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The issue of homosexuality has become perhaps the most divisive since the contentions that led to America's Civil War. But the fight today is taking place on the political front instead of the backcountry battlefields. It is the pressing issue of our time and our response will define the evangelical church from this point on. Battle lines are being drawn, especially in light of November's passing of Proposition 8 in California, and every body of Christian believers will be forced to make a choice if they have not already.
Though it breaks my heart to write this, I believe the fighting will only increase. The incredible division in our country between those who would celebrate homosexuality and gay marriage as acceptable and those who would oppose it on grounds of biblical authority is only to chasm more. So what are we as the church of Jesus Christ going to do? How will we respond in an intelligent, loving Christian manner to those in the culture living a homosexual lifestyle or arguing for gay marriage?
The favorite proof text of some Christians and many gay rights activists is Leviticus 18:22:You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination. Christians with little biblical knowledge (far too many, I fear) like this passage because they see it as a quick and easy quote against homosexual behavior. Proponents of gay marriage also favor the passage because it is surrounded by commands to refrain from eating pigs (11:7) and shell fish (such as shrimp, or catfish; 11:10). As was featured in the fairly recent "Proposition 8 Musical" online, gay activists think the Bible lists a lot of mandates from God for which Christians no longer argue. At first glance this argument makes Christians look unintelligent and hypocritical. Christians who can only quote one seemingly obscure passage of the OT don't do much in practice to refute this.
The Leviticus passage is near the end of a section that builds up to the crux of the book's argument and demand from God: "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy" (19:2). God as Creator has the right to make such a demand, but man, despite his best efforts, cannot attain such righteousness on his own. That's the thrust of Leviticus. Holiness is to encompass ALL of one's life and living, every sphere of a person's existence. These were to be rituals of grace to the ancient Israelites; each one a picture of God's character and requirements. But again, no matter the effort, no man can attain this holiness on his own because we are all of us trapped in rebellion against God. We need a Savior because just following moral mandates will not purify a person to stand in the presence of almighty God.
Romans 1:18-27 is a text far too many Christians 'forget' in the discussion about homosexuality, either by ignorance or fear. But a Christian response will argue the truth in urgent love, because a refusal to warn one of coming consequences or imminent danger is unloving. So, even though this was as difficult for Paul to deliver as it is for us today, this passage of Scripture is a not-to-be-delayed warning. To all of us.
The passage IS us. All of us. Sin, whether it be homosexuality or greed or gossip, is an act of unbelief. Mankind has a guilty knowledge of God meant to keep him on the moral up-and-up, but the Romans passage paints the tragic portrait of the consequence of rejecting God: one becomes "futile in their thinking" and their hearts become "darkened." When this happens, a human being begins to go further and further into perversion, even rejecting one's very base biological insticts instilled in us by the Creator.
Homosexuality, just as much as bowing down before a bronzed bull, is idolatry. All sin is idolatry according to Romans: "Claiming to be wise, they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles" (1:22-23). Paul argues that homosexuality is the prime example of this, as the homosexual act is itself a worship of an image as much like oneself as is possible to find. It is a literal exchange of the image of God in us for the image of a mortal man. This is "worshipping the creature rather than the Creator" (1:25).
The height of this rejection of God is that "women exchanged natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error." Hard words. It is difficult to come into the contact with the truth that a man reaps what he sows. This "due penalty" of rejecting God is an increasingly empty, sad, dependent, obsessed, and in some way, abusive lifestyle. Perhaps not at first. Maybe not even for a long time. But inevitably and irrevocably unless Christ comes to redeem the man or woman consumed by homosexuality. This desperation birthed in sin and cultivated by continued refusal of God leads to hatred.
The angry picketing and, in some cases, violent attacks on religious persons and organizations in the wake of the passing of Proposition 8 is an indicator of the fervency the gay movement has to discredit and destroy the voice of the religious right. The greatest threat to full societal acceptance of homosexuality is not a political, racial, or educational group, but conservative Christianity. This is why is it imperative Christians have an intelligent, cogent response in the face of continuing attacks in the form of psychology, equality, legality, morality, and even theology. The country's intellectual elite have had great success in marginalizing a Christian response largely due to a lack of intelligent Christians stepping up to the plate. We must have our hearts readied and our minds sharpened to engage the culture with the loving and life-changing message of Jesus Christ.
The only way to begin this process is to ourselves turn to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and realize that each and every one of us has the potential to be such a sinner; if not a practitioner of homosexuality, then something just as awful. "...neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God" (6:9-10).
If that list of rejections against God doesn't appear to indict you, then see v. 11: AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (emphasis mine).
Let me repeat: if you are reading this, you have all the potential to fall into homosexuality, or greed, or drunkenness as the next guy. There exists more of a propensity toward homosexuality in some than in others, true. Same with alcoholism. Or pedophilia. But a propensity or disposition toward any of these does not make it morally acceptable. As far as sexual sin goes, realize that none of you past the age of puberty is sexually pure. You've either given your body away outside of marriage, lusted after another person, or acted upon a lustful feeling through porn or masturbation. So don't think too highly of yourselves, "for such were some of you." We are none of us sexually pure. Or completely holy. Nor can we become so outside ourselves.
This truth has to humble us and spur us to share Jesus Christ all the more. We who have been "washed...sanctified...justified" by Christ must have the love and broken heart He had when encountering and confronting sinners, be they homosexuals, swindlers, or just plain unlovable people.
No one's race, gender, or sexual "preference" should be their identity. We ultimately fall into two classifications: those who will spend eternity suffering because we continually rejected God and those saved by nothing of themselves but by the grace and love of Jesus Christ. I rejoice to identify only with Christ and His suffering, I glory in His resurrection from the dead. And because of this I am moved because of His forgiveness of my moral impurities. He rights my wrong relationship with God and readies me to minister intelligently and lovingly. This must be our attitude when ministering to those identifying themselves in word and practice as homosexuals. We minister as the formerly hopeless who now have a Great Hope to share. It is only in Christ that we will ever experience true unity with one another and be healed and made made holy.
The passage IS us. All of us. Sin, whether it be homosexuality or greed or gossip, is an act of unbelief. Mankind has a guilty knowledge of God meant to keep him on the moral up-and-up, but the Romans passage paints the tragic portrait of the consequence of rejecting God: one becomes "futile in their thinking" and their hearts become "darkened." When this happens, a human being begins to go further and further into perversion, even rejecting one's very base biological insticts instilled in us by the Creator.
Homosexuality, just as much as bowing down before a bronzed bull, is idolatry. All sin is idolatry according to Romans: "Claiming to be wise, they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles" (1:22-23). Paul argues that homosexuality is the prime example of this, as the homosexual act is itself a worship of an image as much like oneself as is possible to find. It is a literal exchange of the image of God in us for the image of a mortal man. This is "worshipping the creature rather than the Creator" (1:25).
The height of this rejection of God is that "women exchanged natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error." Hard words. It is difficult to come into the contact with the truth that a man reaps what he sows. This "due penalty" of rejecting God is an increasingly empty, sad, dependent, obsessed, and in some way, abusive lifestyle. Perhaps not at first. Maybe not even for a long time. But inevitably and irrevocably unless Christ comes to redeem the man or woman consumed by homosexuality. This desperation birthed in sin and cultivated by continued refusal of God leads to hatred.
The angry picketing and, in some cases, violent attacks on religious persons and organizations in the wake of the passing of Proposition 8 is an indicator of the fervency the gay movement has to discredit and destroy the voice of the religious right. The greatest threat to full societal acceptance of homosexuality is not a political, racial, or educational group, but conservative Christianity. This is why is it imperative Christians have an intelligent, cogent response in the face of continuing attacks in the form of psychology, equality, legality, morality, and even theology. The country's intellectual elite have had great success in marginalizing a Christian response largely due to a lack of intelligent Christians stepping up to the plate. We must have our hearts readied and our minds sharpened to engage the culture with the loving and life-changing message of Jesus Christ.
The only way to begin this process is to ourselves turn to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and realize that each and every one of us has the potential to be such a sinner; if not a practitioner of homosexuality, then something just as awful. "...neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God" (6:9-10).
If that list of rejections against God doesn't appear to indict you, then see v. 11: AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (emphasis mine).
Let me repeat: if you are reading this, you have all the potential to fall into homosexuality, or greed, or drunkenness as the next guy. There exists more of a propensity toward homosexuality in some than in others, true. Same with alcoholism. Or pedophilia. But a propensity or disposition toward any of these does not make it morally acceptable. As far as sexual sin goes, realize that none of you past the age of puberty is sexually pure. You've either given your body away outside of marriage, lusted after another person, or acted upon a lustful feeling through porn or masturbation. So don't think too highly of yourselves, "for such were some of you." We are none of us sexually pure. Or completely holy. Nor can we become so outside ourselves.
This truth has to humble us and spur us to share Jesus Christ all the more. We who have been "washed...sanctified...justified" by Christ must have the love and broken heart He had when encountering and confronting sinners, be they homosexuals, swindlers, or just plain unlovable people.
No one's race, gender, or sexual "preference" should be their identity. We ultimately fall into two classifications: those who will spend eternity suffering because we continually rejected God and those saved by nothing of themselves but by the grace and love of Jesus Christ. I rejoice to identify only with Christ and His suffering, I glory in His resurrection from the dead. And because of this I am moved because of His forgiveness of my moral impurities. He rights my wrong relationship with God and readies me to minister intelligently and lovingly. This must be our attitude when ministering to those identifying themselves in word and practice as homosexuals. We minister as the formerly hopeless who now have a Great Hope to share. It is only in Christ that we will ever experience true unity with one another and be healed and made made holy.
