Time Magazine Writer Says You’re Changing Your Mind About Gay Marriage
“If evangelical Christianity is famous for anything in contemporary American politics, it is for its complete opposition to gay marriage. Now, slowly yet undeniably, evangelicals are changing their minds.”
Those are the words of Elizabeth Dias, a Time magazine writer who penned an article that aims to demonstrate: “How Evangelicals Are Changing Their Minds on Gay Marriage.”
Yes, that’s right. Dias espouses that pastors may be toeing the biblical line publicly but is certain that “behind the scenes, it’s a whole different game.” She insists that “every day, evangelical communities across the country are arriving at new crossroads over marriage.”
Pretty bold, broad and sweeping conclusions, don’t you think? Let me ask you a question: Have you changed your mind about gay marriage? Has the gay lobby slowly but surely convinced you that it’s OK for Adam to marry Steve just because activist judges say they can? Or do you still believe in the unchanging Word of God?
Here’s the Unfortunate Truth
Yes, it’s absolutely true that some denominations are struggling with this issue, which makes no sense to me since the Bible is absolutely clear that marriage is between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:22-24) and practicing homosexuality is a sin (1 Cor. 6:9). (I debated Fox News‘ Alan Colmes on this topic after the NBA’s Jason Collins came out as gay in 2013).
Yes, it’s absolutely true that church leadership is grappling with this issue and some are giving into the pressure to propagate a watered-down, seeker-friendly gospel. In 2014, I wrote an article that went massively viral called “Apostasy Rising: 4 Denominations in Less Than a Week Defy God’s Word” after the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church and the Moravians all embraced homosexual marriage in one measure or another.
Yes, it’s absolutely true that support for gay marriage among white evangelicals has increased over the past decade, according to the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). The survey reveals younger evangelicals support for gay marriage has jumped from 20 percent in 2003 to 42 percent in 2014.
A veteran pastor friend of mine was rebuked by a 30-year-old pastor for sharing the gospel with a lesbian who wanted to be on the worship team. Yes, I can tell you from experience that more pastors are choosing to compromise the gospel for the sake of church attendance—and the tithes that often come along with it.
And, yes, some churches are going overboard with inclusion, moving beyond warmly welcoming and loving gays and lesbians to all-out embracing and celebrating sinful lifestyles. In her Time magazine article, Dias pointed to the Seattle-area EastLake Community Church as one of the first evangelical megachurches in the nation to support full inclusion and affirmation of LGBTQ people.
“It is almost impossible to overstate the significance of this move. EastLake is in many ways the quintessential evangelical megachurch–thousands-strong attendance, rock-music worship, Bible-preaching sermons. But pastor Ryan Meeks, 36, is on the front wave of a new choice. ‘I refuse to go to a church where my friends who are gay are excluded from communion or a marriage covenant or the beauty of Christian community,’ Meeks tells me. ‘It is a move of integrity for me—the message of Jesus was a message of wide inclusivity.”
Here’s the Hyped Up Lie
But is Dias really accurate in saying “slowly yet undeniably, evangelicals are changing their minds”? Some evangelicals may be, but most aren’t.
Conveniently, Dias didn’t share all the results of the PRRI survey. She left this part out. According to the study, nearly 7-in-10 (69 percent) white evangelical Protestants and nearly 6-in-10 (59 percent) black Protestants oppose same-sex marriage. The gay agenda wants you to focus on the growing support for gay pastors and same-sex marriage so you’ll see practicing homosexuals as victims of a cruel religious system rather than people who need deliverance in the name of Jesus like anyone else practicing sin.
Yes, the church is wrestling with this issue despite the Bible’s absolute clarity on the subject because we’re seeing the beginnings of the Great Falling Away. The Scripture must be fulfilled.
Paul wrote, “Now the Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith and pay attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their consciences seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (1 Tim. 4:1-3).
I asked this question two years ago: “Is the Great Falling Away Already Underway?“ Now, I am answering my own question. We’re witnessing this now. I believe the Great Falling Away has started. I implore you by the Spirit of God to stand firm in your faith. These are perilous times. I’m praying against the strong delusion that’s rising in this hour.
The good news is a great awakening is also emerging. We’re seeing Isaiah 60:2 begin to manifest: “For the darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord shall rise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you.” It’s time to decide where you stand—and keep standing. As Paul said in Romans 13:11, “Now is the moment to awake from sleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we believed.”
Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and author of several books, including The Making of a Prophet and Satan’s Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.
