Taking a stand. - I was so psyched when I saw the movie preview for "End of the Spear."
Like so many fellow Christians, I couldn't wait to see the story of one of the most violent tribes the world has known come to redemption and love for Christ.
Now I know that it is little more than Satan's sly way of hoodwinking Christians into overlooking sin for the supposed purpose of proclaiming the Gospel.
It reminds me of the option Satan gave Christ in the desert:
“Again the devil took Him up on a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their splendor, and said to Him, "Every bit of this I will give to you, if you will fall on your knees and worship me."
Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! For the Scripture Says, ‘You must worship the Lord your God, and serve Him alone.’"” (Matthew 4:8-10 WILLIAMS)
In essence Satan offered Christ what He came to earth for, the world. But it was at the expense of gaining it Satan's way.
Christ of course rebuked him.
Now we have a movie that is supposed to proclaim the redemptive power of the Gospel of Christ. Only the supposed Christian production company, Every Tribe Entertainment (ETE), chose a man who is an activist for the sin of homosexuality, to help bear that message.
The man I write of is Chad Allen, and he plays both Nate and Steve Saint in the upcoming movie. Chad is an activist for the sin of homosexuality and to promote his agenda, he is now using the platform that ETE gave him by casting him as an evangelical missionary in this film.
Apparently ETE is unfamiliar with the principle of 2 Corinthians 6:14:
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
So what are we to do with that knowledge that this film and company actively partners with a man promoting sin?
Many, like Justin Taylor, say it's no big deal.
Justin pens:
Some have expressed shock and frustration that an openly gay man would be cast in an evangelical film.
But I have trouble seeing the big deal here. Film acting is a sophisticated form of make-believe. Good-looking people who talk and memorize well are paid lots of money to act out stories. In my mind, the main issue is whether they do a good job with the task.
Most of Hollywood is out of step with most of America.
The truth is that Hollywood will continue to be "out of step" with America if Christians continue to eat at the table where they know the meat before them was offered to idols.
The title of Justin's post is, "The End of the Spear: Is the Messenger the Message?"
The answer to that question is a hardy, "Yes!"
The missionaries to this tribe were the message of Christ!
We are ambassadors from Heaven. We are supposed to be the light of Christ to the world. We are the message, the redeemed of Christ.
As a Christian, would you accept a message from Satan, when he tells you the message is from God?
On deciding on whether or not to see this film because of the casting of Mr. Allen, Tim Challies writes:
This is an issue that must be decided by the individual - the choice is between the individual and God.
As much as I appreciate and like Tim, I think he is wrong. So too are any who claim this on-the-fence stance. We are called to be separate. Walking the fence is not being separate. We can find direction from God on such matters as this in His Word.
He is dead on when he writes:
As Christians we need to be careful who we select to represent us. It may be only a film, and Chad Allen may be nothing more than an actor playing a man of God, but the fact is that he now has a widened platform that he can use to share his beliefs - beliefs that just so happen to contradict Scripture.
Many say that if we are going to get Hollywood to produce films we as Christians want, than we need to let our wallets do the talking. The truth, however, is that shouldn't be our goal. Our goal should be to show Hollywood the redemptive power of Christ in how we live, with the hope that Hollywood would want to join us in renouncing sin and self and choosing the power of forgiveness and the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Here's another thought.
The Holy Spirit gives us a principle to follow in 2 Corinthians 8 and 10 on the subject of food offered to idols.
All things are permissible for us, but not all things are beneficial. Particularly when a weaker persons sees us partaking in what we clearly know has been offered up to an idol.
When I didn't know about Allen's part in this film or that ETE chose him because they liked the article on him found in the homosexual magazine, Advocate, I would not have been guilty of seeing this film. But know that I know, I cannot partake in this film. A film, according to Jason Janz, where the Gospel message is watered down anyway. Not only may it be watered down, but it is yoked with sin.
How can I, a Christian man and leader in my body of believers, recommend such a film?
I can't. In recommending it I would be joining with the promotion of a sin. Instead I must decry it.
If you don't think that the movie will be used to promote the sin of homosexuality than just watch the movie plugs that Chad Allen will be doing over the next couple of weeks.
It looks like it started last night on the Larry King show in a discussion on the sin of homosexuality and same sex marriage.
Larry introduced Allen this way (emphasis added):
Here in Los Angeles, Chad Allen, the openly gay actor best known for his long-running role on "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman" and start [sp] of the movie "End of the Spear." It opens in theaters this Friday, it's a decidedly Christian movie.
The Great Separation continues.
Update: 2006-01-19.
I also recommend reading Bob Bixby's post,
Every Tribe Entertainment’s Offense.
He starts off with:
Jason Janz was right to post his article, Nate Saint Played by Gay Activist in ‘End of the Spear.’ And the key word is “activist.”
I would like to offer up a simple biblical rationale that not only defends reports such as Janz’s, but settles in my mind the fact that Every Tribe Entertainment has sinned against the Body of Christ.
Worth reading:
Nate Saint Played by Gay Activist in "End of the Spear" | Jason Janz
Tim Challies: The End of the Spear - Further Thoughts
Tim Challies: Dr. Mohler on Larry King Live (Recap)
Justin Taylor - The End of the Spear: Is the Messenger the Message?
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