A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Abortion Quotes

“I am prone to prefer people who are like me-- in color, culture, heritage and history..the creation of man and woman in the image of God with equal dignity before God..this means that no human being is more or less human that another..for in the process of discussing our diversity in terms of different "races," we are undercutting our unity in the human race..instead of being strictly tied to biology, ethnicity is much more fluid, factoring in social, cultural, lingual, historical, and even religious characteristics..The pages of the Bible and human history are thus filled with an evil affinity for ethnic animosity..God promises to bless these ethnic Israelites, but the purpose of his blessing extends far beyond them..[it is] his desire for all nations to behold his greatness and experience his grace..When Jesus comes to the earth in the New Testament, we are quickly introduced to him as an immigrant..he nevertheless reaches beyond national boundaries at critical moments to love, serve, teach, heal, and save Canaanites and Samaritans, Greeks and Romans..he came as Savior and Lord over all..Though Gentiles were finally accepted into the church, they felt at best like second-class Christians..the Bible doesn't deny the obvious ethnic, cultural, and historical differences that distinguish us from one another..diversifies humanity according to clans and lands as a creative reflection of his grace and glory in distinct groups of people. In highlighting the beauty of such diversity, the gospel thus counters the mistaken cultural illusion that the path to unity is paved by minimizing what makes us unique. Instead, the gospel compels us to celebrate our ethnic distinctions, value our cultural differences, and acknowledge our historical diversity..(In reference to Galations 3:28) some people might misconstrue this verse..to say that our differences don't matter. But they do..It is not my aim here to stereotype migrant workers..It is also not my aim to oversimplify either the plight of immigrants in our country or the predicament of how to provide for them..Consequently, followers of Christ must see immigrants not as problems to be solved but as people to be loved. The gospel compels us in our culture to decry any and all forms of oppression, exploitation, bigotry, or harassment of immigrants..[we] will stand as one redeemed race to give glory to the Father who calls us not sojourners or exiles, but sons and daughters.”
― David Platt, A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Abortion

“Not just to give in a way that is comfortable to us, but to give in a way that really costs us..many people protest that we have a primary responsibility to care for people in our own families and our own local churches..the fellowship fostered by this offering was a beautiful portrait of one part of the body of Christ saying to another, "We are with you. You are not alone in your need..Physical distance from the impoverished church should not create spiritual isolation from them..But the logic that says, "I can't do everything, so I won't do anything" is straight from the pit of hell..There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them..Scripture calls us to serve and supplement the responsible..we need to consider how to help those in need in ways that empower them to fulfill the purpose for which God created them instead of enabling them to miss that purpose..Helping like this requires personal attention, consistent accountability, and long-term commitment..”
― David Platt, A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Abortion

“Yet while I'm deeply encouraged by the expressed zeal of so many Christians for certain social issues, I'm profoundly concerned by the lack of zeal among these same Christians (especially, though again not exclusively, younger evangelicals) for other social issues. On popular issues like poverty and slavery, where Christians are likely to be applauded for our social action, we are quick to stand up and speak out. Yet on controversial issues like homosexuality and abortion, where Christians are likely to be criticized for our involvement, we are content to sit down and stay quiet. It's as if we've decided to pick and choose which social issues we'll contest and which we'll concede. And our picking and choosing normally revolves around what is most comfortable-- and least costly-- for us in our culture (xiii).”
― David Platt, A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Abortion