The Gospel is good news, good news that Jesus made a way for wayfaring man to be reconciled to a Holy God. Good news that for what Adam did — “the fall” which has tainted every human since with the sin nature — there is a remedy!

The genre of gospel music joyfully proclaims Jesus and the good news, uplifting the spirit, soothing the soul.

And it makes perfect sense that the same enemy of the soul who tempted Adam and Eve would hate any good news of salvation and grace.

1 Peter 5:8 warns of this enemy:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

The Apostle Paul writes of the battle we’re in. Human eyes cannot see this war, but it’s real.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12

So it should come as no surprise when attacks assail those who preach the gospel and to any who sing gospel, though the ferociousness of the attacks may be breathtakingly surprising.

Kim Burrell has sung gospel music her entire life. The daughter of “a Pastor/Musician father and an Evangelist/Singer mother,” Burrell grew up in the church, singing the old hymns, belting out the gospel. Looking through her resume, a roll call of famous music names appear — Andraé Crouch, Harry Connick Jr., Bebe Winans, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Albertina Walker, Kirk Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and more.

In 2010 Burrell founded the Love & Liberty Fellowship Pentecostal Overcoming Holy Church, where she is a “Senior Eldress/Overseer-Bishop.” The church has an interesting name, but rock solid doctrine as found at the site Kim Burrell Ministries:

The Bible
We believe the entire Bible is inspired by God, without error and the authority on which we base our faith, conduct and doctrine.

The Trinity
We believe in one God who exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to this earth as Savior of the world.

Salvation
We believe Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood for our sins. We believe that salvation is found by placing our faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross. We believe Jesus rose from the dead and is coming again.

Water Baptism
We believe water baptism is a symbol of the cleansing power of the blood of Christ and a testimony to our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Communion
We believe in the regular taking of Communion as an act of remembering what the Lord Jesus did for us on the cross.

Growing Relationship
We believe every believer should be in a growing relationship with Jesus by obeying God’s Word, yielding to the Holy Spirit and by being conformed by the image of Christ.

After all these years of singing and preaching the good news, Kim Burrell now finds herself at the center of a firestorm of vitriol. What caused this sudden onslaught?

Burrell was scheduled to sing recently with Pharrell Williams on The Ellen Show, hosted, by renowned lesbian Ellen DeGeneres. But prior to the appearance, a video surfaced of Kim preaching against sin, and naming the “homosexual spirit of delusion” in the sermon. Of course, just a short clip was used from a cell phone video and the hate began pouring in from the LGBT community that preaches tolerance and practices perversion and intolerance.

Ellen cancelled Burrell’s appearance explaining:

You were supposed to do a different song, and you were supposed to perform it with a singer that, I actually, I didn’t know her. Her name is Kim Burrell. And she made a statement, she was doing a Facebook live and she said some very not nice things about homosexuals. So I didn’t feel that was good of me to have her on the show to give her a platform after she’s saying things about me.

Pharrell’s response was typical new age, touchy feely — all warm and fuzzy but no biblical truth:

Well, there’s no space, there’s no room for any kind of prejudice in 2017 and moving on. There’s no room. I … she’s a fantastic singer and I love her, just like I love everybody else.

. . .

We all have to get used to everyone’s differences and understand that this is a big, gigantic, beautiful, colorful world, and it only works with inclusion and empathy. It only works that way.

Watch the exchange below:

That all sounds so nice and loving. But what did Kim Burrell actually say? And what IS the truly loving thing to do concerning those practicing homosexualty, or even heterosexuality outside of God’s design of marriage?

First, what Pastor Burrell said. Here’s the short video that start the whole brouhaha:

The outpouring of hatred rained down on Burrell in a mighty flood. If you want to see REAL hate speech just google “Kim Burrell” and the search will return pages and pages of cruel and coarse articles and tweets. In fact, most of the tweets are too profane to embed here.

This is what the Father of Lies does: he deludes people into thinking hate is love and up is down and wrong is right. He is the antithesis of the main protagonist of the Gospel — Jesus the Christ, the way the truth and the life.

Kim answered the accusations in the video below:

I have had a lot of years in the eye of the public, doing what it is I do. And everything I’ve ever done has never been just for the public. I’m signing on here because people matter and I’m not running from anything. I love you guys.

Oh, listen to me, listen to me! Don’t you become frazzled!

We’re not in a war against flesh and blood! We’re not in a war with that! Hi to everyone! We’re not in a war against flesh and blood. I came on because I care about God’s creation.

And every person from the LGBT and anything else, any other kind of thing that is supporting gay, I never said LGBT last night. I said S-I-N. And whatever falls under sin was preached.

That’s the rub isn’t it? We none of us like to be told we’re sinners. Sin, by definition, is doing things OUR way and not God’s way, as prescribed in the Bible.

We live in a society that praises people who do things their own way and scoffs at doing things God’s way.

Kim Burrell absolutely believes that “the entire Bible is inspired by God, without error and the authority on which we base our faith, conduct and doctrine.” And the Bible, God’s Word, says plainly:

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Romans 1:26-27

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10

That’s pretty clear…and that’s from the New Testament. And based on the truth of God’s Word, what IS the truly loving thing to do concerning those practicing homosexualty?

Answer: if the practice of homosexuality is sin and precludes the practitioner from heaven, why the loving thing is to warn them!

Kim Burrell is remaining steadfast in the knowledge that she loves God and people and preaches the Good News that there is a remedy for sin and a Savior who can break the bondage of perversion. Praise God!

No wonder the Evil One hates what she is saying and singing. No wonder the world listens to the Father of Lies and hates what Burrell is saying and singing.

We should all be mindful that, as Kim paraphrased, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but principalities and powers.”

Those principalities and powers, taking orders from our adversary the devil, hate the gospel, hate the good news, and hate those of us who share that good news. But don’t grow weary or discouraged — keep on dishing out that good news. Hold tight to the truth that Jesus spoke, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

From First Liberty

Last week, First Liberty Institute attorneys announced their legal representation of Aaron and Melissa Klein—owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa who were forced to pay a $135,000 penalty to the Oregon government for declining to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.

In addition to widespread media attention from news outlets across the country, Aaron and Melissa shared their story with America last Friday night on FOX’s The Kelly File.

“[I]t’s not something I ever thought I’d have to fight with the government over,” Aaron said of his faith-based stance on the issue of marriage. “This was something I believed should never be happening in this country.”

But it is happening—and not only in Oregon to Aaron and Melissa Klein.

A TEXAS COUPLE UNDER ATTACK FOR THEIR FAITH

In mid-February, a family-owned bakery in Longview, Texas declined to make a same-sex wedding cake—and they are now reaping the same hate-filled repercussions as the Kleins did in 2013 (and still feel today).

David and Edie Delorme own Kern’s Bake Shop, which has been in business in Longview, Texas since 1918. As devout Christians, David and Edie are committed to operating their bakery in a manner that honors God. In the past they have consistently refused to bake alcohol, tobacco, gambling, or risqué-themed cakes.

When two men requested a cake for their same-sex wedding, Edie politely informed them that Kern’s Bake Shop did not make same-sex wedding cakes, and offered to provide a list of other bakeries in Longview that could fulfill the couple’s request.

Nevertheless, the incident soon appeared in a local newspaper, igniting a firestorm of hostility and even death threats toward the Delormes, their family, and their business from places as far away as New York and California.

“Americans value and protect our freedoms – especially freedom of expression and religious liberty,” said Mike Berry, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute. “In order for America to remain free and prosperous, we must secure the rights of small business owners to operate their businesses according to their beliefs.”

Though no lawsuits have been filed against Kern’s Bake Shop yet, David and Edie heard about First Liberty’s defense of Aaron and Melissa Klein, and preemptively retained First Liberty Institute as legal counsel.

HOPE—FOR THE KLEINS, THE DELORMES, AND ALL AMERICANS

Attacks are spreading against Americans who embrace religious tenets teaching that marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman, as evidenced by the Delormes’ experience just a few weeks ago.

But there is hope for religious freedom, even surrounding this hotly contested issue. For example:

• The same majority opinion that legalized same-sex marriage in Obergefell last June reaffirmed religious liberty for those who maintain that marriage is between one man and one woman. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote,

The First Amendment ensures that religious organizations and persons are given proper protection as they seek to teach the principles that are so fulfilling and so central to their lives and faiths, and to their own deep aspirations to continue the family structure they have long revered. The same is true of those who oppose same-sex marriage for other reasons…In turn, those who believe allowing same-sex marriage is proper or indeed essential, whether as a matter of religious conviction or secular belief, may engage those who disagree with their view in an open and searching debate.

• First Liberty’s social media pages prove that the “open and searching” debate Justice Kennedy talked about is increasing, while hate speech and threats are decreasing. The response on social media to First Liberty’s announced representation of the Kleins last week was overwhelmingly positive and consisted of constructive debate—a stark contrast to the barrage of hostile, lewd, or extreme comments that often flood social media in response to controversial issues. According to First Liberty’s social media team, the response was more positive than anticipated—and could mark a change of heart regarding the religious liberty rights of Americans who simply want to run their business according to their faith.

• The best constitutional lawyers in the country are working with First Liberty to win these cases. First Liberty’s unique volunteer attorney model harnesses the legal firepower of constitutional attorneys from many of the nation’s top law firms. Passionate about defending religious freedom, these lawyers give their time to First Liberty Clients pro bono.

Working on the Aaron and Melissa Klein’s case is The Honorable Boyden Gray, former White House Counsel for President George H. W. Bush, former Ambassador to the European Union, and founding partner of Boyden Gray and Associates.

“America is a great nation because we celebrate diversity of thought,” stated Ambassador Gray. He emphasized:

“Our rights to free expression and religious liberty are some of our most cherished American freedoms. We must safeguard these rights for every American – including Aaron and Melissa Klein.”

Thanks to God’s grace and volunteer attorneys like Ambassador Gray, First Liberty wins over 90 percent of its cases.

IN THE BALANCE—PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE OF FAITH

But while the hope is undeniable, so is the threat. And despite progress in the conversation surrounding religious freedom and marriage, threats and hate-filled messages continue to bombard the Kleins and the Delormes personally.

“If these small business owners can come under attack for their faith, what does that say about our perspective on liberty?” asks Berry. “We need to respect the rights of all Americans to live together peaceably, even if they have a difference of opinion. That’s what freedom means.”

First Liberty’s attorneys are committed to ensuring Americans like Aaron and Melissa Klein and David and Edie Delorme are free to live out their faith, and are preparing for the Kleins’ case to possibly go before the United States Supreme Court.

If the case does go to the U.S. Supreme Court, it will be one of the first cases to answer two new questions America is now facing, said Ken Klukowski, First Liberty Senior Counsel and Director of Strategic Affairs on The Kelly File last Friday:

[I[f someone has sincerely held religious beliefs that are mainstream beliefs on an issue like marriage, can the government punish them for speaking those beliefs, and can the government order them, as [the Kleins have] been ordered to, that they can’t discuss aspects of their beliefs?”

Click here to receive updates from First Liberty Institute as these cases progress

Click here to read more information about Aaron and Melissa Klein’s case

News and Commentary is brought to you by First Liberty’s team of writers and legal experts.