Franklin Graham schools Mayor Pete on homosexuality

Pete Buttigieg (Campaign photo)

Samaritan's Purse CEO Franklin Graham on Tuesday rebuked Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, for the second time in weeks.

The first time was in response to Buttigieg's attacks on Vice President Mike Pence's faith.

This time it was about Buttigieg's flaunting of his homosexuality.

Graham responded on Facebook to Buttigieg's claim that God doesn't favor one political party or another.

"Presidential candidate and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg is right – God doesn't have a political party. But God does have commandments, laws, and standards He gives us to live by. God is God. He doesn't change. His Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever," Graham wrote.

"Mayor Buttigieg says he is a gay Christian and he wants to unite people behind him. I'm sure there will be many people who will want to follow. But as a Christian I believe what the Bible says. God's Word defines homosexuality as sin, something to be repentant of, not something to be flaunted, praised, or politicized. The Bible defines marriage as between a man and a woman – not two men, not two women.

Graham noted Buttigieg also declared "the core of faith is regard for one another."

"We are definitely to support and help each other – no question," Graham said. "But that does not come above believing and being obedient to what God says is truth. Without that foundation, we really can't help anyone in a way that impacts their eternity. The core of the Christian faith is believing and following Jesus Christ, who God sent to be the Savior of the world – to save us from sin, to save us from hell, to save us from eternal damnation."

Earlier this month, Graham said in response to Buttigieg's criticism of Pence's stance on marriage that the Indiana mayor doesn't have the authority to redefine sin.

An Episcopalian, Buttigieg targeted Pence's beliefs in a speech for the LGBTQ Victory Fund.

"That's the thing I wish the Mike Pences of the world would understand ... if you got a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me – your quarrel, sir, is with my creator," said Buttigieg.

Graham, also CEO of the Billy Graham Association, reacted via Facebook.

"To set the record straight, Mr. Mayor," he wrote, "the issue isn't whether somebody has a problem with who you are – the issue is that we all have a problem with God because of our sin.

"And it applies to every single human being. God loves us, and the Bible says we are all sinners who need God's forgiveness, which He offers if we repent and turn from our sin and put our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ," Graham wrote.

"We don't define sin, God does in His Word, the Bible. Using new terms like 'Progressive Christianity' and the 'Christian Left' may sound appealing to some, but God's laws and standards do not change. He says, 'For I am the Lord, I change not.' I believe what the Bible says is truth."

In his speech to the advocacy group, Buttigieg said his marriage to a man made him a "better human being."

"Yes, Mr. Vice President," he said, "it has moved me closer to God."

CNN reported Pence responded to Buttigieg's attack with: "He knows better. He knows me."