Tim Keller Confuses the Abortion Issue

Tim Keller’s series of tweets on why we should not allow politics to create division in the church has created more political division in the church than if he had remained silent. While there was a lot he said, this bit is what caused the uproar.

@timkellernyc

Here are two Biblical MORAL norms: 1) It is a sin to worship idols or any God other than the true God & 2) do not murder. If you ask evangelicals if we should be forbidden by law to worship any other God than the God of the Bible—they’d say ‘no.’

We allow that terrible sin to be legal. But if you ask them if Americans should be forbidden by law to abort a baby, they’d say ‘yes.’ Now why make the first sin legal and NEVER talk about it and the second sin illegal and a main moral/political talking point?

At the very least, it shows a lack of knowing how to apply the Bible to politics. Since we can’t simply say, “If the Bible says its sin it should be illegal”-how do we choose which morals to politically champion? Please don’t say, “I just want to see the 10

…commandments made law in society.” That’s too simplistic and we don’t do this already. The Bible tells us that idolatry, abortion, and ignoring the poor are all grievous sins. But it doesn’t tell us exactly HOW we are to apply these norms to a pluralistic democracy.

There is so much to unpack here. The first, of course, is the dubious wisdom of even attempting to say what he is saying on such a limited forum for communication as Twitter.

I get that Christians argue unnecessarily over politics, but he could have chosen immigration, health care, vaccines, or welfare policy as examples. How and why he chose the abortion debate is mystifying unless that is the primary dividing issue in his church. He seems to want to make the case that you can be a good Christian (and be morally opposed to abortion) while supporting a party and political candidates that defend aborting babies up to nine months of gestation. If that is the case, his church would have been better served by offering biblical clarity on the issue rather than such obfuscation.

It’s not about the Ten Commandments—exactly.

The Ten Commandments are not the defining standard by which human governments operate. However, there are principles within the Ten Commandments that are essential for human governments to meet their God-ordained obligations.

The most basic responsibility of human government is the protection of life.

When God established Human Government long before the Ten Commandments were issued (Genesis 9:6) he required that murderers meet the justice due their crimes. That is the God-given realm of governmental responsibility—to protect human beings from doing harm to or damaging each other. This includes both life and property (since historically property is essential to maintaining one’s life and health). Almost all laws find their root in this most basic principle.

This differentiation is why as Baptists we do not believe there should be laws regulating worship. We believe that true faith can never be compelled, therefore establishing or restricting worship is not in the purview of human government (except where it might be a threat to another’s life or property—such as in the cases of human sacrifice or fraud).

We are the government.

We are, in Abraham Lincoln’s immortal words, a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” We exercise that power of self-government primarily at the voting box. As believers, our exercise of governmental power must reflect the priorities God has placed on us as rulers. There is no context in which we can construe the ethical teaching of scripture to be “pro-murder.” Purposefully taking of life is only allowed as a function of justice or as a matter of self-defense. Even then, its purpose is to protect life from those who would take it.

Tim Keller did not suggest a debate about when life truly begins. He did not say that abortion is moral. He suggested that allowing the arbitrary taking of the life of an unborn child is a debatable matter among true Christians. It is not.

While it is appropriate for believers to be members of political parties, it is also important not to conflate Christianity and party membership. God is not a Republican (and he is certainly not a Democrat). Political parties morph over time. We mustn’t equate one party as the sole arbiter of Christian values. However, we cannot be dismissive when a political party abandons, especially as part of its platform, the most basic biblical requirement of human government.

We must preach the Word, but we must also apply the word.

Christians—especially pastors—must have a prophetic voice in the culture, especially before their congregations. It must be God’s message and not just our own opinions. I have lots of opinions about lots of things. Many of those are based upon what I have observed and believe to be true, but not necessarily on the specific application of the biblical text. I don’t preach those things.

However, when the text addresses such clear moral issues as the taking of the innocent life of an unborn child, I must speak clearly. I must not give believers room to justify it, even as a matter of political deference or expediency.

We cannot abandon our prophetic role. Our culture must understand what God says, not because we believe we can change the minds and hearts of people through our warnings.  The Holy Spirit can do that as He applies His word to hearts.  But we must speak so that when the judgment of God comes—as it is falling on our nation and the world right now—the people will know why it has come.

Cry aloud, spare not; Lift your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

We want sinners to come to Jesus—both the Republican and Democrat versions (Independents too). We want them to feel welcomed in our churches, and we fear that speaking with clarity regarding sin will close the door to the gospel. It is not just a clear moral/political issue like abortion that strikes fear.  Other issues so common today like the definition of marriage, gender confusion, sex outside of marriage, and more that could cause offense or close doors.  And yet the Law, according to Paul, is the schoolmaster intended to drive the lost to Christ.

We must speak the truth in love with the faith that God will honor His word without our apology or manipulation. Certainly, we must not continually harp on a few pet issues, but as we preach the whole counsel of God and the application is clear, we must declare it with clarity. This does not permit us to make our case through name-calling or innuendo.  When we speak on an issue, we must do so in a careful, biblically-reasoned manner.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into the world to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). If we soft-pedal the seriousness of sin, we also soft-pedal the need for the gospel. We must not, by our unfaithfulness to speak, quench the work of the Spirit.

In turn, we must tell the world that the proper response to such societal sin is not to reform behavior, but rather to turn in repentance and faith to Jesus Christ who is faithful to transform the souls (and lives) of those who trust Him.

Regarding the civic duty of Christians, the abortion positions of political candidates will matter more now as the Supreme Court pushes abortion regulation back to legislative bodies both state and federal. Pastors must speak.