“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16)
On December 1, Canadian Bill C4 passed the House in a single motion. On Tuesday, December 7, Bill C-4, passed the Senate in a single motion with the support of all political parties and no opposition from any elected member of parliament. This bill, while purporting to protect individuals from coercion and abuse in the form of “conversion therapy,” will eventually criminalize Christian morality in that country.
Bill C-6 of Canada defines conversion therapy as any “practice, treatment or service designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual or gender identity to cisgender, or to repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour.” This definition is broad and will do tremendous harm to the mission of the church.
The main thrust of this legislation is towards outlawing any kind of therapeutic context that would make a moral judgment consistent with Christianity. But the bigger threat is, of course, that this will be extended throughout society, inexorably, unavoidably, to every other context, including Christian institutions, Christian organizations, and even Christian churches. This is legislation that no one in Canada wants to admit is directed to the pulpit, but make no mistake, it's directed to the pulpit.
This bill would make it a criminal offence to help – through conversation and prayer – a person struggling with their sexual orientation (e.g. a same-sex attracted Christian) or sexual thoughts or behaviour (e.g. watching gay pornography) or gender identity (e.g. believe they are a man trapped inside a female body) to bring their thoughts, words, and deeds into conformity with the Word of God.
This bill’s wording is sufficiently broad to allow for the criminal prosecution of Christians who would speak biblical truth into the lives of those in bondage to sexual sins like homosexuality and transgenderism. Now that it is law, even a father or mother who offers their children freedom from sexual sin through repentance and faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 6:9-11) could be threatened with five years in jail. Seriously.
One of the most radical aspects of this Canadian legislation is the removal of any exemption for consent. Remember how our modern world in its modern sexual context worships the word consent. But in this case, consent is actually thrown overboard because the LGBTQ movement is demanding absolute coercion. That is to say, the Canadian legislation does not even allow a legal option for an individual seeking counseling to ask for help in rejecting unholy sexual impulses.
What will happen is a progressive implementation of the ban with police and prosecutors choosing the clearest cases early on. These precedents then would be used to pursue less obvious cases as the circle closes around biblical Christians.
We cannot but wonder what divine judgments will be visited upon our northern neighbor for this bold gesture of hatred towards the most high God. May the bride of Christ commit herself to mourning, fasting, and solemn prayer for forgiveness for the sins and worldliness in the church of Canada that have led to this blasphemy. And may we join them, for our country is only a half step behind. Indeed, the state of California is there already.
Evil forces are working in them.
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“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).