Homosexuality
A Gift?
Q. I heard a pastor say that being gay is a “gift from God” and that homosexuals are “perfectly and wonderfully made,” thus mocking scripture.
Answer:
All Sins
We can’t be intimidated by the gay agenda – especially when sin infects the church and a false teacher promotes something contrary to the Word of God. But, that means all sin – not just homosexuality.
It includes sleeping around, getting drunk or taking illegal drugs, being argumentative or angry, cheating people or being selfish, and other things, too. The apostle Paul says that those who deliberately practice poor behaviors such as these won’t inherit the Kingdom of God.
“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21, NLT).
Note that Paul wrote this passage for believing Christians! Yes…We are “saved” and we will be in Heaven. But, we could be “benched” or prevented from inheriting all that we should have (Benware 2002, 155).
Judging Believers
So how should we respond when other believers commit sins?
Paul says, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself…If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important” (Galatians 6:1-3, NLT).
Consistent Warning
God always condemns homosexuality.
– He condemned it in the writings of the patriarchs (Genesis 19:1-28.
– He opposed it in the Law of Moses (Leviticus 18:22 & 20:13).
– He condemned it in the writings of the Prophets (Ezekiel 16:46-50).
– Finally, he condemned it in the New Testament (Romans 1:18-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Jude 7-8).
Furthermore, there is no question that the gay lifestyle conflicts with the fact that God made humans male and female and blessed them with a command to multiply (Genesis 1:27-28).
Yet, when we judge other believers we are to respond “gently and humbly.” Too often we become angry, hateful, and condemning. Responding in a rageful manner does not fit the definition of responding “gently” or “humbly” as we are told to do in Galatians 6:1-3. We must also remember that God condemns other sins, too. (Reread Galatians 5:19-21 above).
Not to Judge Unbelievers
There is also a cautionary warning in the Bible not to judge unbelievers outside the church. Paul says plainly,
“When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin…” (1 Corinthians 5:9-11, NLT).
Therefore, before we judge a so-called gay pastor or a homosexual leader, we must clearly determine whether that person is a true believer in Christ’s lordship and redemptive work before we take action against them.
If they are believers we must take disciplinary actions against them (See Matthew 18: 15-17). If they are not believers they should be gently confronted and removed of their leadership functions in the church.
A real church?
We need to question how it is that an immoral leader came to hold a leadership position within the church in the first place. Is it a real church who follows the Bible for guidance?
1 Timothy 3:2 says that “an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation.”
End-Times Churches
The apostles Paul and Peter warn that in the end-times the church will be infiltrated by false teachers. Christians are told not to allow immoral people into positions of leadership. So it is certainly possible that many television programs promote pastors who belong to unbelieving churches. These are not true churches in the biblical sense.
…“there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them…Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality” (2 Peter 2:1-2, NLT).
Authority of Scripture
If the church we attend promotes immorality of any kind then we must leave that church. It is guilty of apostasy. True believers hold to the authority of Scripture in all they do. They believe that God’s Word is inspired – literally “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16).
Christians are to “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness. Instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret” (Ephesians 5:11-12).
One pastor’s Opinion
Pastor John MacArthur says the following about homosexuality: “Don’t allow yourself to be intimidated by homosexual advocates and their futile reasoning – their arguments are without substance. Homosexuals…are fundamentally committed to overturning the lordship of Christ in this world. …So, what is God’s response to the homosexual agenda? Certain and final judgment. To claim anything else is to compromise the truth of God and deceive those who are perishing.”
A gift?
Homosexuality is not a “gift from God.” Instead, it is the end result of sin. Romans 1:24 notes that “God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie…”
In other words, when a nation’s sins go beyond redemption, God gives them over to their own sins – specifically to homosexuality. It is the “last straw” for that nation.
Just remember to always remain “gentle” and “humble” toward others as Paul suggests in Galatians 6:1-3. That way we can’t go wrong since “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:9).
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References:
Benware, Paul N. 2002. The believer’s payday. Chagttanooga, TN: AMG.
MacArthur, John. God’s plan for the gay agenda. Available from: http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/GTYW04.htm.
Sproul, R.C. 2005. The authority of scripture. The reformation study bible, ESV. Orlando, FL: Ligonier Ministries.