If you’re like me, you know homosexuality and Christianity are being mixed . . . somewhere. But, it’s time for a wakeup call. And this wakeup call might come in the form of an article that appeared in the Tennessean on October 19, 2011. We need to wake up to the issue of homosexuality and our need as FWB leaders to address it, or be prepared to address it. The article is about Holy Trinity Community Church, a community in Nashville, TN. Holy Trinity claims to have a more “conservative” doctrine than other members of the UCC. “Holy Trinity teaches members to believe in the Trinity, the virgin birth and the Resurrection” (The Tennessean). At 600 members, they are the largest gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual religious organization in the southeast.
You saw their location. Nashville, TN. Charlotte Avenue. My old stomping grounds from when I studied at FWBBC. What you didn’t know is their building is the former home of a Free Will Baptist Church.
You might also be surprised to know I can think of 4 people I had classes with even at my alma mater who are now out of the closet.
The issue of homosexuality has arrived in our circles.
We must be prepared to address this issue in our churches. And by address, I do not mean scream from the pulpit that it’s a sin and that these people are going to hell. Yes, we must preach truth, even if people don’t like it. But phrases like, “Whatever happened to a country that stood for what’s right!?” or “I still believe the Bible teaches homosexuality is WRONG!!” aren’t going to get through.
Now, relax for a moment. Don’t let your blood pressure go up. It is not my primary intention in this post to state my position on the sin of homosexual behavior or whether or not someone can be a practicing homosexual and still be a Christian. (No, you can’t live in any blatant sin, refusing to repent, and call yourself right with God, and that certainly includes homosexuality.) I am assuming the large majority of regular readers here at FWB21 agree on the Bible’s position on this. But it is part of my intention that simply loudly stating that homosexual behavior is a sin doesn’t accomplish much.
I’m not in much of a position to influence the way my church handles this issue, and you may not be either, but we need to be prepared now for when we might be. You need to be ready to talk to your youth group about this. I need to be ready to talk to a small group about this. And those of you who are pastors now need to be ready to engage this issue in a thoughtful, biblical, gracious way (if you haven’t already).
Here are a few suggestions for us all:
- We need careful, thoughtful, faithful, biblical support that homosexual behavior is sin. The support is there. We just need to be able to articulate it well and accurately.
- We need a gracious spirit while we discuss these things. This is a volatile issue that is difficult for many (especially younger people) to comprehend. It is not popular to say homosexual behavior is sin. We are the minority, and the way we present this could be a barrier for some hearing the truth of sin and the gospel.
- We need to get over being uncomfortable around people who are different. Does homosexual behavior have a “that’s just not right” impact on me? Yes, it does. I had never seen a lesbian couple in person until maybe 2 months ago, and I was shocked. “This isn’t New York,” I thought. Well, it’s time for me (and maybe some of you) to understand that New York is now in the Bible belt. The sooner we get over being uncomfortable with this, the sooner we can actually address the issue biblically, and the sooner we can actually counsel with people who are struggling with it, or try to share the gospel with others who do not claim to be Christians.
- We need to remind ourselves and others that we, too, are sinners, saved by grace. I am not justified because of my sexual orientation. I am justified by God’s grace, through faith. God loved me even when I was still a sinner. And that grace leads me to a fuller life found in Him, empowered by Him to live holy and pleasing to Him. Being a disciple of Jesus does require me to obey Him, but Jesus did not wait until I had my life figured out before He died for me. For this, I am grateful.
- We need to be able to answer the “I was born this way” issue. Although I don’t see how you can prove that anyone is born with homosexual tendencies, if we understand sin, the “born this way” argument still doesn’t justify the behavior. Why? Because we are all born into sin. So we can expect born sinners to do just that–sin (Psalm 51:5). Saying homosexuality is OK because people are born that way is akin to saying any sin is OK. This is an important answer, and as far as I can tell, one of the main arguments used in support of homosexual behavior.
8 comments
Stan Bunch says:
Oct 21, 2011
Very convicting and prodding thoughts Jacob. This issue merits balanced attention, which quite honestly, I find difficult because of my nature and nurture which go in the opposite direction. It is easier for me to make cut, dried and sometimes caustic statements which evoke loud ‘amens’, rather than dealing with homosexuality with a heart of mercy, compassion and vision of life change for the person. Thanks for a very needed challenge.
Craig says:
Oct 21, 2011
Great thoughts Jacob! This is indeed an issue that is facing us here and now, not something still making it’s way this direction. Also great suggestions for a thoughtful response. Jesus responded with compassion toward sinners and did not shun their presence. We must show anyone ensnared in sin that we genuinely love and care for them before they will care about what we have to say to the point that they truly listen. Shouting is a great way to get people to hit the mute button.
Sandy Atwood says:
Oct 21, 2011
Good post,Jacob! It’s all too easy to make jokes and/or belittling remarks which help no one. Jesus treated all sinners with respect – never backing down from the truth they needed, but loving them even in their sin.
RevKev says:
Oct 21, 2011
Thanks Jacob,
If you, or anyone else, are interested in my thoughts, I have blogged about it. I am coming from a minister teaching sociology at a secular college. The blog is in 3 parts. Here is a link to the third blog, but you may want to back up and read the other 2 http://revkev43.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/sexual-orienation-part-3/
Jacob Riggs says:
Oct 21, 2011
Thanks Stan, Craig, Sandy, and Kevin, for your responses. Kevin’s blog is interesting, worth a read.
Stan Coker says:
Oct 21, 2011
Good article and good discussion. When I became a camp director eight years ago, I was troubled by how many junior and senior high kids were struggling with this issue. I was more troubled by how many pastors and parents had no clue how prevalent the issue was. We really are coming to the party late on this, and I appreciate your wake-up call.
Randy Kinnick says:
Oct 22, 2011
Thanks for addressing this issue in a very biblical manner, Jacob. The truth is…it has been here (in the Bible belt and our churches) for decades, or longer. I have counseled with people who struggle with this issue for several years within our churches. As we deal with people as individuals who need Jesus and, therefore, people who are broken (no matter what the particular sin issues are), we will reach them with the convicting and loving truth of the gospel. This, rather than singling out a particular sin, will help us reach all who wander in darkness. We can no longer hide our heads in the sand or ostracize people from the love of Jesus just because we are uncomfortable with the particular sins in which they engage.
Your point concerning our understanding of what the Scriptures say and how to discuss the assertions of those involved is pertinent.
telson says:
Feb 17, 2012
Nowadays, it is going on conversations about homosexuality; some are against it and some on behalf of it. The right answer we can find from the word of God (the Bible).
The Lord Jesus is the Messiah, Redeemer from sins and the Saviour. Jesus’ must fulfilled the whole law of God and believed all what the Old Testament taught, that He could be the Saviour. He did fulfill and believe all the law. In the Old Testament were commandments, which teach that homosexuality is a sin. Because the Lord Jesus had to believe all commandments of the Old Testament, so He also believed that homosexuality is a sin. The Bible teaches that homosexuality was a sin in the order of the Old Covenant and is valid in the order of the New Covenant. Like this way Jesus also believed that homosexuality is a sin, and He also condemned homosexuality by this way.
For the sake of sodomites’ abomination acts, God destroyed Sodom as Ezekiel 16:49,50 shows for us. Ezekiel uses 16:50 Hebrew word towebah, which is the same Hebrew word in Lev 18:22 (and Lev 20:13) that describes homosexuality as abomination. It is very clear that in Ezekiel 16:50, abomination means homosexuality acts as the reason for destroying of Sodom. Sodomites pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness and hardened hearts towards poor and needy were sins, but destruction came for the sake of homosexuality, and the New Testament confirms this:
Jude1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Apostle Paul wrote very clearly that homosexuality (men having sex with other men; women having sex with other women) is a sin. Ro 1:27 is word error, which is in Greek plane, which means error, to deceive, deceit, one led astray from the right way, error which shows itself in action, a wrong mode of acting. In this place, the Bible in the New Testament shows very clearly that same-gender sex is a sin and aberration from the right way. Apostle Paul taught very clearly that homosexuality is unnatural sin.
Many scientists believe that homosexuality is congenital, a matter and orientation that can’t be changed as heterosexual. Paradoxical is that many scientists don’t believe in God of the Bible, and they proclaim that God of the Bible is not existed. Nevertheless, God of the Bible is capable of change homosexuals individuals to be as heterosexuals.
Arsenos means male and koiten means bed. Lev 18:22 and 20:13 teach that a man cannot lie (sexual act) with another man as he lies with a woman. The origin of the word arsenokoites means homosexual activity and homosexual. Lev 18:22 and 20:13 prove very clearly that arsenos koitenmeans homosexuality sex, because the Jews scribes translated words’ arsenos koiten to describe men who have sex with another men (homosexuality), which is a sin and against the will of God. Apostle Paul didn’t make up the word arsenokoites, but it was already as the concept in the Old Testament, where it meant homosexuality.
It is very clear that the words’ arsenos koiten meant homosexuality (man who had sex with another man) to Jews of the Old Covenant era. In the same way arsenokoites meant homosexuality (man who had sex with another man) to Jesus’ disciples in the New Covenant era.
Jewish philosopher Philo lived in the same time as Jesus Christ and Philo has said that arsenokoites meant shrine prostitute (male temple prostitute), and not homosexual. Some people have made from this a conclusion that the word arsenokoites meant a male temple prostitute. Philo’s interpretation was totally wrong, because the Bible proves this undisputedly and shows that Philo erred.
Lev 18:22 and Lev 20:13 doesn’t use temple prostitute word, but words in which is denied that a man can’t lie sexually with another man. Always when the Bible speaks for temple prostitutes, so the Bible uses words gedeshah and gadesh. If Lev 18:22 and Lev 20:13 told for temple prostitutes, so verses would mention them, but there isn’t, because in those verses, the Bible forbids homosexuality. It is very clear and undisputable in the light of the testimony of the Bible, that arsenokoites means homosexuality.
According to words of the Lord Jesus, Jesus’ disciples can judge righteous judgement. If somebody is stealing, living in adultery or is lying, so we have the right to say sin as a sin. According to the Bible, homosexuality is a sin and so Jesus’ disciples have the right to say what the Bible teaches. Jesus’ disciple has a right to say that living in sins lead people to eternal damnation. Jesus’ disciple doesn’t judge to damnation, but tells that God shall judge sin maker to hell.
God loves also gay-people, but not sinful act of homosexuality, and therefore, God calls gay-people repentance and receives salvation by believing in the Lord Jesus. In other words, God loves sinners, but not sins. The gospel and its changing power is meant also for gay-people, because the Lord Jesus can set you free you from your sins.
I don’t condemn homosexuals, but love them by the love of God. The love of God also holds on from the truth, and therefore, I must say that homosexuality is a sin, it is not condemning, but telling the truth. God has authority to judge, not a man. God judges in His word homosexuality as a sin. I can tell about judgements that what God does, and I don’t condemn, but tell who judge.
I don’t support discrimination of homosexuals, because they are valuable as my neighbors. However, homosexuality is a sin. It is possible to integrate from homosexuality and get rid of it. The Lord Jesus can save and give freedom to you. I recommend for you to read the Bible, because there God teaches for natural sexuality and salvation by believing in the Lord Jesus.
Reference: http://koti.phnet.fi/petripaavola/homosexual.html