Being What We Say We Are

Recently Vice President Joe Biden came out with a statement in favor of redefining the meaning and purpose of marriage. After hearing (actually overhearing) his use of profanity when “Obama Care” was passed we got a glimpse of his moral fiber. It was a sad day that the vice president of the United States taught our youth, through his example, that such vulgar speech was acceptable.  I was greatly saddened

I understand that the Vice President claims to be a Catholic. To claim to be one thing and do another is to reveal what you really believe and are. For instance Biden thinks Catholics can support abortion. He is able in his mind to maintain both his Catholic “convictions” and his “convictions” about abortion. Of course this is nonsense as they are directly opposed.

The scriptures say that double minded people are unstable. (James 1:8) It is this kind of unstable leadership that has our country in the plight we are in. This is not a partisan issue.  It is rather a character issue. Integrity is being who you say you are. It means you are not divided. If you claim to be a Catholic and live like you are not you lack integrity.

I am not of course talking about being a sinner and sometimes failing and falling. All people are in this category. The truth is that sometimes people act “out of character”.  What I am talking about is claiming to be one thing and really being another. Now we might say, “Maybe the Vice President is a good catholic in all areas but this one”. To this I would reply, “This is a really important one”, not like shall we say, eating meet on Friday, which I understand has changed. What do you think the chances are the Catholic Church is going to become pro-abortion?

That is true also of same sex marriage. The scriptures are clear about the institution of Marriage.

(Genesis 1:27 ESV)  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

(Genesis 1:28 ESV)  And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Thus we have male and female and a command to multiply. It does not matter how loving a relationship becomes in a same sex relationship there is no way to fulfill this command. The Catholic Church knows this and thus affirms that marriage is between a woma n and a man. Again the vice president is double minded. He can say many things about himself and he says he is a Catholic but his actions prove he is one in name not in deed.

That of course is what is wrong with many in public life. They claim to have conviction but in reality they have the goal of popularity or reelection.  Jesus asked this question once;
(Luke 6:46 ESV)  “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

I realize of course that Vice President Biden is not the only duplicitous person in politics or the church. We have become like the nation of Israel in the time of the book of Judges. While they on one hand claimed to be followers of the true God they really just did their own thing. The Bible says;

 
(Judges 17:6 ESV)  In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

The news called it a personal conviction and I agree. But it has no basis in Biden’s “Catholic faith”.  Maybe real integrity would be to openly denounce his claim to be Catholic instead of denounce it piece by piece. In supporting “abortion” and “gay marriage” he is saying I don’t believe what the Catholic Church teaches about these things. I believe what I believe. I would still disagree with Vice President Biden on those issues but at least I would get a sense that he is an honest politician. As it is now it appears He doesn’t fear God, and doesn’t practice the religion of his father’s even though the claim is made.

God grant to us that we might see a generation of men and women rise up who live by conviction, and grant that once again we will see statesmen in public office and singled minded people in our churches that serve and obey the living God.

 

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