Why Doesn’t Franklin Graham Understand the Gospel?
A while back, Franklin Graham, an evangelist, following in the footsteps of his famous evangelist father, Billy Graham, tweeted a letter to the LGBTQ community in the United Kingdom (UK). This intolerant group of activists were protesting Graham’s visit to various cities in their country.
In an effort to appease their ignorant nay saying, Graham wrote that it was a lie told that he was bringing “hateful speech.” Sadly, he then lied to them from his own ignorance of the Bible. Let’s consider a few things he wrote…
First, “I am coming to share the Gospel which is the Good News that God loves the people of the UK…” Arminians tend to use unbiblical universal love to soften their audiences, “God loves everyone, everywhere.” Meanwhile, their audiences are reaping tastes of God’s wrath against sinners (Rom 1:18–32). Obviously, they are not “feelin’ the love.”
Homosexuality is a sin, which Graham affirms in his tweet. He also affirms the truth of universal sin (Rom 3:23; 5:12). He closes his bad news with a soft sell of hell, “The penalty of sin is spiritual death — separation from God for eternity.” Does Graham not know that the Bible calls these people, “haters of God (Rom 1:30)?” They want to be separated from God!
Second, Franklin Graham continues his errors with universal redemption, “He (Jesus) became sin for us.” Deviant preachers never define the biblical pronouns. Who is “us” Franklin? Deceived preachers clump the church in with the world, “Jesus died for you goat, and for you wolf in sheep’s clothing, and even for you, son of perdition.”
Third, Graham continues, “He (Jesus) didn’t come to condemn the world,” and Mr. Graham that is because the Bible tells us that the world was already condemned (Jn 3:18). Soft selling Jesus only makes Jesus irrelevant to his skeptics. They do not take the King of glory, seriously.
Fourth, quite possibly Graham’s most grievous statement was, “He (Jesus) came to save the world…” No, He did not. How can a famous preacher’s son, who is himself a famous preacher not know that Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21)? It is baffling that Graham does not understand that the Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep (Jn 10:11, 15) — not for unbelieving goats who do not belong to Him (Jn 10:26).
Fifth, next Graham says, “And if we’re willing to accept Him by faith…” Ok, Franklin, seriously, the Bible says these people are not willing to accept Jesus (Jn 1:12), nor are they seeking Him in any way (Rom 3:11). If a man has faith in Jesus Christ, it is because he is in Jesus Christ (2 Tim 2:10). By the will of God (Jn 1:13), this believing man was transferred into Christ (Col 1:13), by his being born again of God’s Spirit (Jn 3:1–8; 1 Pet 1:3). People don’t “born again” themselves.
Sixth, Graham wrote, “My message to all people is that they can be forgiven…” well, the Bible disagrees with you again, Mr. Graham. Not all people can have a right relationship with God.
Jesus Christ is right with God the Father. Those who are in Christ, by His doing (1 Cor 1:30), are right with God, having received the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. This happened when they received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 10:45), who was sent to convict the world of sin…not save it (Jn 16:8).
The Spirit was sent to the church (Jn 14:26; 15:26), to gather in her members, who had been ordained to eternal life before the foundation of the world (Acts 13:48). These predestined members of Christ’s body were granted repentance (Acts 5:31; 11:18; Rom 8:30; Eph 1:5), and they were granted faith (Phil 1:29), when the Spirit began His good work in them (Phil 1:6).
Seventh, Graham doesn’t stop, “that is the hope people on every continent around the world are searching for.” People do not search for hope. That is silly. People have hope, or they are hopeless, like those without God in the world, just as the Bible says in Ephesians 2:12. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is our only hope (Col 1:27), and he who has the Son, has this hope because he has the life of God living in his soul (Rom 8:9, 11; Jn 3:36; 1 Jn 5:12).
Eighth, Graham wrote, “I am not coming to the UK to speak against anybody; I’m coming to speak for everybody.” Good grief, Franklin, do you think you are a god (Gen 3:5)? You are not speaking for me, and with so many errors, I am sure you are not speaking for Christ because you are lying to the LGBTQ community. Jesus would not do that. But, alas, there is more to lie about…
Ninth, Graham wrote, “The Gospel is inclusive.” No, it is not…not by a long shot! It is a stunningly “exclusive” revelation from God. It reveals one God; one Savior; one Spirit; one salvation; one people of God; one covenant of grace; etc.
Franklin Graham closed his letter by claiming he was coming to the UK in love, not hate, but I would argue that if you are not telling people the truth, you are hating them. Instead of accommodating the hostile activists with your false gospel of universal love, universal redemption, universal (albeit possible) salvation, and inclusivist rhetoric…why not tell them the truth?
It has been my proposition here that Franklin Graham cannot tell the LGBTQ people in the UK the truth because he himself does not understand the truth (nor did his famous father!). Do you understand the truth?
God the Father chose a people for Himself before Creation (Rom 11:5; Eph 1:4–5). After creating all things (Col 1:15), God sent His only begotten Son (Jn 3:16), to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21). We proclaim Him (Col 1:28), having received Jesus as our salvation, by the will of God (Jn 1:13). We received Jesus when we received His Spirit (Acts 1:5), who goes where He wills and is not controlled by the acceptance of puny men (Jn 3:1–8), who don’t know Him, until it is shown they are known by Him (1 Jn 4:19), which is our prayer for the lost elect of the LGBTQ community…and Franklin Graham.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
October 28, 2022
