A LETTER TO THE CHURCH

A Response of the Church to Today’s Culture

As we look at our culture today in the USA, it is becoming ever more evident of the rigid dichotomy between our Christian faith and the acceptable and often applauded behaviors and attitudes found within our culture.  Unfortunately, these differences have made their way into many of the homes, churches, seminaries and Bible colleges in our nation.   

As a Church that represents the person of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom mandate to share the gospel and make disciples, it is unfortunate that this issue must be addressed.  But I believe that it must.

As a church, we might ask ourselves how is it possible to remain completely neutral yet be an important and powerful influence in today’s culture?   This is not possible.   I like something T S Elliott said…

“But the Church cannot be, in any political sense, either conservative or liberal, or revolutionary. Conservatism is too often conservation of the wrong things: liberalism a relaxation of discipline; revolution a denial of the permanent things.”  T S Elliott  Christianity and Culture

The church must neither be conservative, liberal nor revolutionary.   It must be Biblical.  So, I find it necessary to address cultural mores that have attempted to infiltrate the church based on either a conservative, liberal or revolutionary perspective.    Can Scripture be conservative?     Can it be liberal or revolutionary?   Absolutely!   But we must look at the context in which our opinions and decisions are birthed. 

Was Christ ever conservative?   I believe each time He stated, “it is written”, He was pulling the attention back to the unchanging Word and ways of God.  And He stated that man does not live on natural bread, but on every Word spoken from the mouth of God.  (Mt. 4:4)

Was Christ ever liberal?  I believe when He went beyond the letter of the law to the spirit of the law and healed the sick on the Sabbath that He was liberal.  (John 7:23) Or, when He allowed His disciples to harvest grain on the Sabbath to satisfy their hunger, (Mt. 12:1-8) that He may have been considered “liberal”. 

Was Christ every revolutionary?   I believe when He turned over the tables in the temple and ran out the money changers, that He was being revolutionary. (John 2:14-15; Mt. 21:12)

But we must also know that Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing and what the Father taught Him to do (John 5:19; 8:28), so He acted in accordance with the will of God.   We do not see that Jesus ever violated the Word of God in His actions or decisions.

So, we as a church live in a culture that is at odds with the Word of God.   There are times to show mercy and there are times to be revolutionary.   But there is never a time to violate the Word or Will of God.  What we do not see is that Jesus ever twisted the Word of God to cover up for the consequences of man’s sinful and unrepentant behaviors.  

As a church, we must establish a standard and a protocol to address the issues in our culture that violate the Word of God and that would seek to undermine the holiness of the church.   Because we represent God in the earth, we cannot operate outside of His Will or Word.

I am attaching a statement concerning Impact’s position concerning primary cultural issues today that are directly opposed to the Word of God and that are being allowed into many churches.   I believe these influences are bringing confusion and ultimate destruction into the lives of many believers.   

Blessings and Love, 

Pastor Donna

Impact Church Statement of Cultural Beliefs

We do not consider this to be the all-inclusive list of struggles that believers face today.  However, we do feel that many of the problems found in the lives of believers stem from these issues.   Through recent years, we have seen these issues take on predominant visibility and increasing approval in our culture, schools, churches, family and social media.  As a church that believes in the Word of God as authoritative and the requirement of believers to live above the cultural pressures that oppose the Word of God, a statement is required for clarity.

• Abortion: 
  1. Abortion is defined as the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy but may include up to birth.  
  1. We believe the Word of God clearly defines that life begins at conception and that any unnatural termination of a fetus violates the Word of God.
     1. Jeremiah 1:5 (NLT) — “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
     1. Psalm 139:13 (NLT) —You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
     1. Psalm 139:16 (NLT) —You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
     1. Exodus 20:13 (NLT) —   You must not murder.
        1. to murder רצח — to kill intentionally and with premeditation; to dash or break in pieces; to kill; to slay

• Homosexuality; Same Sex Marriage and Same Sex Relationships; Transgender Issues
  • Homosexuality is defined as the sexual or romantic attraction to others of the same sex or gender.  
  • We believe the Word of God clearly defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
  • We believe the Word of God defines the sin nature as the state of fallen man and that each and every person must be redeemed from this sinful nature through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross.   Just as people are born with tendencies toward various sins, a person may be born with tendencies toward same sex attraction.  However, the sacrifice of Christ on the cross is adequate to bring deliverance from behaviors and desires in every area of the sin nature’s manifestation in the life of a person.
  • We believe that gender is assigned at conception by God, and it is morally reprehensible and mentally and emotionally unhealthy to attempt to alter one’s gender through medical procedures.
  • We believe the Bible is very clear in describing the practice of homosexuality as sinful behavior and an abomination to God and that such behavior will alter a person’s eternal destiny. 
    • Leviticus 18:22 ESV You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
    • Leviticus 20:13 ESV If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
    • 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
    • Romans 1:26-27 ESV For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
    • Jude 1:7 ESV Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
    • 1 Timothy 1:9–11 (ESV) —understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

• Sexual Immorality
  • Sexual immorality is defined as the engagement of sexual acts outside of the sanctity of marriage.  Sexual immorality includes the physical acts of adultery, incest, fornication and bestiality.
    • Adultery: voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse:
    • Incest: sexual relations between people classed as being too closely related to marry each other.
    • Fornication:   voluntary sexual intercourse between persons not married to each other, which would include adultery
    • Bestiality: sexual relations between a human being and an animal
  • Sexual immorality also includes acts of the mind (thoughts, eyes) and heart, such as pornography and lust.   Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
    • “Pornography” originates from the Greek root word πορνεια (porneia), which is translated “sexual immorality” in Acts 15:20.
      • Acts 15:20 (NLT) —Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality (porneia), from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood.
    • “Lust”: I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
    • Fondling, Oral Sex, Sexually Explicit Movies, Literature or Music:    Eph. 5:3 (NIV) — But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
  • We believe the Bible clearly describes such acts as sinful and are not to be a part of the life of the believer in Jesus Christ.  As our culture shifts towards making some of these acts “legal”, this in no way removes them as Biblically sinful behaviors and they should have no part in the life of the believer.
    • 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
    • Jude 1:7 ESV Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
    • 1 Timothy 1:9–11 (ESV) —understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
    • 1 Corinthians 5:11 (NLT) — I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.
  • Living together as husband and wife without the benefit of a civil or religious marriage ceremony is sexual immorality.   The Scripture tells us to “avoid the appearance of evil” (1 Thess 5:17).

We at Impact Church welcome all who struggle with these sins and will work with individuals to bring them to complete victory in these areas.    We believe that God forgives all with a truly repentant heart and that salvation and deliverance have been made available through the cross of Christ and the empowerment of Holy Spirit.   We are happy to help all people walk through the pathway to victory in these areas.

We do believe that God’s will is that we live a life of victory, happiness, prosperity and health in every area.   And we believe this victorious life is achieved only through holiness and obedience to God’s Word.

Victorious Living is Promised

 We believe victorious living is found in obedience to God’s Word and Will.

• Deuteronomy 6:18 (NLT) —   Do what is right and good in the LORD’s sight, so all will go well with you. Then you will enter and occupy the good land that the LORD swore to give your ancestors.
  • Deuteronomy 28:1–4 (NLT) — 1 “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. 2 You will experience all these blessings if you obey the LORD your God: 3 Your towns and your fields will be blessed. 4 Your children and your crops will be blessed. The offspring of your herds and flocks will be blessed.
  • Joshua 1:8 (NLT) — Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
  • 1 John 5:14–15 (NLT) — 14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
  • Psalm 1:1–3 (NLT) — 1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
  • Matthew 6:33 (ESV) —   But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.