Pastor John Buchanan’s remarks this week to the Covenant Network at the 218 General Assembly compel an answer. In regard to the Covenant Network’s goal of gaining ordination of homosexuals by removing current ordination standards, Buchanan is quoted as saying: “We’re going to get there because our children are already there.
We’re going to get there because business is already there. Education is already there. California is already there. For crying out loud, the military is almost there.”… “The heart of the gospel is inclusion,”… “Change will come because this is not our church but his. It is not the Presbyterian Coalition’s church or the Covenant Network’s church but Christ’s.” With these words, Buchanan makes abundantly cloudy his view of the difference between the church and business, education, California and “for crying out loud” the military. I’m confused – does he believe the Church belongs to Christ? Or should the church be inspired to change because these secular institutions have changed? Those who have long suspected Buchanan and the Covenant Network of misunderstanding the nature, mission and identity of the church have reason to stay suspicious. Secondly, Mr. Buchanan says: “The heart of the Gospel is inclusion”. Really? According to what definition? Surely God wants all of his broken children to be included in a restored rightness - but the Gospel offers only one way to that rightness, excluding all others. The heart of the Gospel is the clear revelation that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life – set against a thousand other would-be ways, truths and life-styles. The heart of the Gospel is Scripture’s clear path home for a world hopelessly lost and headed for death. The heart of the Gospel is not inclusion –at the expense of truth, repentance and change - it is direction because we are directed to Christ and to no other. It is direction precisely because there are false ways. It is a gracious word of “go this way – not that way”. The Gospel excludes many, more deadly ways than the one way to life it espouses. It says: Many roads lead to death but one leads to life. Jesus is Life. Repent and believe on Him. Live a new life. Inclusion? No, not as California or the Covenant Network mean it. The heart of the Gospel is Salvation. Hence the necessary blood of Christ. The Gospel heart beats with the blood of Christ –poured out on a cross –poured out in death –a death made necessary by our exclusion of God – a death to atone for sin –sexual and otherwise. The healing blood of Christ also pours from the mouth of Jesus who often spoke words of warning - words that are far from inclusive - words of sheep and goats, of foolish maidens shut out of feasts, of blind guides, of men going away sad, of weeping and gnashing of teeth, of whitewashed tombs and broods of vipers. Words about repent and turn and change. We are told to respond positively to the Gospel and that not everybody will. To act as if behavior is of no importance is to muffle the Gospel and deprive people of the full, costly message of Grace. The heart of the Gospel is Jesus. Sinners of all brands need to come to him and according to John 14, only those who do so are saved. And then we who do are told to forsake sin – not redefine it to justify our own personal disobedience. Like opening worship at this year’s G.A, where an old tune (O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing) was used to hide new words and like the current proposal at G.A. to change the clear words of an old Confession (Heidelberg) to hide new meaning, Mr. Buchanan and the Covenant Network rework familiar words (Gospel, Inclusion) to offer their novel vision of the Church and God’s grace. This vision is dominant in the offices and structures of the PCUSA and in similar organizations – education, California– but for “crying out loud” – don’t let it win the day in Christ’s church. Now is the time for Presbyterians to stop singing along with these changes. It is time to cry out loud! Don’t let the ancient church’s tune hide deadly new words. Who will stand up and cry out? But be warned, speaking up to the “inclusionists” might get you excluded. Speaking truth to current power or asserting long held reformed distinctives has shown that the full heart of those pushing the agenda of the Covenant Network is not inclusion but justification, money, power and control. My experience is that they will exclude any who get in their way. They will change whatever structures or words seem to impede their progress. Speak up anyway – the full grace of the full Gospel is worth it. What will you do? Kirk Johnston Recently excluded/defrocked PCUSA Pastor Pastor of Lighthouse Presbyterian Church Paola, Kansas |
