By now, fourteen million faithful viewers of Duck Dynasty have learned that the patriarch of the family, Phil Robertson, has been suspended indefinitely from the show, because he was honest enough to declare that God intended men and women to be together. God made and brought together Adam and Eve in the Garden (not Adam and Steve, as the saying goes). The Divine Pattern was established.
Following his suspension from the show, Phil Robertson gave a statement to FOX News: “I myself am a product of the 60s; I centered my life around sex, drugs and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior. My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the Bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together. However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”
I have read the original comments Phil Robertson made while being interviewed for an article by GQ Magazine. The language Mr. Robertson used is colorful, vivid, and leaves nothing to the imagination regarding the animalistic acts of the practicing homosexual. In the article Phil Roberston paraphrased 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
It would have been good if Phil Robertson had continued and quoted verse 11 which say, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
I doubt it would have changed A&E’s decision to suspend Phil Robertson from the show, but the verse does teach that where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. “And such were some of you.” Therein is the hope for the homosexual, and for all sinners. People can change. People who come to Christ can be fundamentally and forever different. Individuals can be cleansed by the blood of Christ shed at Calvary’s Cross. There is redemption.
But the practicing homosexual, the liberal mindset, the biased media does not want to be clean and neither do they want to be judged. And that is what Phil Robertson was doing. He was rendering a judgment on homosexuals.
Was Phil Robertson wrong to say what he did? In no way was he wrong. He is right to call sinners to repentance. He is right to warn the world that God will not be mocked. There is a penalty to be paid for sin. But there is also forgiveness for all who repent.
It is possible that after five seasons Duck Dynasty will be cancelled because a good and decent Christian man took a public stand against sin. Jesus foretold that His followers would suffer the hatred of the world, and why they would suffer.
John 15:18, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
The irony of this situation is that the world does not want to be judged, but then the world stands in judgment on others. A&E has judged that the remarks of Phil Robertson against the homosexual community to be offensive and should not be spoken or tolerated.
So the truth of the matter is that everyone judges. The world judges the church, and the church condemns the world. What is the difference?
One difference is to ask: “Who is right? Who is righteous? Who will determine who is right and who is wrong?”
There is only one answer and it is found in the Bible.
Those who read the Scriptures understand that God has established a moral universe. God has placed a moral compass in the soul of every person. This moral compass, called the conscience, may be suppressed so that evil can be practiced, but the conscience cannot be stopped according to Romans 1:21-32.
“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
“26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
In his comments to GQ Magazine, Phil Robertson did what Jesus has commanded all Christians to do, and that is to render a righteous judgment. John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
To his eternal credit, Phil Robertson obeyed the Lord in this matter. Therefore, “To God be the glory.” Well done Phil Robertson. Well done.
