In an open letter typed on Grace Community Church stationery, Rev. John MacArthur — who recently prevailed in a pandemic-related lawsuit against California state officials — pleaded with California Governor Gavin Newsom to stop “routinely… rewarding evildoers and punishing the righteous,” and ultimately, to “respond to the gospel, forsake the path of wickedness you have pursued all your life, turn to Christ, ask for forgiveness, and use your office to advance the cause of righteousness (as is your duty) instead of undermining it (as has been your pattern).”
In the September 29 letter, MacArthur stated, “The Word of God pronounces judgment on those who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20), and yet many of your policies reflect this unholy, upside-down view of honor and morality…. Nevertheless, my goal in writing is not to contend with your politics, but rather to plead with you to hear and heed what the Word of God says to men in your position.”
READ: Christians cannot claim to live for God while justifying abortion
He then proceeded to describe in Biblical terms how rulers or leaders are accountable to God, and how MacArthur believes that Newsom’s “gross blasphemy” and twisting of Scripture — as recently seen in Newsom’s creation of billboards which promote abortion as a means to “love your neighbor” — are very serious:
In mid-September, you revealed to the entire nation how thoroughly rebellious against God you are when you sponsored billboards across America promoting the slaughter of children, whom He creates in the womb (Psalm 139:13–16; Isaiah 45:9–12).
You further compounded the wickedness of that murderous campaign with a reprehensible act of gross blasphemy, quoting the very words of Jesus from Mark 12:31 as if you could somehow twist His meaning and arrogate His name in favor of butchering unborn infants. You used the name and the words of Christ to promote the credo of Molech (Leviticus 20:1–5). It would be hard to imagine a greater sacrilege.
Furthermore, you chose words from the lips of Jesus without admitting that in the same moment He gave the greatest commandment: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). You cannot love God as He commands while aiding in the murder of His image-bearers.
California billboard
MacArthur noted that perverting the Word of God for “sinful ends” is addressed in Psalm 50:16–19, which reads in part, “But to the wicked God says, ‘What right have you to recount My statutes And to take My covenant in your mouth? For you hate discipline, And you cast My words behind you….” In other words, MacArthur pointed out that the use of Scripture to promote abortion is an abuse of God’s Word.
“… [Y]ou have flouted His authority in your governing, and… have twisted His own Holy Word to rationalize it,” he added.
He then pleaded for Newsom to receive the salvation that comes through the work of Jesus Christ:
My plea to you, Sir, is that… you would not go to that day of judgment apart from receiving forgiveness and righteousness through faith in Christ alone. In Psalm 50, after rebuking the wicked for uttering God’s words in a profane way, Scripture makes this promise: “Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver. He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies Me; and he who orders his way, I shall show the salvation of God” (vv. 22–23).
So there is salvation for those who repent. Christ purchased full redemption for all who will turn from wickedness, forsake their evil thoughts and actions, and trust fully in Him as Lord and Savior.
Read Pastor MacArthur’s letter in full here.
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