“Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32, emphasis added). According to God’s Word, it is a sin to give approval to those who practice sin. And yet consider a recent choice by the Episcopal church to change their historic church shield to incorporate the pride colors. They are actively doing what God hates by approving of sin—the sin of pride, that of man being his own god to redefine what God has defined.
During our most recent Answers News broadcast, Patricia Engler shared the interesting backstory behind the original Episcopal shield and what it stood for:
The Episcopal Church is kind of like the American version of the Anglican Church, from what I understand. This Shield is the English flag and it is of St. George, [who] was a saint under Emperor Diocletian. He was an emperor in the 300s—this is the time that we call the great persecution in Rome.
The great persecution did not start overnight. In ancient Rome, basically, the great persecution started with cancel culture. Emperor Diocletian dismissed soldiers and palace officials who wouldn’t sacrifice to Roman deities; he removed Christian texts, closed Church buildings, forbade Christian services, and restricted Christians’ legal rights.
Eventually, he issued an edict that would lead to clergy being imprisoned unless they sacrificed. Then he made that universal ultimatum that you have to sacrifice or you [will] be tortured, killed, and imprisoned.
It doesn’t start overnight. It arises through a series of steps that demand Christians compromise on God’s word to accommodate the surrounding culture. That’s exactly, ironically, what this church is doing by removing St George’s flag.
Yes, the Episcopal church is showing its apostasy with this public declaration of its celebration of sin. And during the month of June, we likely will see other examples of “churches” compromising on the truth of God’s Word. But consider this warning from Scripture:
Matthew 5:13 KJV – “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”
This denomination has lost its saltiness. It is no longer a preservative against the rot of the culture nor is it the flavor of the gospel in the world. In an attempt to show the world how “loving” and tolerant they are, Episcopalians have left truth far behind and have hitched themselves to a perverse movement that will only push for the acceptance of more and more sexual sin, leaving hurting victims in its wake.
Our culture will always change what is “good” and “true.” An ever-changing culture cannot be the standard for truth to those who profess Christ. The only ultimate standard is the unchanging, eternal Word of God. That is a sure place to base our thinking now and forever.
Isaiah 40:8 KJV – “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
And God’s Word clearly says,
Matthew 19:4-5 KJV – “And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?”
