The Emergencies Act and our Hopeful Endurance

This week our Prime Minister made an historic decision to invoke the Emergencies Act which is designed to give the government power to quickly handle matters of national security. The Act will give the government and police extended powers and also grant them the ability to direct financial institutions to freeze accounts they believe are a threat to national security.

While it seems that all provinces are quickly moving away from COVID mandates, the federal government clings to its stance and has vowed not to be swayed by protests, medical advice from doctors, new reports about the inefficacy of mandates, nor the many countries who have recently dropped their COVID restrictions.

“He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan” (Proverbs 29:1–2).

Some have responded with excitement and joy, calling this real leadership. Others see this as an ominous development and a portent of the darkness ahead for our nation. Fear and anxiety are common emotions with all the uncertainty present in our divided country. Families and churches have not been immune from these two years of division while government action and media reports continue to enflame tensions as they seek to control the narrative that is increasingly undermined by eye witness testimony, scientific studies, and shifting public opinion.

Let me remind you of a few truths that are important to consider this week so we aren’t tossed by the waves of the times.

1. Judgment and Deliverance Go Together

When God judged Egypt the Hebrews were delivered. That season would have been tumultuous for the righteous in the land. When the people cried, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart in an act of judgment bringing about salvation. In other seasons of judgment, whether upon ancient Israel itself, upon Babylon, or when the temple was destroyed after the death of Christ as judgment upon Israel, God delivers a remnant—a people of endurance and faith, tested and purified to do his will. Again and again, God often brings judgment at the same time he saves and brings out something new.

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).

It is clear that our nation is under judgment. The description in Romans 1 where a people deny God and his creative power, exchange marriage for homosexuality, proclaim foolishness as wisdom, possess a debased mind, and celebrate all forms of wickedness is the revelation of God’s wrath. These things not only deserve God’s future and final wrath but are manifestations of his present wrath and judgment upon our land. However, we should not despair because through judgment, God is also working deliverance.

Consider how he has already purified his church and built her through the storms of the past two years! Christ is faithful, he will build his church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).

2. A Call to Endurance and Faithfulness

In the book of Revelation, which describes the battle between our Lord and the forces of evil, we have repeated calls for us to endure and remain faithful. When judgments come upon the earth and the beast roars, claws, and bites, we’re called to patient endurance.

“If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints” (Revelation 13:10).

“Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus” (Revelation 14:12).

We’re not promised to float along on flowery beds of ease. In fact, “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). We should not be surprised at fiery trials (1 Peter 4:12) or that the world hates us (1 John 3:13) as if something strange were happening. This must be the case when God shakes the world so that what cannot be shaken remains (Hebrews 12:27). In this present shake-up, let us remember that our Lord is not shaken, his word remains true, his church yet a pillar of truth, his love still steadfast, his mercies new every morning, and his grace sufficient for every trial.

This is what Jeremiah said when he witnessed his nation being destroyed: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

In the midst of judgment, trust that the Lord remains in control and that no purpose of his can be thwarted (Job 42:2), and that he accomplishes his will among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand (Daniel 4:35). So let us not seek to have confidence in what is being shaken, but on what is unshakable.

3. A Call for Hopeful Gospel Proclamation

So many in our country were longing for hope just a few weeks ago. The truck convoy and protests that spread from our country to the nations of the world have sparked a great fire of hope and the change of much government policy related to COVID mandates. However, in recent days, with the entrenchment of our Prime Minister and federal government, hope may be waning.

We must remember that even if the truckers succeed in every way imaginable, true and lasting change can never come through civil protest, political maneuvering, or a new government.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who spent eleven years in Soviet labor camps came to realize that revolution never brings an end to oppression. He wrote, “In the intoxication of youthful successes I had felt myself to be infallible, and I was therefore cruel. In the surfeit of power I was a murderer and an oppressor…. Even in the best of hearts there remains… an unuprooted small corner of evil. Since then I have come to understand the truth of all the religions of the world: They struggle with the evil inside a human being…. And since that time I have come to understand the falsehood of all the revolutions in history: They destroy only the those carriers of evil contemporary with them.”

In other words, without change that deals with the evil of the heart, revolution will only lead to today’s oppressed being tomorrows oppressor. Here is where the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of his word is so important as our weapon to fight against the strongholds of unbelief today (2 Corinthians 10:3–5). Our hope of lasting change in this age and the one to come is when Jesus conquers the sin within through the power of the cross and implants in us a desire to do his will through his Spirit. When he does this in the lives of many, we see a culture transformed through grace with an eager longing to do his will. So let us then, with renewed vigor, stand fast in the grace of Christ and his word as we continue to speak about his power to save—even in times of judgment.

Good News for Truckers (and other lovers of freedom)

The following is example of sharing the gospel with those who love freedom but do not yet love Jesus. May it encourage you to be faithful in caring for the oppressed and needy, while offering the hope that is found in Jesus Christ.

The Desire For Freedom

You want freedom. You value freedom. You are willing to fight for freedom. We both know this is not a freedom to hate or do wrong, but a responsible-freedom to visit loved ones, celebrate milestones, work and provide for your family, worship God, educate your children, and make informed medical choices best for you and your family. These are freedoms you long for—and now fight for—after two dark years of coercion, empty promises, restrictions, and unanswered cries.

Deep down in every person is a desire to be free. God has not designed us to be slaves to a cruel master nor to a “benevolent” state. God has made mankind to be righteous stewards of his creation. He has not simply left it as a free-for-all where the strongest or wealthiest rule. God knows the sinful heart of man and so distributed rule and responsibility to his creatures through differing governments. There is the government of the state which is given the power of the sword to keep justice and punish evildoers. He has established the family, and given to the family the responsibility of welfare, healthcare, education, production, and livelihood. He has established his church, and to her gives the responsibility to preach and teach the truth of God’s word, to preach the gospel  of the kingdom of God, to celebrate the ordinances, and to be a prophetic witness to the world. Lastly, God has established self-government where every individual must give a personal account to God for every word, deed, and thought.

We recognize that the family can wrongfully extend beyond its God-designed role, i.e., the mafia. In medieval times the Roman Catholic Church also extended beyond its God-given role. Most frequently however, it is the state—wielding the power of the sword—that has exceeded its God-given mandate to seek a totalizing rule over all aspects of life. Totalitarianism and a medical technocracy are rising in our lifetime. While protests and demonstrations may move the dial or delay the progress of those engaged in statecraft, they do not solve the underlying issues threatening our society, families, and individual lives.

Our country’s highest law, designed to protect liberty, begins in this way, “Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.” It’s no secret that this opening statement is neither believed by our leaders nor the general public—hence we’ve lost the foundation for the liberties expressed in the Charter leading to two years of violations of these liberties.

The Foundation of True Freedom

When God is recognized as supreme, people have freedom. Evil doers and evil governments are held to account to His ways. Laws are evaluated in light of God’s law. Never would one conclude that coerced vaccinations, or lockdowns of society, or the isolation of healthy people would be consistent with God’s law. Rather, God’s word condemns such injustices. The damage and harm of the past two years would have been avoided if we listened to the steadfast wisdom of God rather than the shifting opinions of men.

An increasing number of people are now joining the stand for freedom. Freedom for themselves and freedom for others. These people come from all walks of life. They are not lifetime activists or complainers. They would rather be home with their family or hard at work. But they stand for freedom, and for that, they should be commended.

When Jesus came to earth, he also came for the cause of freedom. He not only came for freedom, but he died for freedom. Jesus said, “I came not to be served, but to serve and give my life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). The word “ransom” means to pay the price to set people free. Jesus died, not for himself, but for others. Jesus died so that many could be set free.

Jesus says in John 8:31–32, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The freedom of which Jesus speaks is the freedom from sin and death. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection he won emancipation from the tyranny of the devil, sin, and death. What an amazing act of mercy, grace, and love! And when a community of people understand his identity, authority, and work of rescue on the cross, that community is truly free. Not just in a spiritual sense, but in an all-of-life sense. When Jesus is seen as King of kings and Lord of lords, we experience the freedom that he intends for his creation and his design for the family, state, church, and individual. How we view the family, government, welfare, work, and every aspect of life is transformed by Jesus and his word. We receive tremendous blessing in this life, and in the life to come, eternal life!

The Call For Repentance and Faith

You rightly thirst for freedom. But know that this thirst can only be satisfied in Jesus. The longing for freedom from medical tyranny is only a small foretaste of the freedom we find in Jesus and his law of liberty. Our governing authorities increasingly see themselves as gods. The ruling class see themselves as the benevolent lawgivers and sustainers of the common people, rather than stewards under God. The only way to reverse the tide is repentance and faith in the supremacy, authority, and salvation that is only found in Jesus Christ. To see him as King and Savior. To see him as Lawgiver, Savior, and Sustainer. You need this repentance. You need forgiveness for your sins against God. You need to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and believe that he died and rose again for sinners like you.

I invite you to read the gospel of John if you haven’t before. Ask questions when you have them. Go to a church that preaches the Bible and stands for truth. It’s my prayer that you would understand Jesus’ identity, authority, and how he came to earth to rescue sinners like you through his death and resurrection. I pray that you would find freedom, strength, wisdom, forgiveness, and eternal life in the only place it can truly be found: Jesus. May he be your satisfaction and joy and satisfy your thirst for freedom!

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

The People are Crying (and the Way Out)

The People are Crying

The events of the past week have brought international attention to working class Canadians who have been burdened beyond their breaking point by two years of government-imposed restrictions. Blue collar workers, ignited by a convoy of truckers, have cried out for freedom in their distress.

This desire for freedom is part of God’s design and firmly planted in every human soul. This freedom is not an anything-goes-just-don’t-hurt-anybody-libertarian-freedom. This is a freedom to plant crops, reap a harvest, feed the family, raise the children, worship God, visit loved ones, welcome people into the home, and live a “normal” life. The truckers, farmers, and many others, simply want to live a quiet and peaceful life without being oppressed through a medically-imposed technocratic tyranny which is nothing more than the failed attempt of bureaucrats to control what they cannot control.

In Biblical Times

In biblical times we see many examples of when the people cried for freedom. When the Hebrews were in Egypt, their rulers—at one time treating them with respect—oppressed the people with hard labor. The people cried out to the Pharaoh and to God. Pharaoh refused to listen. God heard their cry. In Exodus 3:7 he says , “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings” (cf. Ex 2:23; 3:9).

In the book of Judges there are a number of times when the people are oppressed by cruel leaders. They were prevented from eating their own crops, or suffered under heavy taxation that affected their livelihoods and lives. Again and again the people cried out in their oppression and God would raise up a deliverer (e.g., Judges 3:9; 3:15; 4:3; 6:6).

In these cases, the basis for their cry was not religious freedom. They were not forbidden to worship their God. Rather, it was heavy taxation, hard labor, loss of bodily autonomy and property rights, and a cruel government that caused the people to groan and cry out to God. And God heard their cry.

In COVID Times

Nearly two years of government-enforced restrictions have led to a dramatic increase in suicide, the shuttering of many businesses, the false “choice” of maintaining bodily autonomy or a career, a poverty-inducing increased cost of living, a gigantic government debt, the escalation of cancel culture and censorship, the division of families and society, and a host of collateral damage that will prove beyond doubt that the cure was worse than the disease.

In addition, the narrative has crumbled. The vaccine was not the savior it was hoped to be. After two years of seeking to alter society, relationships, education, worship, the economy, and our immune system, “experts” are now saying that we need to simply live with COVID and move on. The experimental injections were a false hope. The mask was a false hope. So too was physical distancing and hand sanitizer. Our leaders couldn’t protect us. Almighty “science” proved (again) to be impotent, ever-changing, and illusive in the hands of scientists who don’t know male from female. The scientific “consensus” was about as solid as putty and worked just as well in the hands of politicians who navigated their course based on public opinion driven by media-inspired fear rather than common sense and biblical-creational principles. Our leaders, facing the least consequence to their own livelihoods, continued to exchange the livelihoods of others for a false promise of safety.

So the people cried. And cried. And cried. The few who ruled the province with never-ending emergency powers did not listen—even when it was clear their policies were ineffective and damaging. The cries continued, and no lesser magistrate rose to the occasion. Mayors, police chiefs, MLAs, and principles were mostly silent even as people in their constituency cried louder. And now, after two years, the people, at their wits end, have taken matters into their own hand. Should we be surprised? Are our leaders that out of touch with the “common folk” that they didn’t understand their pain and hardship?

The Way Out

How do we recover from this time of deep division, confusion, and pain? One word. Repentance. We’re in this mess because we have forsaken God and his creational norms. The church is unhealthy, our education is thoroughly anti-Christian, our leaders are passing laws that praise what God calls an abomination. Even when all COVID restrictions are lifted—and let us hope this is the case—we are still under the oppression of lies and perversion. God will not be mocked and his judgment will continue.

This is the day for the church to confess her sins, cry out to the Lord, stand upon the grace of the risen Lord Jesus Christ and the surety of his written testimony, then go forth to make disciples who know and obey all that Christ has commanded. To the word and to the testimony! This is a call to be thoroughly Christian in how we see and engage in church life, evangelism, education, business, politics, healthcare, and every other facet of life. Following Jesus encompasses the whole man, body, soul, mind, and strength. Following Jesus recognizes that he has authority over all things. He is Lord all and everything ought to be done under his lordship for his glory and according to his will.

So let us pray to the Lord, asking for his deliverance, and for him to revive his church and grant repentance to the people in our churches and province. Let us go forth, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God and expose the statist utopian vision that leads to ruin. May Christ be with us as we go to make disciples of the nations and teach them to obey what Christ has commanded.

Pastoral Reflections on the Freedom Convoy

The following video offers pastoral reflections on the Freedom Convoy and the protesting of COVID mandates that have affected so many people over the past two years.

Some Christians have too much hope in the result of this protest and others think it sinful. Here are a few points to consider.

1) “Protestant” Christians shouldn’t be immediately repulsed by protest.

2) Supporting freedom, whether for informed consent or the livelihoods (i.e., lives), is loving your neighbor.

3) Standing for truth is always right.

4) Defending the oppressed and needy is righteous. The toll of mandates has far surpassed the effect of the virus.

5) We desire God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. We want abortion to end, slavery to cease, and governments to operate within their biblical bounds.

6) This is an opportunity for the gospel of Christ. The longing for freedom is only satisfied in Christ.

A Statement on the Criminalization of Conversion Therapy

The following is a loose transcript of the video above.

This past week, Bill-C4 has become law in Canada. It is now a criminal offense to advertise, promote, or engage in conversion therapy.

What is conversion therapy? The law states, “conversion therapy means a practice, treatment or service designed to

(a) change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual;
(b) change a person’s gender identity to cisgender;
(c) change a person’s gender expression so that it conforms to the sex assigned to the person at birth;
(d) repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour;
(e) repress a person’s non-cisgender gender identity; or
(f) repress or reduce a person’s gender expression that does not conform to the sex assigned to the person at birth.

For greater certainty, this definition does not include a practice, treatment or service that relates to the exploration or development of an integrated personal identity — such as a practice, treatment or service that relates to a person’s gender transition — and that is not based on an assumption that a particular sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression is to be preferred over another.”

From the preamble it states, “Whereas conversion therapy causes harm to society because, among other things, it is based on and propagates myths and stereotypes about sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, including the myth that heterosexuality, cisgender gender identity, and gender expression that conforms to the sex assigned to a person at birth are to be preferred over other sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.”

The full text of the law can be found here: https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/bill/C-4/royal-assent

What should Christians think about this law?

1. It’s unnecessary. The oft-cited practices like coercive treatments, shock therapy, and so forth are already criminal practices.

2. It’s calling good evil and evil good. All societies that live according to the biblical ethic, the creational ethic, have flourished. This is now called evil. However, this law calls God’s ways harmful. The preamble states, “Whereas conversion therapy causes harm to the persons who are subjected to it.” Ironically, this law promotes a type of “conversion” using puberty blocking chemicals, surgeries to remove functioning breasts and other sexual organs, regular hormone treatments, and truly harmful counseling that has led to exorbitant suicide rates.

3. It’s discriminatory. It prevents a consenting person from seeking biblical counsel. It is clearly a one-sided law. It bans repentance for certain people even if they are consenting.

4. It’s defamatory. It defames the name of God, relegates his word to a myth, and calls the obvious testimony of nature a mere stereotype. It relegates the beauty of sexuality, manhood, womanhood, and marriage as social constructs rather than creational norms.

What should Christians, churches, parents, counselors do about this law?

It remains to be seen what the government will do with this, but we should continue to do what we’ve always been doing. Like Joshua said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

If anyone struggling with same-sex attraction, gender dysphoria, or any other sexual sin, they will find truth here. We will hold to the reality that “God made them male and female” (Genesis 1:27). We will hold to the reality that your gender matches your biology at birth. We will only affirm that sex is reserved for one man and one woman in the covenant of marriage and that all other sexual activities are sinful.

Of course these kinds of sexual sins are not the only sins, but they are sins that call for repentance and with it the promise that Jesus forgives through his work on the cross. The power of true conversion is seen when we recognize that not only does the gospel save us from the penalty of sin but also its power.

Jesus promises to change us. The words of 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 contain a warning of judgment and a promise of grace, “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.”

We will promote this gospel of forgiveness and sanctification. We will call sinners—all sinners—to repentance and faith in Christ. We will affirm at all times the norms of creation and the exclusive truth of God’s word in Christ and call people to conform to God’s law. We will help sinners see and live this truth. We will never turn anyone away. We won’t be silent. We’ll give biblical counsel on gender and sexuality to all who will hear. This is your invitation to hear of Christ, know his truth, and be saved.

A Note to the Premier: End the Injustice

Hello Family,

I’ve just sent this email along to our local MLAs, the Premier, and Health Minister. I’ve asked for opportunities to speak on the phone prior to this and such requests have so far been ignored. I would encourage you to write or call your MLA and press upon them the urgency of their harmful policies that are affecting the people of our community and beyond.

At the same time, let us cry to the Lord for help in a time of need. Let us pray that he might provide, do justice, and help the oppressed.

Hello Premier, Health Minister and local MLAs,

I pastor Fairview Baptist Church in Calgary and the situation among our members is growing more dire. What is the problem? People have been put on unpaid leave or fired because they are not vaccinated or refuse to disclose their personal medical information.

First, this is injustice, plain and simple (my past plea went unanswered (http://www.fairviewbaptistchurch.ca/a-plea-for-justice/).
.
Second, the data doesn’t justify these policies. This is from Alberta’s own stats as of January 4, 2022 (https://www.alberta.ca/stats/covid-19-alberta-statistics.htm#vaccine-outcomes).

There are more vaccinated people with COVID in every category. Of course some will object that this is because more people are vaccinated. However, looking at the case rates between the vaccinated and unvaccinated, they are identical. This is not a pandemic of the unvaccinated!

Please, this is time to end this discrimination that is preventing people from feeding their families and losing their homes. As a church we are supporting these people but our resources are not limitless. They need to work. They have skills, they have careers. They have been taken away from their livelihoods and deserve justice.

This should never have happened but it is not too late to take steps now to restore these people to their livelihoods.

Our church prays for you that you might lead with justice and more importantly, that you would know the joy of knowing the one true God who made heaven and earth. God is gracious and merciful through the forgiveness he grants through his Son, Jesus Christ. Fearing the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Do not let the fear of man, fear of losing political capital, or fear of a virus we can’t control keep you in a pattern of foolish choices. God’s word has the answers and I would be happy to speak more about his wisdom applied today.

Tim Stephens
Pastor, Fairview Baptist Church
www.fairviewbaptistchurch.ca
230 – 78 Ave SE, Calgary AB T2H 1C4

How Churches Are Responding to Conversion Therapy Criminalization

On Friday, January 7th Bill C-4 which seeks to criminalize conversion therapy will be the official law of the land in Canada. (You can read the details of the law, how it was passed, and my initial reflections here. Also, when conversion therapy was banned in Calgary in 2020, I preached this sermon.) The question that many are wondering: How will churches respond?

There are two initiatives that I’ve been made aware of. The first is a letter put together and promoted by many different evangelical denominations and parachurch ministries. The goal of this initiative is to read the letter to the congregation on Sunday, January 9th. I was also advised not to publish the letter online or on our website, but you can read a copy of it online here.

The second initiative promoted by the Liberty Coalition Canada is to preach on the topic of biblical sexuality on January 16th. This initiative has also been promoted by prominent American pastors like John MacArthur, Doug Wilson, and James White who will also be preaching on that topic on January 16th in an effort to stand for truth and alongside their Canadian brethren.

Our church has partnered with the second initiative and I’ll be preaching on the 16th on The Beauty of Biblical Sexuality. Concerning the first initiative, I appreciate the desire to stand together as churches and even affirm a common statement. I will be joining these churches in making a statement to our church this Sunday, but I will not be reading the statement provided for the following reasons:

1. The core issue is not religious freedom. The passing of this law is not a threat to the church’s ability to speak on issues of sexuality. Any church that doesn’t preach the Bible because portions of it are outlawed or counter-cultural is not worthy of the name “church” (2 Timothy 4:2).

The core issue is truth—especially in the area of marriage, sexuality, and gender. People are being destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). Men and women, young and old are being destroyed because of godless ideologies that promote sexual perversion and gender confusion and call God and his truth a myth. The young people of our nation are being harmed because falsehood is promoted. If the church doesn’t speak truth, then who will deliver these people from the grip of lies? Who will speak so that the young girl about to get her breasts surgically removed might hear the truth and in time enjoy the pleasure of nursing her child? Who will speak to the young men who dress as women and do not know the joy and design of true masculinity?

The issue at stake is not our freedom to speak, it is our duty to speak regardless of government permission for the glory of God and the goodness of our fellow man.

2. The audience is the nations of the world, not just the churched. The joint statement is a statement to the church. The instructions I received about not publishing it reveal that it is an “internal” statement. However, if churches today do not know (with clarity) what their pastors believe about biblical sexuality, homosexuality, or transgenderism, alarm bells should have gone off a long time ago. The biblical position on these issues should be well known in the church. It is at this point, that it needs to be clarified to the world, it needs to be preached among the nations.

Our mandate is to make disciples of all nations and to teach them to observe all that Jesus has commanded. The nations need to know the holiness of God, his creative power, his coming judgment, his design for marriage and sexuality, and how sin is dealt with through the sacrifice, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The world needs, especially in this moment, clarity and truth from the church as we speak of sin and salvation.

3. The goal is not conflict, nor a “cease fire”, but reconciliation. Some may think that preaching on the subject is only going to stir the pot. Likewise, the statement above could be seen as a way of carving out protections for Christians to have their beliefs in exchange for a promise to play nicely with those who disagree. Neither must be our goal.

My hope is that on the 16th, the beauty of God’s design in marriage, gender, and sexuality is set forth with clarity—not to divide or stir up controversy, but to reconcile sinners to a good, gracious, and merciful God who has so wonderfully created us for love and joy. It is time for a clear call that the only way to be reconciled as a society or to God is on his terms. There is no room for other views of sexuality, gender, or marriage besides God’s view. The church should call every person—every sinner—to see God’s way as the only way and to repent and be reconciled to him and one another.

Please pray for the churches in these coming weeks.

Tim Stephens

Political Unity, Divine Judgment, and “Conversion Therapy”

The political landscape of our country is polarized. I can’t remember a time of such division between political parties and ideologies. Yet, in this climate of division there is one issue that has united every party in Parliament across the political spectrum: banning conversion therapy.

In both the House and Senate, the opposition party (the Conservative Party of Canada) moved to fast-track Bill C-4, An Act to amend the Criminal Code with regard to Conversion Therapy. In expediting the process, the normal elements of multiple readings, committees, debates, and amendments were bypassed. Just one dissenting voice could have forced the bill through the normal process. Yet in both chambers, not one voice spoke in opposition. Thus, the ban on conversion therapy was passed by unanimous consent and awaits royal assent.

After the speaker of the house twice asked for a dissenting voice and none was heard, the House of Commons erupted in a standing ovation. Politicians crossed the floor to exchange handshakes and hugs. One conservative party member was dancing. Standing out amidst the celebration, three conservative backbenchers refused to join the applause and seemed to hang their heads in shame. Doubtless they disagreed but failed to oppose the motion—God will judge.

This scene reminded me of Daniel 3 when Nebuchadnezzar had all his government officials gathered and instructed them that when the music played all were to bow. Despite facing a tortuous execution, three Hebrews refused to bow when the music played. These were men of principle and conviction. Yet in our day, when the music played, all the government officials went along. They did the “safe” thing rather than the right thing. (Now I understand that this Bill would pass regardless of the few MPs who stand opposed to it. Surely the same pragmatic thinking would have excused the Hebrew boys from their defiance, but not for men of principle who put obedience to God first.)

But, you may question, how can I really speak against conversion therapy? Do I support harmful treatments to change someone’s self-perception? Let me be clear, I’m against any coercive treatments, medical or otherwise to force someone to “convert.” It is not me but our government who endorses this behavior. Our society is no stranger to coercion to force the “right” behavior. Many in our congregation have lost their careers which were used as leverage to force them into a medical procedure they didn’t want. How awful and unjust. I went to jail twice as the government used imprisonment as a threat to try and force me against my conviction that the Lord Jesus is the head of the church—not Deena Hinshaw, Jason Kenney, or any other government magistrate. I stand against all these coercive “conversion” therapies.

It’s also important to note that doing harm (shock therapy, forced medication, torture, and so forth) against a person’s will is already a criminal offense in Canada. If this is happening in Canada, it would already be a criminal offense. What other harm is this new law seeking to protect against that isn’t already outlawed in Canada? In reality, this bill only clarifies a new ethic, enshrines a new blasphemy law, and outlaws Christian morality by calling God’s design a “myth.” This bill, with its threat of five years of imprisonment, is itself a form of coercion to suppress the Christian witness of male, female, marriage, and sexuality. The new law explicitly condemns those who stand on Christian truth and only bans “conversion” from gay to straight, or from transgender to cisgender, but not the other way around. The conversion and blasphemy laws in Saudi Arabia share this same one-sidedness.

God’s Judgment Upon the Nation

In Daniel 3, when the government gathered to worship the idol of the age, this was a result of God’s judgment. Babylon was a tool in the hand of God to bring judgment upon a nation who had forsaken him. I have no delusion in thinking that Canada is Israel or shares the same privilege in the plan of God, but its undeniable that Canada was explicitly founded on Christian principles and Christian law.

Canada’s official motto and the foundation of our Coat of Arms is, “A Mari Usque Ad Mare,” which when translated means, “from sea to sea.” This is a reference to Psalm 72:8, “May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth!” The same verse is the basis for the official name of Canada, the Dominion of Canada, which acknowledged God’s sovereignty and providence in establishing the new nation. In fact, before 1983, Canada Day was called Dominion Day in recognition of the sovereignty of God. It was changed, like the conversion therapy law, with unanimous consent without debate.

The Order of Canada (included on the Coat of Arms) has the motto, “Desiderantes meliorem patriam” which translates “They desire a better country.” This is taken from Hebrews 11:16 which speaks of God’s enduring kingdom. Our Canadian Bill of Rights, adopted in 1960, says in its preamble, “The Parliament of Canada, affirming that the Canadian Nation is founded upon principles that acknowledge the supremacy of God, the dignity and worth of the human person and the position of the family in a society of free men and free institutions; Affirming also that men and institutions remain free only when freedom is founded upon respect for moral and spiritual values and the rule of law.” In addition, The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the highest law of our land, begins and says, “Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.”

Canada, in its government and public education, explicitly acknowledged the supremacy, sovereignty, and providence of God, the triune God of Scripture, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who sent his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ into the world to redeem his people, inaugurate a new covenant, and establish the kingdom of God.

Contrast the former statements with the preamble to the bill banning conversion therapy. It states,

“Whereas conversion therapy causes harm to society because, among other things, it is based on and propagates myths and stereotypes about sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, including the myth that heterosexuality, cisgender gender identity, and gender expression that conforms to the sex assigned to a person at birth are to be preferred over other sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions;

And whereas, in light of those harms, it is important to discourage and denounce the provision of conversion therapy in order to protect the human dignity and equality of all Canadians”

In sum, the foundation of our country, the supremacy of God and the rule of (his) law, has been exchanged for the supremacy of humanity and the rule of their law. God’s law-word is relegated to a myth. The people plot (in vain) against the Lord and his Anointed. The sin of Babel has found new expression. Jeroboam, son of Nebat, is with us in spirit. Everyone does that which is right in their own eyes. We have forsaken God as a nation. Should we not expect his hand of judgment? Should it then surprise us that the sexual perversions of Romans 1—the revelation of God’s wrath—are enshrined into law in our land?

John Calvin said, “a wicked prince is the Lord’s scourge to punish the sins of the people” (Job 34:30; Hos. 13:11; Isa. 3:4; 10:5; Deut. 28:29). He’s right. This law—enshrining sexual perversion—is not a portent of God’s judgment, it is God’s judgment. Woe to Canada.

Our Response

Let me suggest the following ways we should respond to this new law, which is only a fruit of a deeper, bitter root.

1. Toward God: Trust

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1–2).

We’re living in tumultuous, uncertain times. The foundations of our country have been turned on their head. We might be tempted to fear, anger, bitterness, or envy. Yet we must trust God. We must remember that he is the faithful one, the loving one, and the sovereign one. God has a good purpose in all that he does and in all his judgments. He will receive glory through this and his people will be blessed and grow more and more to look like Jesus Christ in character and truth.

This is our Father’s world no matter how much the people of this age seek to burst his bonds apart.

2. Toward our Governing Authorities: Courage

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

The threats of men in rebellion to God seek to silence the voice of God. Christians are to herald the truth and not to shrink back in cowardice. John Calvin said, “A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.” It is revealing that the cowardly tops the list in Revelation 21:8 of those cast into the lake of fire—even ahead of the sexually immoral. How many who profess the name of Christ will be moved by the threats of men and retreat as cowards and compromisers? May God grant those who have already denied him to be restored like Peter—or at great cost like Cranmer—and give their lives in standing for truth.

We must let God speak. We must let his word be known. We must warn the world of sin and judgment. Christians must repent of being more concerned about imposing Christian morality or law rather than the imposition of godless ideologies that mutilate bodies, enslave the mind, torment children, and damn people to hell (cf. 1 Timothy 1:8–11).

3. Toward our Neighbors: Truth

“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” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

Everyone knows what the Bible says about homosexuality. Only the most crafty creatives can try to twist it to say otherwise. In their attempts, they only betray the fact that they read the Bible through the lenses of the world. We’ve seen this with regard to evolution, the roles of men and women and so forth—this is nothing new. Suddenly, as the culture promotes an issue and sanctions it with praise, Christians rise up to find new meaning in the Bible that no one ever saw before. The world isn’t buying it. We believe that the God-man died and rose again to reconcile the sinners to God. You can’t get more scandalous than that.

In making the Bible jive with today’s fashionable values, they take the grace and power out of the gospel. Some of the most beautiful words of Scripture are, “and such were some of you.” No person will ever be washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Christ if they are not ones who confess their sin, repent, and trust that Jesus Christ forgives and delivers through the cross and resurrection.

To be sure, the world will label us haters, intolerant, immoral, and make threats of fines and imprisonment. But to those in whom Christ is working, they will label us truth tellers, witnesses for Jesus, and loving. We should love our neighbors in the same way Christ loved them. He called out sin and called sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). This is the loving thing to do. How much do we have to hate someone to not tell them their sin damns them to hell?

Therefore, I call all who are confused about gender or sexuality, those who are sexually immoral—whether homosexual or heterosexual—those who are adulterers, or in pre-marital relationships, and all other sinners to repent and find grace and peace in Jesus Christ. He will forgive all who come to him in repentance and faith. This invitation cannot be thwarted by the will of man, it is a divine invitation for sinners to find peace with their Creator. It is a call for all sinners—myself included—and one in which I rejoice for only in Jesus do I have peace with God.

A Plea for Justice

This letter is intended for the members of the legislature in Alberta. It is a plea for you to pursue justice in our province.

The Task Before You

Alberta’s more than 4 million citizens are represented by just 87 members of the legislative assembly. As such, you represent a large and diverse group of people and are entrusted with an important stewardship.

Your priority, higher than infrastructure, budgets, regulations, and public services is to protect the rights of the people in your constituency. The highest laws of our federation and our province are laws protecting the rights of the citizenry, especially the minority who are most likely to be oppressed by the majority. These laws are in keeping with sacred Scripture and form the foundation of Western society.

The Plea

My plea is that you would uphold our highest laws and defend the rights of people who are being discriminated and oppressed. Vaccine mandates are destroying lives and livelihoods. As a pastor, I’ve never experienced such a time of widespread hardship that has befallen the people as in these days. I know many who are unable to complete their degree or begin their education at a place of higher learning. I know people on unpaid leave, scrambling to provide for their family. I know people who are in a state of uncertainty as their career rests upon the whims of a small committee at their workplace. Our church has received cries for help from more than a thousand people suffering under these measures with nowhere to turn for relief.

These are people who love their jobs, who work hard, who have a bright future, who are law abiding citizens but who have deep convictions concerning this medical treatment that is being forced upon them with much coercion. Since when is someone’s livelihood a lever of the government to pressure a medical choice against their will? Is this our beloved Alberta or China? I love these people. These are the people that I serve, pray for, and live life with. These people are my family and it grieves me to see them being discriminated against and made the scapegoats of society.

The Unvaccinated

You must know that these people have deep religious convictions. Informed consent for medical procedures is a Christian idea that can’t easily be dismissed. You must know that these people have medical concerns. The cost/benefit analysis of a medical procedure is best done by the people themselves and not a small group of bureaucrats in Edmonton or a task force in the workplace. You must know that many have already had COVID and know what we all know—natural immunity is much better than the vaccine.

So why should so many lose their jobs or be unable to go to university? Is banning the unvaccinated and relegating them to a unprivileged status in our province going to reduce transmission? The largest spike of COVID cases and hospitalizations occurred when 75% of eligible Albertans were vaccinated. Shouldn’t we have seen a least some reduction in cases? From the start, vaccines were not touted on reducing transmission, although that outcome was hoped for. We lacked data on the transmissibility of COVID-19 in vaccinated people but legislated mandates as if it didn’t happen. But recently, Teresa Tam admitted what other censored doctors have been saying for months. The vaccinated can still get the virus and even have high viral loads with little or no symptoms. This sounds like a perfect storm for rapid transmission of a serious and contagious disease. Could this be the explanation of why our worst COVID spike was when the majority of people were vaccinated? Does not the admission of Dr. Tam make vaccine mandates for school, work or travel completely ineffective and be rescinded immediately?

Conclusion

We cannot eliminate all risks in life. Yet this seems to be the goal when politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives are discriminating against the unvaccinated as if they are a danger to society. Since they are the minority, they can be bullied and removed from society. Reaching full vaccination (an impossibility) or locking up all the unvaccinated will still not stop this virus from spreading or reduce the risk down to zero. Your efforts to do this find you in violation of the most fundamental laws of our country and province. But most importantly, your efforts find you destroying the lives of hardworking, honest Albertans who you have sworn an oath to protect.

Alberta could have been a leader—and still can be—of a government that respects the rights of its citizens and defends the minority, underprivileged, and oppressed. I guarantee that this province would be a haven for all Canadians who would flock here for work, school, and opportunities to flourish in freedom.

Please have a heart for the people being oppressed by rules that won’t stop the spread of COVID. Outlaw any requirements for businesses or institutions that impose such discriminatory mandates. Haven’t we learned anything about segregation and prejudice in the recent past?

Postscript

The foundation for a just and free society has been neglected. Unless we repent and turn to the only true God and heed his wisdom and law from his word, we will continue to see discrimination, prejudice, immorality, and bloodshed flourish in our land (Hosea 4:1–6). Rulers are called of God to be a terror to the wicked, not the righteous (Romans 13:1–5). You will stand before God to give an account (Hebrews 9:27). Know that there is forgiveness and peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). My desire for you is that you would know the peace and joy of knowing God—this can only be found in Jesus Christ, our Savior and King.

Tim Stephens

The Stigma of Sickness

There is a stigma associated with sickness today. Our society has been altered in terms of how we regard the sick and how we deal with sickness when it visits us. Attitudes toward the sick include blaming and shaming them for not being more careful. Out of fear of getting sick ourselves, we divide and isolate from the sick rather than show compassion and care for their needs. We judge them as morally inferior. They must have made a bad choice and are now reaping the consequences. Our society has no shortage of people, who like Job’s friends, have assumed disease is a result of sin and are ready to scold and call for repentance.

It’s no wonder then, that when someone is sick they feel guilt and shame as if they did something wrong. Maybe they should have been more careful. Maybe they got lazy and made poor choices. Maybe they could have done more to protect themselves and others. These kind of mind games make recovering from sickness that much more difficult. Stress and anxiety do damage to our immune system which makes our recovery that much longer.

How did we get here?

Governments around the world have been promising salvation from this virus but can’t deliver. Masking, sanitizer, distancing, lockdowns, restrictions, vaccines have all been employed by governments determined to stop COVID-19. They have all proved to have little effect and yet governments continue to promise that we’re close to getting a handle on things. Of course, when these measures fail to contain a contagious virus there needs to be something or someone to blame. The government is unwilling to concede that their measures are having little effect or that they cannot deliver what they promise and so it is the people not following the rules, the anti-maskers, or the unvaccinated that are driving continued spread, i.e., the “deplorables” of society. So when a person gets sick, maybe they are part of this class of societal scum that are causing this pandemic to continue.

So the blame and shame heaped on the sick is because of false promises of human governments pretending to be God and Savior that continue to promise hope but can’t deliver.

Where do we go from here?

When we understand that God is in control, not man—and certainly not human governments attempting to control a virus—we gain an entirely different outlook. Job came to understand that God is in control of sickness and disease and that God wields such power to teach his people humility and dependence.

When we are sick, we don’t need to blame anyone. Sickness doesn’t just affect the immoral or wicked, but also the holy and righteousness (like Job). Sickness is a reminder that we are weak and frail, and even the smallest of particles—ones we can’t even see or control—can take the strongest out. Sickness is a reminder that we aren’t in control, and that we should trust in the one who is. Sickness is death’s harbinger, reminding us all that we are mortal and will taste death. So let us trust God who is the only one able to deliver from death through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This insight helps us live in these days as well. When we trust God, we recognize that salvation from sickness and death is not promised to us in this life, although it is coming (Revelation 21:4) so we’re not expecting perfect health now. When we trust God we recognize that health and safety are not the most important (Mark 8:36–37) and so we can avoid COVID tunnel vision and serve the sick with compassion rather than fear them. When we trust God we recognize that life is in God’s hands and for all our striving, we can’t add a single hour to our life (Matt 6:27). And no, this doesn’t mean that we should be reckless, but under our sovereign God, we labor as stewards of what he has given to us rather than arrogantly thinking we can control creation as only God can. We trust creation to him and then serve him by serving each other, especially in times of need.

So if you are sick, don’t fall prey to shame and guilt. You did nothing wrong. You can’t control sickness but you can remember Him who controls all things for his purposes and your good.