Presbyterians Pro-Life NEWS
Fall 2002
The Unholy at the "Holy" Assembly
by Don Elliott
I was a commissioner to the 214
th General Assembly in Columbus, Ohio, this past June. The Moderator, Fahed Abul-Akel, was a delight in his leading of the business sessions and his contacts with all segments of the Assembly. One expression he began using early in the proceedings was to use the adjective, "holy," whenever he called on a youth advisory delegate, a commissioner, or a committee moderator. It was lighthearted and fun, and I am no prude. I enjoyed it and found myself wondering who or what would be called "holy" next."Be holy"
I am no prude, but I seek not to be profane. I found myself evaluating the use of "holy" in such a common and shallow sense that we missed its uncommon and deep significance. One verse kept running through my mind: "Be holy, because I am holy." (Leviticus 11:44,45; 19:2; 20:7; I Peter 1:16) This is a call to consecration ("be holy") based on the declaration by the Lord of his nature ("I am holy").
To be holy is be set apart by God … from sin … to God. Holiness is not part of our nature ("For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." – Romans 3:23); but it is innate in God’s nature ("Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty"- Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). We are made holy by the grace of God in Jesus Christ, and we are called to live holy lives by that same grace ("…God, who saved us and called us to a holy life – not because anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace" – II Timothy 1:9).
Every time someone or something was called "holy" during the General Assembly, I found myself thinking of the words "imputed" and "imparted." Who was declaring the condition of holiness? And who had the guts to declare something just the opposite as unholy? It was as if we had skipped some steps.
An unholy decision
But one action of the Assembly did not stand up to the "holy" standard. It could even be declared "unholy." I am sure that many people could call quite a number of things "unholy" from this Assembly, but this is where distinctions must be made between what we don’t like and what God doesn’t like; between what is clear and what is obscure; and between what is developing and what is declared.
The decision by the Assembly on late term abortion was "unholy." (The details of this decision are given in the
first article of this newsletter.) It is "unholy" because…...it gives license to break the law of God. ("You shall not murder" – Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17)
...it recommends evil (killing viable babies) in responding to evil (incest and rape). ("Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good") – Romans 12:21).
...it suggests the grace of God as permission to do something sinful. ("Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!" – Romans 6:1,2)
...it confuses the will of God by declaring late term abortion prohibitive ("grave moral concern") and then delineates when it is permitted (long list of exceptions). ("...he who doubts is like a wave on the sea, blown and tossed by the wind....he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does" – James 1:6,7).
...it refuses to acknowledge the value of the unborn child in the sight of the Lord. ("...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." – Matthew 25:40)
...it reverses a previous statement against partial birth abortion and distorts what is good and what is evil. ("But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." – Hebrews 5:14)
...it spiritually endangers the pastoral leadership of the church in giving godly counsel in difficult times. ("…we who teach will be judged more strictly" – James 3:1).
So what is to be done in the light of the "unholy"?
Even in the light of the "unholy", the Lord said, "Be holy, because I am holy."
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