The Illiteracy of Current Issues
This is a series addressing the problem of theological illiteracy using the results of the 2022 State of Theology survey by Ligonier Ministries, available here. For an overview of the results and methodology used, see the first post here.
“With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
-Micah 6:6-8, ESV
The final category we must address in dealing with the state of theology is applied or practical theology, which deals with how we apply the teachings of Scripture to our lives and the issues of our day. This topic deals with some of our society’s favorite sins, so the question arises whether the church will stand on Scripture or cave to the world on these issues. The 2022 State of Theology survey addressed the topics of Christian societal responsibility, extramarital sex, abortion, gender, and homosexuality, all of which are either explicitly addressed in Scripture or can be addressed by clear implication of Scripture. All of these issues are related to the Law of God, which is divided into three categories:
Moral Law: Summed up by the Ten Commandments and further summarized by Jesus as loving God and loving others, the moral law is rooted in the unchanging character of God and is therefore universally applicable. The moral law can be recognized by its institution before Mt. Sinai and often by statements such as “I am the LORD” or stating that to commit that sin is to profane the name of God. All of the issues addressed in the survey deal with the moral law. Jesus Christ fulfilled the moral law in that He kept it perfectly, but He did not fulfill it in the sense of abolishing it.[1] (Matthew 22:35-40, 1 Corinthians 9:21)
Ceremonial Law: The various sacrifices, feasts, purification rites, and other such practices are codified in the ceremonial law. All of these point to Jesus Christ and are therefore fulfilled by Him as the only acceptable sacrifice and purification of sin. Therefore, the ceremonial law was fulfilled by Christ such that it is no longer applicable other than to remind us of the ugliness and pervasiveness of sin as well as the immense worth of salvation in Christ that frees us from that sin.[2](Ephesians 2:14-15, Colossians 2:13-14, Hebrews 8:13 and 9:1-10:18)
Civil (or Judicial) Law: Other laws in Scripture lay out the specific manner in which the nation of Israel was to be governed under God. These specific laws became obsolete when the nation of Israel as a theocracy ceased to exist. However, many of these laws are applications of the moral law, so their underlying moral laws are still just as binding on Christians today as they were on Jews millennia ago even if their specific application can change based cultural context.[3] (Isaiah 33:22, James 4:12)
With that foundation, here are the results from the survey regarding current issues. Results are shown below:
STATE OF THEOLOGY: CHRISTIAN SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITY
23. Christians should be silent on issues of politics.
This question deals with the Christian’s responsibility regarding society, which is clearly implied in Scripture. While Scripture does not direct or imply any particular level or nature of political involvement, it is clear that Christians should be deeply concerned about the society in which they live, seeking to improve it in ways that glorify God (Jeremiah 29:7). Israelites were commanded to care for widows, orphans, and sojourners (Deuteronomy 14:29 and 24:17) as well as to relentlessly pursue justice and mercy (Exodus 23:6, Zechariah 7:9). While these commands could be considered part of the civil law, they are undergirded by the moral law that is still just as binding today as it was then. They are part of loving your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:8) and not neglecting the weighty matters of justice (Matthew 23:23) as clearly taught by Jesus. Many political issues are issues of justice, so to be silent about them is to disobey these commands. Scripture is equally clear that silence in the face of injustice and oppression are just as sinful as the injustice and oppression themselves (Job 31:16-23, Isaiah 1:16, Ezekiel 22:6-12). This means it is incompatible with Scripture to say that Christians should be silent on political issues in general. Over half of respondents across all categories affirmed that silence about politics is not commanded in Scripture, ranging from 56% of regularly attending Northeasterners to 76% of Midwest evangelicals. These results are mixed, but generally positive. While there is certainly room for debate as to how much political involvement is prudent and appropriate, it would be improper to say that silence is required. However, it is equally important to stress that while individual Christians can be involved in the political process, it is not the place of churches to be officially involved in politics. We do not wage war using the weapons of the world (2 Corinthians 10:4), including politics. The Gospel is what truly transforms society, and history teaches that such transformations are often slow. Churches must focus on the Gospel, which then compels individual believers to act in ways that advance the Kingdom of God much as it compelled people like William Wilberforce to fight against slavery over two centuries ago.
STATE OF THEOLOGY: EXTRAMARITAL SEX
25. Sex outside of traditional marriage is a sin.
This question is explicitly addressed in Scripture by the Seventh Commandment as interpreted by Jesus (Matthew 7:27-32). Scripture therefore defines “traditional marriage” as the covenantal union between one man and one woman as established by God to reflect the diversity and unity of the Trinity as well as the union between Christ and the Church (Genesis 1:28, Ephesians 5:22-33, Colossians 3:18-19, 1 Peter 1:7). Throughout Scripture, sex outside of this union is prohibited (Leviticus 15 and 20, Proverbs 5-7, Mark 10:1-12, 1 Corinthians 5-6). This is further echoed by Paul with his use of the generic term “sexual immorality” as any sexual activity outside of God’s definition of marriage (Romans 13:13, 1 Corinthians 10:8, 2 Corinthians 12:21, Galatians 5:19, Ephesians 5:3, Colossians 4:3). Thus, Scripture is clear that sex outside of traditional marriage (as defined by God) is sinful. While over half of respondents across all categories except the Northeast (at 39%) affirmed this, it is concerning that results both overall (53%) and for the Midwest (54%) were also relatively low for something so clearly taught by Scripture. Only with regularly attending evangelicals nationwide and in the Midwest were results better than 80%, showing that in certain regions and denominations the sin of extramarital sex has either been denied or neglected. This is especially concerning when we consider that this question only deals with the act of sex and not with lust, which Jesus equates with adultery (Matthew 5:27-28). Had the question included lustful thoughts, pornography, and other forms of sexual immorality outside of sex itself, I fear the results would have been much more negative. Still, it is slightly encouraging to see that in our hypersexualized society, the majority in most categories did affirm the sinfulness of extramarital sex, even if it was only a slight majority.
STATE OF THEOLOGY: ABORTION
26. Abortion is a sin.
The question of abortion is not clearly addressed in any passage of Scripture but is clearly implied by Scripture overall. Since the term “abortion” does not appear in Scripture, it must be defined first. For our purposes, abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the willful killing of the baby in the womb. Thus abortion is a premediated act and not the death of the child during an act of medical necessity to save the mother’s life. Being the killing of a baby, abortion is sinful if it falls outside of the limitations for killing in Scripture. The command against killing in Scripture rooted in the Sixth Commandment forbidding murder, which is reiterated by Jesus, proving that it is part of the moral law and thus still applicable today (Matthew 5:21, 15:19, and 19:18, Mark 7:21 and 10:19, Luke 18:20). While speaking His covenant to Noah, God says “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6). This comes just before God reiterates the cultural mandate to be fruitful and multiply (verse 7), so it refers to all mankind (men and women of all ages). This establishes that since people are made in the image of God, killing them is a grave sin apart from specific circumstances explicitly set out by God. The first of these caveats is seen in this passage: punishment for murder or other serious crimes, which must only come after a just conviction (Numbers 35:30, see also Exodus 21:12-14. Leviticus 24:17-18, Numbers 35:31). The second is the killing of enemy combatants in battle (which is allowed in certain circumstances throughout Scripture) and when the death of a perpetrator happens due to self-defense that was not premeditated (Exodus 22:2-3). Scripturally, the killing of a person outside of these caveats is murder and thus sinful.
Scripture is equally clear that a baby in the womb is a person with equal worth to any other person. The Bible explicitly states that God forms babies in the womb (Psalm 139:13-16, Isaiah 44:2-4 and 46:3, Jeremiah 1:5), God knows babies in the womb as unique people (Isaiah 49:1-5), and the baby is a person with both body and spirit in the womb (Ecclesiastes 11:5). Also, John the Baptist was indwelt by the Holy Spirit in the womb (Luke 1:15) and leaped for joy (in Elizabeth’s womb) when Jesus came near (in Mary’s womb), showing that both were full persons in the womb (Luke 1:41 and 44). Therefore, Scripture clearly teaches that a baby in the womb is not a clump of cells without a soul that can be removed amorally like a tumor, but is a living person and therefore cannot be justly killed without meeting the Biblical criteria for justly killing any other person. A baby in the womb is not an enemy combatant or the perpetrator of a serious crime, so Scripture does not allow the baby to be justly killed. Scripture further emphasizes the particular evil of killing children by describing children as a blessing (Psalm 127:3), outlawing child sacrifice as particularly abominable (Leviticus 18:22 and 20:2-5), and naming the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice as a major reason why Israel and Judah were destroyed (2 Kings 13:10 and 17:17, Psalm 106:37-38, Jeremiah 32:35, Ezekiel 16:20). Thus, we can clearly deduce from Scripture that abortion is murder and thus sinful.
Results on this question were mixed, with 87% of regularly attending Midwest evangelicals but only 43% of Northeasterners affirming the biblical teaching of abortion as sinful. Region and church attendance both had significant impact, with the Midwest performing better and the Northeast performing worse than the national average. Evangelicals and regular attenders also scored significantly better across all categories. This may suggest that Christians and churches are reflecting the views of the regions they are in regarding abortion, with some falling prey to the crafty and plausible arguments (Colossians 2:4) that use careful rhetoric to paint abortion as something other than murder of innocent children by denying the personhood of the child. Since Scripture commands us to fight against any such argument that is raised against Scripture (2 Corinthians 10:5), the church cannot tolerate such arguments and still be obedient to Scripture and to Christ. This means we need to refrain from language that dehumanizes, replacing “the unborn/preborn” and “it” with “baby/child in the womb” and “he or she”. As Joshua said to the Israelites, we must choose this day whom we will serve, the God of the Bible and Jesus Christ our Lord, or the gods of sex, convenience, prosperity, bodily autonomy, and self to which children are sacrificed in the practice of abortion (Joshua 24:15). Scripture says the blood of the innocent cries out to God, who will answer in justice and wrath against those who shed it (Genesis 4:10-11, 1 Kings 21:19, Ezekiel 22-24, Revelation 16:6 and 19:1-2)—and even if we consider the clear teaching of Scripture that all people are fallen sinners even in the womb, there is no human so innocent as a baby in the womb. We must repent of the grave evil of abortion, starting by acknowledging its inherent sinfulness.
STATE OF THEOLOGY: GENDER
27. Gender identity is a matter of choice.
Gender identity is another concept that is not explicitly addressed in Scripture but can be easily deduced from it. Scripture is clear that God made people as male and female (Genesis 1:27) which Jesus reiterates (Matthew 19:4, Mark 10:6). The distinction between male and female is in the likeness of the distinction in the Trinity (Genesis 1:26-27 and 5:1-2). This means that since Adam and Eve were made in the likeness of the Triune God, the distinction between men and women reflects the distinction between God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The members of the Godhead are unique and cannot become one another, which means that men and women are distinct and cannot become the other. God accentuated this distinction by creating the first man and woman separately, creating Adam from the dust and Eve from Adam (Genesis 2:7 and 21-22, 1 Corinthians 11:8), a distinction which is not mentioned for anything else in creation. Scripture is also equally clear that it is foolish and rebellious to question why God made anyone the way He did (Isaiah 29:16 and 45:9, Jeremiah 18:1-6, Romans 9:20-21), which would include gender. The Mosaic law also prohibits men from dressing (and thus presenting themselves) as women and vice versa (Deuteronomy 22:5). While we cannot and should not overlook the cultural context of this command, we similarly cannot dismiss it as obsolete for that reason. Gender-distinctive clothing certainly varies by culture, but the underlying moral law concept is that men should not present themselves as women and women should not present themselves as men. Again, this is rooted in the distinctiveness of men and women, which is itself rooted in the distinctiveness between the members of the Trinity. Jesus does not present Himself as God the Father or as the Holy Spirit, and the Father and Holy Spirit do not present themselves as Jesus or each other, so in imaging them we must present ourselves as we were created. Paul proves this by applying it to Corinth, which was culturally much closer to modern America than ancient Israel (1 Corinthians 11). Scripture therefore teaches that God assigns people the gender of either male or female in the womb which cannot be changed, so gender is not a matter of choice.
This question produces some of the worst results in this category, with only 71% of regularly attending Midwest evangelicals and a mere 44% of Northeasterners affirming Scripture’s teaching on the unchangeable and God-assigned nature of gender. This is somewhat surprising considering the overwhelming affirmation of the fact that God created male and female in question 8, which I discussed previously. This may be due to a misunderstanding of the implications of that question: we should not blur the lines God has made distinct. It could also indicate a willful rejection of the obvious implications of that question, instead caving to the significant societal pressure to accept a fluid understanding of gender. Either way, it is very disturbing. Since God created us as male and female, the church that confuses male and female is rebelling against God. In this and every other area, we must obey Scripture rather than culture.
STATE OF THEOLOGY: HOMOSEXUALITY
28. The Bible’s condemnation of homosexual behavior doesn’t apply today.
This question is different from the others in how it approaches the sinfulness of homosexuality. Instead of asking if homosexuality is a sin, the question asks if it is still a sin. Unlike the terms “abortion” and “gender”, homosexuality appears and is explicitly condemned in Scripture, being outlawed in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. So this question asks if that condemnation is still applicable today. If these commands in Leviticus are part of the civil or ceremonial law, the argument could be made that they no longer apply. But if they are part of the moral law, the condemnation of homosexuality is just as applicable to us today as it was to the Jews thousands of years ago. When we look at the whole of Scripture, it becomes clear that the condemnation of homosexuality is part of the moral law. In the Old Testament, it is used as an indicator of rampant wickedness in both Sodom (Genesis 19:4-9) and Gibeah (Judges 19:22-24). Paul similarly refers to homosexuality as both a sin bringing about God’s future wrath and part of God giving people over to their own destructive devices in His present wrath (Romans 1:26-27), emphatically stating that those who practice homosexuality are lawless and disobedient against God (1 Timothy 1:6-11) and will therefore not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9). Since homosexuality is condemned throughout the Old and New Testament as part of the moral law, it is clearly still condemned for believers today.
Results for this question were mixed but generally poor, with 77% of regularly attending Midwest evangelicals but only 34% of Northeasterners affirming the present sinfulness of homosexuality. Church attendance, region, and denomination all had significant impacts on these results, with regular attenders and evangelicals significantly outperforming the other categories. The Midwest also performed slightly better and the Northeast performing slightly worse than nationwide in respective categories. Less than 50% of nationwide, Northeast, and Midwest respondents answered correctly, along with only 46% of regularly attending Northeasterners. When this is combined with the fact that all categories except nationwide and Midwest regularly attending evangelicals had less than 70% of respondents answering correctly, it is clear that the church as a whole has compromised on the issue of homosexuality. The church has largely chosen to side with man rather than God on this and various other issues, which is grievous to say the least.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In every place and generation, the church is faced with the decision of siding with God or the world on various issues. Godly churches have searched the Scriptures and then applied what Scripture teaches to the specific situation, holding fast to what Scripture says over and above all earthly powers. In our day, the relationship between faith and politics, extramarital sex, abortion, gender, and homosexuality are all issues which the American church is faced with that choice. From the results of this survey, some American churches have held to what Scripture clearly teaches on these issues but many have not, instead downplaying or even embracing the sins of extramarital sex, abortion, gender confusion, and homosexuality. Jesus rebuked the churches of Pergamum and Thyatira for tolerating similar sins (Revelation 2:14-23), so the American church should expect similar rebuke if we tolerate them as well. The remedy for this is the same as the remedy for deficiencies in every other category. The American church must first repent and commit to obeying God rather than man. We also need to teach people both what Scripture clearly teaches about these issues and how to study and apply Scripture to any issue. Churches must confront these sins so they do not poison the church (1 Corinthians 5:1-7, 1 Timothy 5:20, Hebrews 12:15), boldly declaring what Scripture teaches on these issues and applying the process of church discipline that Jesus laid out (Matthew 18:15-17) to lovingly call those who practice or support these sins to repentance. Christians in churches that refuse to do this should prayerfully consider leaving those churches. While commitment to the local church is extremely important—as discussed last time—that does not preclude Christians from leaving a church that has compromised to the point of being a “synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9 and 3:9).
Finally, it is important to highlight that while extramarital sex, abortion, homosexuality, and gender confusion are sinful according to Scripture, they are not the unpardonable sin of continually and finally rejecting Jesus Christ, which He calls “blasphemy against the Spirit” (Matthew 12:31-32, Luke 12:10). While Jesus rebukes the church of Pergamum for tolerating sexual sin, He also patiently and lovingly calls on them to repent (Revelation 2:16). Just as the man Paul rebukes for egregious sexual sin in 1 Corinthians 5 appears to have repented and been restored to fellowship (2 Corinthians 2:5-7), God is able to rescue and transform people from all manner of sexual sins. Because these sins are so pervasive in our culture, even the most biblical churches will contain people who have committed adultery in various ways, women who have had or are considering abortions, men who have pressured or are pressuring women to get abortions, people who are confused about their gender, and people who struggle with same-sex attraction. In calling them to repentance and helping them through these struggles, it is of utmost importance to approach them with gentleness, love, and humility, helping bear their burdens rather than adding to them (Galatians 6:1-3). The same God who forbids us from celebrating these sins also exhorts us to treat everyone with dignity and respect as people made in His image. Let those who struggle with these sins be called to repentance and helped to obey Scripture in such a loving, patient, kind, compassionate, yet uncompromising way that the love they experience in the church is far greater, deeper, and more substantial than any acceptance they would receive outside the church. After all, the true mark of a Christian is supernaturally empowered love for one another (John 13:35, 1 John 4:7-8).
CONCLUSION
All in all, while the results of the 2022 Ligonier State of Theology survey were rather dismal in this and other categories, they reveal that the challenges faced by the church in America are similar to the challenges faced by the Church throughout the centuries—and these challenges all have the same remedy. All believes need to understand Scripture, who God is, who we are, the path to salvation, the importance of the church, and how to apply what Scripture teaches to every aspect of life. So I will end this series with the words of Jesus. After pronouncing judgment on a persistently unrepentant woman he referred to as “Jezebel” who was leading the church of Thyatira into sexual sin, He gives both hope for the church to cling to and a warning for the church to heed:
But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
-Revelation 2:24-29, ESV
NOTES
[1] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion: Translated from the First French Edition of 1541 by Robert White, Edinburgh, UK: Banner of Truth Trust: 2014: 179-180, 768-769.
[2] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion: Translated from the First French Edition of 1541 by Robert White, Edinburgh, UK: Banner of Truth Trust: 2014: 179-181, 453-460, 768-769.
[3] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion: Translated from the First French Edition of 1541 by Robert White, Edinburgh, UK: Banner of Truth Trust: 2014: 768-769.
