need to do is clarify the question. As a matter of fact, it would be best if we break this single question down into two. The first one should be “Is being tempted with same-sex attraction a sin?” The second should be, “Is homosexual activity a sin?” This is a very important distinction, for being tempted to sin is not the same as committing the sin. If it was, we’d be in trouble.

  • Matthew 4:1 – Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (Jesus was tempted, but he didn’t sin.)

Satan has been tempting us since the beginning of time. And as it was in the beginning, temptation is not the sin; acting upon the temptation is. All of us are different in many ways, and what tempts you may not be a temptation to me. We are not all the same when it comes to what our flesh desires – some people like cottage cheese while I gag at the thought of it.

For whatever reason, though (sometimes biological, other times because of something traumatic that has happened, for reasons that are different from one person to the next), men and women, even boys and girls, sometimes find themselves attracted to others of the same sex. Frankly, this is how our culture is preying upon our youth – by capitalizing on their immaturity. But the fact is that the temptation is not the sin – acting upon it is.

So, the second part of that question should be “Is homosexual activity a sin?” If we are talking about two people of the same gender having sex, then yes, it is a sin.

Again, we are not talking about being tempted to do something; we’re talking about actually doing the thing. Some people may be born with a tendency toward violent behavior, but we don’t encourage them to go ahead and act upon those feelings because they were born that way, do we? No, the truth is pretty simple and not hard to find, IF WE ARE HONEST AND AREN’T TRYING TO HIDE THE TRUTH.

Let’s look at what Scripture says.

  • To begin with, there’s the story found in Genesis 19, the story of Sodom and the men of Sodom who wanted to rape the angels sent there to remove Lot and his family.
  • Leviticus 18:22 KJV – Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
  • Leviticus 20:13 KJV – If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them (in other words, it’s nobody’s fault but theirs).

So, as you can see in just these few verses, having sex with someone of the same sex is wrong in God’s eyes.

But that leads me to another question people ask a lot. . .

II. “If homosexual activity is a sin, then why didn’t Jesus talk about it?”

All I can say it that those who use Jesus Christ as an excuse to sin are either simply ignorant, or they know a lot of Christians are. Often, when debating a practicing homosexual, the Christian will find himself backed into a corner with “gotcha” questions. In actuality the answers to these questions are not that difficult, but the Enemy knows how to twist the truth, AMEN?

The homosexual (or ally) will set up the Christian by asking, “Do you believe the Bible?” The answer, of course, will be “Yes.”

Then the homosexual activist will go back to Gen. 19 and Leviticus 20 and ask, “So, do you believe homosexuals should be put to death?” Many times, this is where they get tripped up. Most believers will say “No,” but then that will set them up for not believing the Bible. IF they say “yes,” then, besides other reactions, the activist can ask, “OK, well then why didn’t Jesus ever talk about homosexuality? Jesus taught us to love one another, not kill each other, right?”

What is the answer? How would YOU respond? DID Jesus say homosexual activity was a sin, or not? He didn’t have to!

Look, Jesus never said it was a sin to drive 100 mph in a school zone, but He did tell us to obey the laws of the land (not to mention loving our neighbor, which it’s hard to love your neighbor and drive 100 through a school zone).

And Jesus never specifically mentioned homosexuality, either. But what He DID say had wide implications for all types of sexual activity outside of God’s design. And what is that design? God created male and female, nothing in between, nothing flexible or fluid, as complimentary to each other, as examples for theological truths yet to be revealed. Look at the following verses…

  • Matthew 19:4-6 KJV – And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
  • Matthew 5:27-28 KJV – Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Even though our culture wants to shame and intimidate, even scare us into “affirming” same-sex relationships, Jesus never did. All He ever affirmed was the example set in creation. All other sexual activity, whether gay or not, if outside the bond of marriage between a male and a female is either fornication or adultery, both of which are clearly sin.

Now, let’s ask another question…

III. Is it a sin to be PROUD of who I am?

Like I mentioned at the beginning, June is Gay Pride month. If you didn’t know, first “gay pride” parade was held in 1970, 52 years ago. The parade was a follow-up to the Stonewall riots that occurred a year earlier in Greenwich, New York, at the Stonewall Inn (which, incidentally, was declared a National Monument in 2016 by Barak Obama).

Essentially, the police raided a gay nightclub to arrest some drag queens (men who dress like women), because at that time in New York it was illegal. While the police had people locked up in the paddy wagon, somebody whipped up the watching crowd and started throwing stuff at the police. The riot lasted 5 days.

Every year since 1970 there have been parades and celebrations in the month of June. The purpose this these celebrations is to not only draw attention to the abuse of homosexuals (which, by the way, is wrong, too), but also to affirm every aspect of sexual perversion. What used to be shameful, people are proud of and want us to know it.

But, again, is it a sin to be proud of who I am? I’m proud to be an American, aren’t you? I will be attending a 4th of July celebration somewhere this year. But the difference between being proud of who you are and “Pride” month is as simple as the reason for celebrating: sexual perversion.

Besides sacrilegiously adopting the symbol of God’s mercy (the rainbow) as their emblem, people who celebrate unrepentant sin and demand the respect of others is a dangerous sign. As a matter of fact, when a culture has gone as far as ours has to celebrate a sin…one that Jesus died so that we might be forgiven, not affirmed…is evidence that God is already in the process of pouring out judgement upon a nation. Turn to Romans chapter 1 and read with me beginning at verse 26.

  • Romans 1:26-27 KJV – For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

When we see a culture so full of sin, this particular sin, and not just the act of homosexuality, but the promotion of its acceptance as normal, we should mourn, not celebrate! Such things are only evidence that we’ve already been turned over, that this is just the beginning of judgement to come.

And in case you’ve ever been told that the real sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was being inhospitable, nothing sexual, I submit to you Jude 1:7…

  • Jude 1:7 KJV – Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Sodom and Gomorrah are an example to us.

This leads me to one last question, even though there are many, many more that could be asked…

IV. Can a homosexual be saved and go to heaven?

First off, I don’t want to go any further without reminding each and every one of us that if it wasn’t for the grace and mercy of God, every one of us would be in hell right now.

  • Romans 3:23 KJV – For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Sexual sin is no different than any other sin in this way – it takes the blood of Jesus to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

But if you want to know (because you asked, right?), let’s turn to a few passages of scripture and read what they say.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 KJV – Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
  • 1 Timothy 1:10 KJV – For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

What these verses are saying is that those who live in unrepentant sin are, in fact, likely unsaved and in danger of hell. Notice that the tense of the verses is continual, active, on-going. But this doesn’t have to stay that way. And, more importantly, it is NOT saying that those who regularly practice and affirm homosexuality can NEVER be saved!

  • 1 Corinthians 6:11 KJV – And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

So, what does the Bible say about homosexuality? It’s a sin, for sure, and one that is an affront to the very plan and nature of God. However, there is no sin that the blood of Jesus Christ, accepted by faith with a repentant heart, can’t cleanse and wash as white as snow!

Homosexual sin is like any other sin; it’s a heart issue…

  • Matthew 15:19 – For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies…

And let me go one step further…homosexual sin is like any other sin in that if you walk in the world, even as a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, without the armor of God you are just as vulnerable to temptations of the culture and the lies of Satan as any lost person.

  • Galatians 5:16 KJV – This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
  • Ephesians 6:13 KJV – Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

INVITATION

Maybe you are struggling with sin in your life. Maybe it’s something other than sexual sin. Jesus offers forgiveness.

Maybe you or a friend or loved one is struggling with the grips of homosexual sin. And maybe, after all you’ve heard, you can’t see how God could understand what you’re going through.

Well, Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Thankfully, Jesus does understand how difficult temptations can be, but he is also the answer to those temptations.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV – Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

And even if you stumble after you’ve given your heart and life to Jesus Christ, does he cast you out? NO!

  • 1 John 2:1 KJV – My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Whatever your need, would you give it to God today?

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Filed under Bethlehem Baptist Church, Bible, Bible Study, Culture Wars, Defining Marriage, Preaching

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by | June 11, 2022 · 12:39 pm

“One Man’s Sunset; Another Man’s Dawn”+31

Over a two-week period, just over 31 years ago, things started to get a little weird.

I can’t recall all of the moments that led up to me concluding something bad was going to happen, but a couple stand out above the rest.

The Revival Service

It was in June of 1991. The church that I attended was having a week-long series of meetings. My mother and father did not attend the same church as I did, but on the last night of the revival, which was a Friday, my dad came. The evangelist preached on heaven that night and said something that hit me like a brick. He said, “Heaven will never be real to you until there is someone there you want to go see.”

The Movie

In that very same week, my family went to see a movie. It was a new animated film called An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. In one particular scene, an old hound dog, the retiring sheriff, sat watching a sunset with the little mouse, Fievel. The legendary actor, Jimmy Stewart, speaking as Wylie Burp, said to Fievel,

“Just remember, Fievel – one man’s sunset is another man’s dawn. I don’t know what’s out there beyond those hills. But if you ride yonder… head up, eyes steady, heart open… I think one day you’ll find that you’re the hero you’ve been looking for.” – Wylie Burp

The moment he said, “one man’s sunset is another man’s dawn,” I felt a chill and a heaviness that took my breath. I knew my dawn was coming.

Sunset

Early on Monday morning, June 11, 1991, while working 3rd shift as a security guard in a high-security nuclear facility, my dad felt sick. He asked a cleaning person which bathroom was clean, then went in, took off his gun belt, bent over a sink, and died.

It had only been since Friday the 8th that I had heard that message about heaven. That Monday was when heaven became more real than I could have ever imagined. My dad, Terry L. Baker, went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He surrendered his badge, took off his gun belt, and laid down – literally.

Dawn

As the sun rose over the horizon, I sped my Datsun 280Z toward the hospital. When I got there, I asked for my dad, but was led to a room where my mother was sitting. In a sobbing cry, she looked up to me and held out a little plastic bag containing my father’s personal items. She said, “This is all I have left…” That was the exact moment when I found out. That was the exact moment it became dawn.

That’s my father and me on the front row. This was 1987 in Milan, Michigan.

It may have been my dawn, but it was one of the darkest moments in my life. My dad and I were terribly close. We worked together, played together, worshiped together, and preached together. In the week before my daddy died, I went up to him and told him that I really felt like something was going to happen. He told me that he would outlive my grandchildren. But in case he didn’t, I had to make sure of one thing – would I preach his funeral?

The Funeral

Some people could not understand how I did it, but I did preach my dad’s funeral. You see, I was 24, but I had accepted the call to preach when I was 16. My dad had been a pastor, a lay preacher for years. It may have been just guy talk at the time, but in a moment of male-bonding, my dad and I agreed that whoever died first, for whatever reason, the other would preach the funeral. That is why I asked my dad that question. I needed to be sure he was serious. His response was, “Of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” So, I did.

My dad presided over a lot of funerals, and he even carried in his Bible a sermon that he used more often than not. The title of the sermon was “The Times I Need Him Most.” So, from his own Bible, from his own outline, I preached his funeral. And unlike I usually do today, I even gave an altar call. Believe it or not, right there to my left, beside the casket, a friend of the family came down to the altar and asked Jesus to come into his life. Never once had my dad led a person to the Lord when he preached a funeral sermon, but this time was different.

The Family Car

There will always be those who think the following is crazy; only coincidence: but God showed up in the limousine as we went to the graveyard. As soon as I got into the car, I asked the driver, who was a Christian friend, to turn the radio on. I wanted to hear some encouraging music. When he did, the DJ on WAY FM out of Nashville played a song by Wayne Watson, The Ultimate Healing. Right after that, the DJ came on the air and said, “I know we usually have songs pre-planned according to a particular format, but I just really feel led by God to play this next song – I don’t know why.”  The song was Where There is Faith, by 4Him. The second verse goes like this:

There’s a man across the sea
Never heard the sound of freedom ring
Only in his dreams
There’s a lady dressed in black
In a motorcade of Cadillacs
Daddy’s not coming back
Our hearts begin to fall
And our stability grows weak
But Jesus meets our needs if only we believe

CHORUS
Where there is faith
There is a voice calling, keep walking
You’re not alone in this world
Where there is faith
There is a peace like a child sleeping
Hope everlasting in He who is able to
Bear every burden, to heal every hurt in my heart
It is a wonderful, powerful place
Where there is faith

Today

Today, my mother’s body is now resting beside my dad’s, but I am comforted with the knowledge that one day I will see both of them again (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). In the meantime, I must carry on in the task that I have been called to do.

Several years ago, I went to the grave, and even though I knew my dad was not there, I read Proverbs 4 aloud. What better words could have been said in remembrance of a committed, consistent, caring, God-fearing, humble father? They were words that I wanted to say out loud because they were being fulfilled.

“He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.” – Prov. 4:4-5

“Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. … Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. … My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. … Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” – Proverbs 4:10-11, 14, 20-21, 25-27

Dad (and Momma), I just want you to know that I am still in the fight. I haven’t given up and I haven’t compromised. I wasn’t a fly-by-night wannabe, but a real man of God. My Sword is still sharp. My aim is still true. I even have some “arrows” that used to be in my quiver; you will meet one day.

Don’t worry, even though I know you won’t. I will keep pressing on and fighting the good fight until the time of my own sunset. Then, when this life is over, I hope I can stand there beside you when Jesus says to you, “Well done.” You did good, Daddy. I’ll make you proud.

Tell Mom we all miss her, too.

Your loving son,

Rev. Dr. Anthony C. Baker

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by | June 3, 2022 · 8:27 am

Let’s Discuss Why Biden and the Democrats are Wrong on Gun Control (Yeah, I’m going there)

This morning I am sitting down at a table with my laptop and Bible. I have a Bible study in James to conduct in a little over an hour from now.

But at this moment I feel the need and the desire to explain why the Biden administration, along with the Democrat Party, is wrong in their attempts to enact “common sense gun control.” In the recent weeks there have been over 30 people die in “mass” shootings and the tragedy of that is beyond description, yet the answer to the problem is NOT taking away the freedom to own firearms from law-abiding Americans.

In a recent statement, President Biden made an impassioned appeal to do something sweeping and unprecedented.

“As a nation, we have to ask, when in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in God’s name, will we do what we know in our gut what needs to be done? … We have to act. Don’t tell me we can’t have an impact on this carnage…” 

Joe Biden

However, what is truly in our gut? How has the “gun lobby” affected the rise in cold-blooded murder? What should we REALLY be doing in “God’s name”? Let me tell you.

The thing that’s in the gut of Americans is the nauseating, stomach churning truth that what’s been going on in our country is not the fault of guns or lobbyists – it’s much deeper than that. The true problem, along with the solution, is one the Biden administration and the liberal left refuses to acknowledge for fear the implications will ultimately undermine their agenda.

I know it’s a long passage to post, but you really need to see it all. It’s just 10 verses, but it’s totally applicable to this discussion.

[1] What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? [2] You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. [3] And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong–you want only what will give you pleasure. [4] You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. [5] What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? [6] But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.” [7] So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. [9] Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

James 4:1-10 NLT

It would seem to me that if we were serious about acting in God’s name, we should consult His revealed Word.

You see, God never said anything about guns, did He? He never said weapons of any kind were evil and killed people. No, what He actually said was that people and nations who forget Him will turn to violent means to get what they want.

That’s where we are, today.

What has changed in the religious fabric of our nation since we “boomers” were children? To what levels of depravity has our culture reached in its attempt to obliterate self-control and free itself from accountability? Is it not ironic to see the progression of gun violence mirror the departure from moral absolutes and our identity as a Christian nation?

Think about what has changed in less than 50 years…

  • Where have the gun racks in the back of pick-up trucks gone? Remember when your dad could leave a shotgun and a rifle in plain sight and not worry?
  • Remember when BB guns were common children’s toys?
  • Remember when kids brought their own .22 cal. rifles to school for marksmanship training?
  • Remember the days before toy pistols had to be colored bright orange?

What changed? Did guns become more deadly? Did ammunition develop a mean streak? No, we’ve simply emptied ourselves of moral responsibility and our guts growl with a spiritual hunger.

When you get hungry enough, you’ll eat anything, even if it will make your sick or kill you.

Gun control – the banning or taking away weapons – will not fix the problem. People with hearts that love their neighbor more than themselves can sit in a room full of AR-15s and never once feel inclined to shoot somebody.

We all know this in “our gut,” but some of us are too afraid to say it.

I’m not.

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by | May 31, 2022 · 7:32 am

Just Keep Painting, Painting, Painting

Ah, Dory. Totally clueless for the most part, but totally and perpetually the optimistic swimmer. She barely had an idea where she was going, but she just kept “swimming, swimming, swimming.”

Sometimes that all I can do when it comes to painting. When I barely know what I’m doing, I just keep painting, painting, painting.

Every painting I start, doesn’t matter what it is, I have this gut feeling that I won’t be able to finish it. It’s like every project I set out to paint seems more than I should be able to do. I mean, I haven’t been painting all that long (less than 2 years), and already the expectations people have of me are far greater than I consider myself able.

But what do I do? I just keep painting. For eventually, with enough trial and error, I end up with a piece of art.

The painting I’m showing you today is one that I did yesterday for my brother-in-law, Carlos. My sister asked me if I could do a portrait of his late dog Cosmo (originally a Romanian stray, I think). At first I was excited to do so, but then I remembered how that I’ve done very little painting of animals, and they weren’t that good.

However, upon accepting the request, I decided to give it my best, take my time, and see what I could do. And to be honest, the moment I sat down in front of a photo of Cosmo, I was intimidated. Unlike static structures, living things have a lot more shades of color. On top of that, when you change something very minor, a familiar face can become a stranger. Therefore, I was nervous.

But then, once I got started, all I had to do was take one step at a time. The first thing was to do a preliminary pencil sketch, which included determining where colors would be divided. After that, I started with light washes of neutral colors on which I would add darker and darker shades. Then, when all that was done, I would start “fine tuning” the details like blending and edging. All it really took was time and patience.

Herein lies a lesson for life. When there are times we feel incapable of the task that has been set before us, most of the time, if we will just keep swimming, not only will we finish, but we will often learn something new along the way, something we can use next time to make the harder challenge attainable.

So, if you feel like you can’t do whatever it is you need to do, don’t give up. If God has called you for something specific, He’s already placed inside of you the talent. Trust Him, and just keep painting. It will turn out beautiful in time.

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by | May 26, 2022 · 11:46 am

Innocent Until Accused?

I know that what I am about to share with you could be taken the wrong way. Therefore, I am going to do everything I can to keep that from happening. Please read the following bullet points.

  • Sexual misconduct is a sin, but it’s also a disqualifier for ministry leadership.
  • Sexual misconduct, particularly assault, but not exclusively, is a crime which should not be tolerated.
  • Any sexual misconduct that is reported should immediately be turned over to the proper authorities. Nothing is to be handled internally.
  • All accusations of sexual misconduct should be taken seriously and investigated.
  • Alleged victims should be treated with compassion and respect.
  • Sexual assault, especially by a trusted leader or mentor, is monstrous and deserving of punishment to the fullest extent of the law.

Next, I would like to remind you that my family and I have had to endure the pain of sexual misconduct and abuse. We have personal experience with the legal and judicial process, also. Even more, I carry with me the guilt of having not seen the red flags early enough and the shame of having believed the denials and lies of a sexual predator.

So, my point is this: Don’t get on a podium and preach to me about this subject, especially when I say what I’m about to say; I know of which I speak.

Accusations are not proof of guilt. Denials are not proof of innocence. Therefore, when it comes to accusations of sexual misconduct, the accused deserves to be treated as innocent until proven guilty. That’s not only constitutional; it’s biblical.

Unfortunately, especially for those in ministry, accusations are about as damaging and destructive as a conviction. Because of how our legal system works, it is possible for a good defense attorney to get an actual offender cleared of all charges. Therefore, though technically innocent (or “not guilty”), it is feasible for the accused to still be guilty, though not punished. The result is perpetual suspicion that the accused is guilty, regardless the evidence.

Let me be honest, I believe once a sexual predator, always a sexual predator. I didn’t used to believe that, but my opinions changed several years ago. Therefore, if you’ve ever been convicted of a sex crime, don’t ever expect to come to a church I pastor and think you’re going to be treated the same as everyone else. It doesn’t matter if you’ve repented; I can’t take the risk with my sheep. But what do I do with those who’ve been accused, yet never convicted?

This all came to the forefront this week when news that the Guidestone report on the investigation of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Board was released. In it are damning allegations of sexual misconduct, even assault, by not only individuals on the board, but also evidence that misconduct in local churches by pastors was covered up.

So, what we now have are major influential ministries and ministers in the Southern Baptist Convention having to step down from their respective positions, see their incomes taken away, and be forced to live with the ever-present stain of disqualification, guilty or not. This is where I have a huge problem.

Tragically, this conundrum affects both parties involved. The victims often find it difficult to be believed and often have their character destroyed in trial by the defense. Those who are accused are often considered too risky to keep around and therefore lose everything in the process of proving their innocence. All the while, those of us on the outside rarely receive enough credible information to make an informed decision and we’re often the products of our own biases (i.e., “always believe the woman,” or “it’s always political”).

As hard as it may be, the fact is that we need to remember a fundamental doctrine in our system of law – everyone is innocent until proven guilty. It is NOT the other way around. Although the accusations may be disgusting and horrible, we are not guilty of them until proven. We cannot continue to allow the accusation of sin be the conviction of sin.

By the way, it’s pronounced “uh-salt,” NOT “uh-sult.”

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by | May 25, 2022 · 2:30 pm

Is it Breaking the Law in Canada if the Crime is Directed toward an American?

Who’s Stephen?

Some of you may know him as the kind, polite, father and husband who lives up north where the maple trees grow. Others of you may know him as the troll who loves to leave hateful comments on this blog.

If you are not familiar with Stephen, he calls himself a “red letter” Christian who is an “a** hole at times,” but particularly when dealing with other “a** holes” like pastors, ministers, Bible-teachers, etc. And it is here, on this blog, where Stephen loves to imitate the aforementioned body part.

Stephen and his comments go back a while. At one point they were much more cordial. He has even wished my wife and me well! However, although he claims to harbor no hatred toward organized religion, the bitter sarcasm and frequent pointed vulgarity say the opposite.

As of recently (mainly because I’ve started writing again), our Canadian friend has been back at it with renewed vitriol. What’s more, he’s even taken to replying to commenters with condescending, insulting comments.

So, the purpose of this post is to bring Stephen out into the open where everyone can see what he is saying, not just those who leave or read the comments. And what’s more, I’m going to share some points from the Canada Human Rights Act that may have a bearing on Stephen’s language.

CHRA Quotes

I am not sharing the following information as a means of support for the Canada Human Rights Act. Personally, I think making hate speech a major crime, especially when the laws can be interpreted to include just about anything that offends another, is government overreach.

However, since it IS the law in Canada, I thought it would be interesting to share what I found and then use it as a light to shine on recent comments from Stephen.

Fear of hate propaganda offence or hate crime
810.‍012 (1) A person may, with the Attorney General’s consent, lay an information before a provincial court judge if the person fears on reasonable grounds that another person will commit

  • (a) an offence under section 318 or subsection 319(1) or (2);
  • (b) an offence under subsection 430(4.‍1); or
  • (c) an offence motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other similar factor.

Communication of hate speech
13 (1) It is a discriminatory practice to communicate or cause to be communicated hate speech by means of the Internet or other means of telecommunication in a context in which the hate speech is likely to foment detestation or vilification of an individual or group of individuals on the basis of a prohibited ground of discrimination.

Continuous communication
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person who communicates or causes to be communicated hate speech continues to do so for as long as the hate speech remains public and the person can remove or block access to it.

Definition of hate speech

(9) In this section, hate speech means the content of a communication that expresses detestation or vilification of an individual or group of individuals on the basis of a prohibited ground of discrimination.

Stephen’s Comments

Now, since you’ve hopefully read the above statutes, I would like to share with you a couple of recent comments which Stephen has left. I will embolden key words so that you can compare those with the CHRA.

have to excuse me if I don’t take advice from religious grifters who can’t keep their children safe Anthony.
You have no moral high ground and absolutely no authority over anybody. But your mental illness keeps you from seeing this truth.
Only an absolute legalistic, religious zealot would believe that Gods’ grace, joy, fulfillment and blessings are bases on showing up Sunday mornings to a religious business.
You don’t even know Jesus Christ yourself and yet you rob people of their hard earned money with your weapon of choice, the bible.
You’re truly a disgusting human being Anthony.

Stephen, 5/23/22 2:07 p.m.

And again you prove yourself an asshole. You’ve got a history of supporting sexual predators so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. No matter how many times God proves to you that some of your beliefs are way off, little Anthony Baker knows better.
Just another religious asshole who refuses to take responsibility for himself. Blaming fictional people “the woke” or “the left”. If you knew just how stupid you sound you might shut the heck up.
A pastor who supports murderers and sexual predators, seems par for the western christian church.

Stephen, 5/24/22 8:52 a.m.

As a pastor, my reputation in the public’s eye is critically important. It’s one thing to make statements like those above about engineers, taxi drivers, or dentists, but when it’s against a member of the clergy, even suggestions of misconduct or seeming alignment with criminal or perverse behavior can cost a man and his family a living. And, not just the pastor, but the whole congregation and the name of the church in their community can suffer.

Therefore, when we look at what I’ve emboldened in the above comments from Stephen, what we see are words that not only vilify an individual but give evidence of a class hatred. Then, since these comments are meant to be viewed by all, even though they could be redacted, one can only assume that the end result would be to manipulate the reader and malign my character.

What do YOU think? Does Stephen put himself at risk for a $20,000 payment to me and a $50,000 payment to the Canadian government? It’s either that or jail time, from what I read.

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by | May 25, 2022 · 11:44 am

So, If Guns Are Banned in America …

First, my deepest condolences go out to the families of those children and teachers killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Our hearts break.

I have never lost a child, so I cannot say I know how they feel. However, having been there as a chaplain for the families who lost children in the Woodmore school bus crash, I was witness to the explosive grief that overwhelmed them upon notification that their child had died. All one could do at that moment was cry with them. I can only imagine it has been similar in Uvalde.

Yet, once again – and is truly sad that there even is a “once again” – those who are adamant that gun control in America is the answer to all gun crime are not only screaming for new laws, but they are also cursing those who pray for the families! “F*** your prayers!” were the words of at least one elected official.

Other people, like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D), blamed Republicans for the children’s deaths. Why? Because Republicans, she said, though claiming to be “pro-life,” still refuse to agree to comprehensive gun legislation which could help stop the murdering of children. They never waste a catastrophe, do they?

But what if legislation was passed tomorrow that banned all handguns and rifles? What if, starting tomorrow, all high-capacity magazines, AR-15-like rifles, and handguns were ordered to be taken somewhere and destroyed? Who would be the ones bringing the weapons for destruction? The criminals? the murderers? NO! It would be the law-abiding citizens! That would only make the mass shooters happy!

I know it may sound cliche, but it’s the truth: when you take away the guns, only criminals will have them. No new law will stop a criminal from breaking it when they are already break the ones that exist.

My question is how did the shooter in Texas get into the classroom in the first place? He had already been on the run after shooting his grandmother and then firing at police. It was when he was fleeing police that he entered Robb Elementary. Were there no locked doors? Was there access into the school other than in the front? It is a lot more difficult for a gunman to enter a school that has taken measures to prevent such a thing. How did he get into this school?

Again, our hearts break for the families of Robb Elementary. And regardless of what AOC thinks, we will pray for them.

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by | May 24, 2022 · 7:45 am

SBC In Trouble, but Missions Will Suffer

Last night I received some heartbreaking news about the Southern Baptist Convention. Heartbreaking and sickening.

When my wife and I attended last year’s general session in Nashville and voted for a transparent investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, I had no idea what would happen. However, my intention, along with all the other delegates (as best I can tell), was to take a proactive stance that would show we won’t (and won’t) tolerate that kind of stuff.

However, over the past year it became obvious to me and some others that more was at play than an investigation. Certain red flags were waving in the camp of the SBC leadership – the woke ones – not the SBC Executive Committee, and the shakeup that followed looked more like an ideological purge than an attempt to make something right.

But yesterday the report from Guidestone dropped. And what was in that report? Accusations that the leadership of the SBC has been covering up hundreds of sexual misconduct accusations, including the one from 2010 against former SBC president Johnny Hunt. It seems Hunt was accused of sexual assault against another pastor’s wife 24 years his junior. He vehemently denies it.

Are the accusations true? Well, according to the report from Guidestone, the accusation seems credible and conversations with Johnny Hunt did not leave the investigators with much confidence. As a result, Hunt has resigned all positions and, at the least, will suffer ministerial destruction.

If he did what he was accused of, then Hunt should get what’s coming to him. If, however, all we have are accusations and no evidence worthy of prosecution, we are left with nothing more than unanswered questions, ruined reputations, and one more staunch conservative kicked out of the way.

Now, again, I am totally in support of weeding out sexual misconduct, so don’t misunderstand me. But please forgive me if I’m suspicious of the motivations behind those doing the investigating.

Regardless, the ultimate result will be that SBC missionaries on the field will suffer. Because of this mess, true or not, already decreased giving will take a sharp turn south resulting in the recall of many sharing the Gospel in places all over the world.

This morning at 11 a.m. (eastern), the Executive Committee will be live streaming a special called meeting. They have invited all who are interested to watch it. Whatever the case, regardless of where the evidence leads, this whole thing is totally sickening.

If YOU want to join us as we watch the meeting, I am sharing a link. I hope it works.

https://acts2.vhx.tv/videos/sbc-executive-committee-meeting-live-stream

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by | May 23, 2022 · 9:20 pm

Nothing Yet (on the SCOTUS decision)

Today came and went. Most days do that. But at the end of this day, the Supreme Court did not publish an opinion on the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case (i.e., the case that will either uphold or overturn Roe v. Wade).

That being said, I was able to go with our Chairman of Deacons and his wife, along with my wife and another gentleman, to the ABC Women’s Clinic in Dublin, GA. Even with abortion legal, they are doing a great work in educating women in crisis (as opposed to the one-sided info offered by Planned Parenthood).

The primary purpose of our visit was to deliver a card and a check from our church. Because this particular check was more than usual, we thought it would be a good idea to hand-deliver it, thereby giving us a chance to check the place out.

Praise God for places like ABC! So far this year they have been able to save the lives of 14 babies and have seen 31 people come to Christ! Seven of them were the boyfriends of the girls who had come for help!

So, I guess it won’t be until June that we get a ruling on this case, but in the meantime, there is still work to be done, as there will always be. Because, as the director of ABC Women’s Clinic said, “Abortion isn’t going away.”

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by | May 23, 2022 · 12:07 am

Social Commentary (pre-“Roe v. Wade” Ruling)

It’s a peaceful Sunday evening across most of the country, but what it will be like tomorrow afternoon is anybody’s guess.

It’s been reported that the Supreme Court of the United States may render a ruling on Monday regarding abortion. I don’t know all the details about the case being argued, but it seems that should the Court rule against it, abortion will be something turned back to the states. And if this happens, many states will ban abortion in all cases except for the LIFE of a mother.

What will happen if SCOTUS overturns Roe v. Wade? According to many abortion rights activists, we will see a “summer of rage.”

And what will happen if SCOTUS does NOT overturn Roe v. Wade? I don’t know. However, I bet every demonically influenced sky screamer will be reveling in their uterine autonomy.

I guess all we can do at this moment is wait. We’ll wait for the Supreme Court to announce its decision and wait for people to lose their flipping minds if they are forced to be baby factories and have their uterus’ held hostage by men who don’t know what it’s like to have something grow inside them.

You know, if only the biological males on the Supreme Court would identify as women.

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