Robin,
Evangelicals affirm what Scripture affirms. That being said, anyone who places social justice concerns above eternal concerns for the salvation of souls is for all practical purposes a theological liberal. Surely Martyn Lloyd-Jones would never assert that liberal and social justice is the central message of the Bible or the main thing.
As to your question, I have absolutely no problem in condemning false doctrine. Apparently, the Bible has no problem doing so either as your article implies.
As to Desmond Tutu, I cannot judge the man's soul. I can, however, judge that the man is a false prophet since I have never seen even one bit of evidence that he is a Christian man. He continually stands against God's church on moral matters and has in fact never preached the Gospel of grace. Instead, he has focused on social justice issues. This is a focus on good works in the here and now, which even a "good" Roman Catholic could do.
It is my understanding that Martyn Lloyd-Jones left the church of England over these very issues and even stood against Anglo-Catholicism. You are not only not being faithful to the doctrines of grace and the Gospel but you are not being faithful to the legacy of Lloyd-Jones either.
As for your accusation that I show little charity, you would be correct. I have no need to display any tolerance whatsoever to those who openly oppose the Gospel. I have need to prophetically speak the truth in love.
The reason the Anglican Communion is in such disarray today is that the focus is on the law and morality and social justice rather than on the proper understanding of law and Gospel. Keeping the law can never justify anyone before God. Whether that person be Desmond Tutu or Mother Teresa, the Bible unequivocably says that those who go about establishing their own righteousness are lost (Romans 10:2-4; Galatians 1:6-8).
I would not for a minute say that we are not obligated to love our neighbor and to fight for social justice. But this is not the essence of the Gospel. The Gospel is that all of the human race is fallen in Adam and in need of redemption. Emphasizing the second table of the law (Exodus 20:12-17) and ignoring the first table (Exodus 20:1-11) misses the entire point of the law. Furthermore, Paul clearly says that lawkeeping (Romans 10:20) can never justify anyone, most particularly your so-called "Christian" bishop, Desmond Tutu. It seems to me that you wish to appeal to the reprobate by holding up one of the wicked and false prophets as somehow exemplary to the world. I care little for the approval of the world but only for the truth. Your deception is self-evident.
It is common knowledge that Tutu does not uphold biblical morality but instead attacks those who stand on God's word against homosexual immorality:
Gay rights
Tutu has lent his name to the fight against homophobia in Africa and around the world. He stated at the launching of the book 'Sex, Love and Homophobia' that homophobia is a 'crime against humanity' and 'every bit as unjust' as apartheid. He added that "we struggled against apartheid in South Africa, supported by people the world over, because black people were being blamed and made to suffer for something we could do nothing about; our very skins...It is the same with sexual orientation. It is a given."[82] [From Wikipedia: Tutu].
While Tutu's fight against apartheid and for human rights is commendable, that does not make him a Christian anymore than the pope is a Christian. I can only conclude from your commendation of Tutu that either you are ignorant of the Gospel or that you know the Gospel and disagree with it. I think it is the latter. You know full well that what Lloyd-Jones stood for has absolutely nothing to do with Desmond Tutu yet you insist that somehow Tutu is a "good" Christian.
Need I remind you that good works profit nothing apart from true regeneration and faith? Those who claim to uphold the Gospel of grace while promoting evil and immorality under the disguise of human rights are but deceivers who appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:12-15).
It does not surprise me at all that a deceiving spirit would attempt to subvert the sound preaching of Dr. Lloyd-Jones and use it in a dissimulating way to promote the sort of ungodliness of homosexual immorality hidden behind the apparently good works of Desmond Tutu.
You, sir, are a deceiver of the worst sort. Yes, I say that Evangelicalism condemns you and all those like you who try to hide their evil attacks against the Gospel behind so-called "good" Christian men like Desmond Tutu. Evangelicalism upholds the moral law of God rather than attacks it with terms like "homophobia." It is the law of God which condemns Tutu and you for pretending that he is somehow a "Christian."
Sincerely,
Charlie J. Ray
(Romans 1:16-17). If you would care to substantiate the theology of Tutu as biblical and "Evangelical" I would be more than happy to change my position. However, I sincerely doubt that you would be able to demonstrate such a thing since I do not believe it exists.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 9:59 AM
Subject: Your comment about our article
Dear Mr Ray,
With regard to your comments about the article 'Devilish Deceptions', I wrote that Desmond Tutu is a 'committed Christian' because of the many actions that he has taken during his lifetime that appear to be consistent with the Christian faith and that have sometimes put him at risk of imprisonment, or even death. His work for reconciliation in South Africa, and beyond, has inspired many people. To me, this makes his life a significant contrast to the life of a man who has devoted himself to attempting to prove that God is irrelevant.
I am prepared to accept that you may know more about Desmond Tutu than I do, and that you may thus have reservations about his commitment to Jesus Christ. However, for me your message raises several important questions:
(1) Are you sure that Desmond Tutu 'thinks it is wrong to preach against homosexuality', rather than thinks that the church has been too focused upon this issue? In his lifetime he has seen a lot of evidence of vicious hatred directed at particular groups of people. Thus it is understandable that he will argue against such hatred wherever he perceives it to exist.
(2) When writers make a positive reference to someone in an article, does it indicate approval of everything that person has said or done? Surely, as a writer yourself, you are aware that it is impractical to follow such an approach.
(3) You have introduced the word 'condemns' into the matter, which did not feature in our article. Is that what Evangelicals do – condemn people?
Yours sincerely
Robin Lane
The D M Lloyd-Jones Recordings Trust
5 Caxton House
Wellesley Road
Ashford
Kent
TN24 8ET
Tel. 01233 662262
====== YOUR MESSAGE ======
I fail to see how you can say with a straight face that Desmond Tutu is a "committed" Christian when he is in fact not an Evangelical but a liberal/social justice theologian who thinks it is wrong to preach against homosexuality. He does not preach anything near what Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached. It seems to me that your article, "Devilish Deceptions," condemns yourself as well.
Charlie
www.reasonablechristian.blogspot.com
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Posted By Charlie J. Ray to
Reasonable Christian at 9/18/2009 10:39:00 AM
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