The political landscape of our country is polarized. I can’t remember a time of such division between political parties and ideologies. Yet, in this climate of division there is one issue that has united every party in Parliament across the political spectrum: banning conversion therapy.
In both the House and Senate, the opposition party (the Conservative Party of Canada) moved to fast-track Bill C-4, An Act to amend the Criminal Code with regard to Conversion Therapy. In expediting the process, the normal elements of multiple readings, committees, debates, and amendments were bypassed. Just one dissenting voice could have forced the bill through the normal process. Yet in both chambers, not one voice spoke in opposition. Thus, the ban on conversion therapy was passed by unanimous consent and awaits royal assent.
After the speaker of the house twice asked for a dissenting voice and none was heard, the House of Commons erupted in a standing ovation. Politicians crossed the floor to exchange handshakes and hugs. One conservative party member was dancing. Standing out amidst the celebration, three conservative backbenchers refused to join the applause and seemed to hang their heads in shame. Doubtless they disagreed but failed to oppose the motion—God will judge.
This scene reminded me of Daniel 3 when Nebuchadnezzar had all his government officials gathered and instructed them that when the music played all were to bow. Despite facing a tortuous execution, three Hebrews refused to bow when the music played. These were men of principle and conviction. Yet in our day, when the music played, all the government officials went along. They did the “safe” thing rather than the right thing. (Now I understand that this Bill would pass regardless of the few MPs who stand opposed to it. Surely the same pragmatic thinking would have excused the Hebrew boys from their defiance, but not for men of principle who put obedience to God first.)
But, you may question, how can I really speak against conversion therapy? Do I support harmful treatments to change someone’s self-perception? Let me be clear, I’m against any coercive treatments, medical or otherwise to force someone to “convert.” It is not me but our government who endorses this behavior. Our society is no stranger to coercion to force the “right” behavior. Many in our congregation have lost their careers which were used as leverage to force them into a medical procedure they didn’t want. How awful and unjust. I went to jail twice as the government used imprisonment as a threat to try and force me against my conviction that the Lord Jesus is the head of the church—not Deena Hinshaw, Jason Kenney, or any other government magistrate. I stand against all these coercive “conversion” therapies.
It’s also important to note that doing harm (shock therapy, forced medication, torture, and so forth) against a person’s will is already a criminal offense in Canada. If this is happening in Canada, it would already be a criminal offense. What other harm is this new law seeking to protect against that isn’t already outlawed in Canada? In reality, this bill only clarifies a new ethic, enshrines a new blasphemy law, and outlaws Christian morality by calling God’s design a “myth.” This bill, with its threat of five years of imprisonment, is itself a form of coercion to suppress the Christian witness of male, female, marriage, and sexuality. The new law explicitly condemns those who stand on Christian truth and only bans “conversion” from gay to straight, or from transgender to cisgender, but not the other way around. The conversion and blasphemy laws in Saudi Arabia share this same one-sidedness.
God’s Judgment Upon the Nation
In Daniel 3, when the government gathered to worship the idol of the age, this was a result of God’s judgment. Babylon was a tool in the hand of God to bring judgment upon a nation who had forsaken him. I have no delusion in thinking that Canada is Israel or shares the same privilege in the plan of God, but its undeniable that Canada was explicitly founded on Christian principles and Christian law.
Canada’s official motto and the foundation of our Coat of Arms is, “A Mari Usque Ad Mare,” which when translated means, “from sea to sea.” This is a reference to Psalm 72:8, “May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth!” The same verse is the basis for the official name of Canada, the Dominion of Canada, which acknowledged God’s sovereignty and providence in establishing the new nation. In fact, before 1983, Canada Day was called Dominion Day in recognition of the sovereignty of God. It was changed, like the conversion therapy law, with unanimous consent without debate.
The Order of Canada (included on the Coat of Arms) has the motto, “Desiderantes meliorem patriam” which translates “They desire a better country.” This is taken from Hebrews 11:16 which speaks of God’s enduring kingdom. Our Canadian Bill of Rights, adopted in 1960, says in its preamble, “The Parliament of Canada, affirming that the Canadian Nation is founded upon principles that acknowledge the supremacy of God, the dignity and worth of the human person and the position of the family in a society of free men and free institutions; Affirming also that men and institutions remain free only when freedom is founded upon respect for moral and spiritual values and the rule of law.” In addition, The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the highest law of our land, begins and says, “Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.”
Canada, in its government and public education, explicitly acknowledged the supremacy, sovereignty, and providence of God, the triune God of Scripture, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who sent his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ into the world to redeem his people, inaugurate a new covenant, and establish the kingdom of God.
Contrast the former statements with the preamble to the bill banning conversion therapy. It states,
“Whereas conversion therapy causes harm to society because, among other things, it is based on and propagates myths and stereotypes about sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, including the myth that heterosexuality, cisgender gender identity, and gender expression that conforms to the sex assigned to a person at birth are to be preferred over other sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions;
And whereas, in light of those harms, it is important to discourage and denounce the provision of conversion therapy in order to protect the human dignity and equality of all Canadians”
In sum, the foundation of our country, the supremacy of God and the rule of (his) law, has been exchanged for the supremacy of humanity and the rule of their law. God’s law-word is relegated to a myth. The people plot (in vain) against the Lord and his Anointed. The sin of Babel has found new expression. Jeroboam, son of Nebat, is with us in spirit. Everyone does that which is right in their own eyes. We have forsaken God as a nation. Should we not expect his hand of judgment? Should it then surprise us that the sexual perversions of Romans 1—the revelation of God’s wrath—are enshrined into law in our land?
John Calvin said, “a wicked prince is the Lord’s scourge to punish the sins of the people” (Job 34:30; Hos. 13:11; Isa. 3:4; 10:5; Deut. 28:29). He’s right. This law—enshrining sexual perversion—is not a portent of God’s judgment, it is God’s judgment. Woe to Canada.
Our Response
Let me suggest the following ways we should respond to this new law, which is only a fruit of a deeper, bitter root.
1. Toward God: Trust
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1–2).
We’re living in tumultuous, uncertain times. The foundations of our country have been turned on their head. We might be tempted to fear, anger, bitterness, or envy. Yet we must trust God. We must remember that he is the faithful one, the loving one, and the sovereign one. God has a good purpose in all that he does and in all his judgments. He will receive glory through this and his people will be blessed and grow more and more to look like Jesus Christ in character and truth.
This is our Father’s world no matter how much the people of this age seek to burst his bonds apart.
2. Toward our Governing Authorities: Courage
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).
The threats of men in rebellion to God seek to silence the voice of God. Christians are to herald the truth and not to shrink back in cowardice. John Calvin said, “A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.” It is revealing that the cowardly tops the list in Revelation 21:8 of those cast into the lake of fire—even ahead of the sexually immoral. How many who profess the name of Christ will be moved by the threats of men and retreat as cowards and compromisers? May God grant those who have already denied him to be restored like Peter—or at great cost like Cranmer—and give their lives in standing for truth.
We must let God speak. We must let his word be known. We must warn the world of sin and judgment. Christians must repent of being more concerned about imposing Christian morality or law rather than the imposition of godless ideologies that mutilate bodies, enslave the mind, torment children, and damn people to hell (cf. 1 Timothy 1:8–11).
3. Toward our Neighbors: Truth
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).
Everyone knows what the Bible says about homosexuality. Only the most crafty creatives can try to twist it to say otherwise. In their attempts, they only betray the fact that they read the Bible through the lenses of the world. We’ve seen this with regard to evolution, the roles of men and women and so forth—this is nothing new. Suddenly, as the culture promotes an issue and sanctions it with praise, Christians rise up to find new meaning in the Bible that no one ever saw before. The world isn’t buying it. We believe that the God-man died and rose again to reconcile the sinners to God. You can’t get more scandalous than that.
In making the Bible jive with today’s fashionable values, they take the grace and power out of the gospel. Some of the most beautiful words of Scripture are, “and such were some of you.” No person will ever be washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Christ if they are not ones who confess their sin, repent, and trust that Jesus Christ forgives and delivers through the cross and resurrection.
To be sure, the world will label us haters, intolerant, immoral, and make threats of fines and imprisonment. But to those in whom Christ is working, they will label us truth tellers, witnesses for Jesus, and loving. We should love our neighbors in the same way Christ loved them. He called out sin and called sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). This is the loving thing to do. How much do we have to hate someone to not tell them their sin damns them to hell?
Therefore, I call all who are confused about gender or sexuality, those who are sexually immoral—whether homosexual or heterosexual—those who are adulterers, or in pre-marital relationships, and all other sinners to repent and find grace and peace in Jesus Christ. He will forgive all who come to him in repentance and faith. This invitation cannot be thwarted by the will of man, it is a divine invitation for sinners to find peace with their Creator. It is a call for all sinners—myself included—and one in which I rejoice for only in Jesus do I have peace with God.