Final Reflections on Billy Graham, America's Pastor

Billy Graham, America's Pastor, passed away three weeks ago. He received
unprecedented civilian honors, and he deserved it. A man who had nearly reached
a century for his time on this earth, Graham worked with Presidents on both
sides of aisle, as well as men and women of grand and low estate. His efforts
to combat racism and segregation are duly noted and honored.

It was frustrating and sad that the media selected a few clips from private
conversations he had shared with President Richard Nixon, including some unjust
snipes at Jewish people. Those were private remarks which no doubt Graham never
supported or enabled in his public life, and even when they went public nearly
20 years ago, Graham dutifully apologized and moved on to greater opportunities
and victories in witnessing. America's Pastor was not afraid to stand out for
Christ Jesus, and he was not afraid to admit that he made mistakes. In his
connections and conversations with political figures, he had to learn that they
sought to use him rather than learn from him. Nixon was the hardest lesson he
learned. Nixon was power-hungry and used Graham's popularity for his own venal
ambitions.
In spite of these small setbacks, Billy Graham recognized that he was a
human being, once a sinner now a saint saved by grace. Many pastors fall from
grace because they rest in their own power rather than trusting in the Lord for
all things. How else could a man have launched crusades across the globe for
decades? Such strength and commitment is supernatural.

Graham's legacy continues to amaze through his son Franklin, a powerhouse of
faith and fervor. His passion for this country and its Judeo-Christian ethic is
beyond astounding. Franklin Graham had a troubled past, too, but broke through
a life of drug addiction of loss to become a powerful preacher and witness for
Jesus. Thank God that He uses people who aren't perfect, but rather seeks to
work through those who have been perfected in their conscience towards God
(Hebrews 10:14).

Three week past Graham's passing, there were diverse opinions about his
passage from death to life to death again. The
Washington Post "conservative" columnist George Will's diatribe
against the pastor was not surprising, but certainly disappointing. Will
used to describe himself as agnostic, since he didn't have the intellectual
fortitude to be an atheist. Now he has jumped fully into folly and acknowledges
that there is no God to acknowledge.

The Scriptures have a ready response for such heady nonsense:

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none
that doeth good." (Psalm 14:1)

It's very difficult to take a limited government conservative seriously who
does not honor The Deity or any form of Providence. What is left in a world
without God but a war of all against all, and the stronger always win over the
weaker? The rise of government control over individual liberty and sovereignty
is inevitable where no God is acknowledged. Look at former and current
communist states for proof.

What else about Will's anti-Graham polemic was wrong? He disdained that
Graham was not a prophet because they take "adversarial stances toward
their times, as did the 20th century’s two greatest religious leaders, the Rev.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II. Graham did not. Partly for that
reason, his country showered him with honors."

I could not disagree more. There is nothing more officious to any leader, to
any government than to hear that there is a great Leader who whose shoulder
rests the government of this universe (Isaiah 9:6). Millions of people around
the world were desperate to hear Good News. No one should be shocked. Graham
also had his detractors. I saw them personally when I attended his last crusade
in Pasadena 2004.

For me, however, the biggest problem I have with Billy Graham is that he did
not portray a Savior who saves us every day. We never learned about the High
Priesthood of Christ Jesus, who ministers on our behalf after the power of an
endless life (Hebrews 7:16). Many Christians struggle through this life because
they know about Jesus as the Savior who takes us from spiritual death into
life. But what about the day-to-day life that I live on this earth still?

The other formulation, perhaps one he used to make the most sense to his
audiences, was flawed. Graham would routinely exhort listeners: "Give your
life to Christ." That invitation is not Biblically accurate. When Adam and
Eve sinned, they died. Jesus did not come to give Himself as an option for
living better.

Jesus spoke very clearly on this matter:

"I have come that you might have life, and that more abundantly."
(John 10:10)

Man needs forgiveness of sins–and of sin, but He also needs life, a
recognition that apart from Jesus, none of us can accomplish anything (John
15:5). This is one of the most neglected revelations in Christendom today,
along with the full promises accorded to us in the New Covenant as well as
Christ's High Priesthood.

Granted, Billy Graham was an Evangelist, as much as other members of the
Body of Christ are also called to be apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers
(Ephesians 4:11). Still, evangelism will be more effective the more that
adherents recognize that man has a two-fold problem: He is dead in trespasses.
The "Dead" part must be brought to light so that all men can enjoy
Jesus' everlasting life (John 3:16) and the glory of reigning in His life even
here on earth (Romans 5:17).

With that, I will close by saying that there was no greater communicator for
the faith than Billy Graham, and let us hope that more people will rise up to
share the Good News of Jesus Christ before His Coming.