“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God. Some of you once lived this way. 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.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
The LGBT issue is a major issue in our church, country and the world today. This morning, our journey through the New Testament speaks into this issue and instead of sidestepping it, I will reflect on it as well. Since it is a major and delicate issue today in the church, my reflection today is a little longer.
The term LGBT is not in the Bible. It is a modern term, just like the term lesbian does not come up in the Bible either. And it is also true to say that the Bible does not say anything about sexual orientation. This is also a modern term, psychological way of framing a discussion on same sex activity and attitudes. So does the Bible have nothing to say on this subject? In fact it has quite allot to say about this subject as in today’s reading.
The focus of what the Bible has to say about what we today call homosexuality and lesbianism is behavior. Behavior; not inclinations, not tendencies, not orientations, not preferences, not a lifestyle, but actual behaviors.
What the Bible says bout the behavior of homosexuality and lesbianism is pretty clear it says:: Same sex activity, whether it is between two men or two women, is forbidden.
· It is forbidden in the Levitical codes of the OT and other places in the Torah
· It is clearly forbidden in the NT both directly and indirectly
· Paul clearly states this in many places like Romans 1:18-32,
· Here in 1 Cor Paul lists it in sinful behaviors that can even exclude you from the kingdom of heaven.
· There are very strong warnings throughout the Bible against this type of behavior.
Jesus indirectly addresses this issue. When asked by his disciples how they are to relate to each other, he gives us two options: Fidelity in marriage, and celibacy in singleness. Read Matthew 19, it is pretty clear.
The only option to monogamy, sex between a man and a woman in marriage in God, is singleness, celibacy for the sake of the kingdom. Jesus is so emphatic on this singleness that he calls it being a “eunuch for God. “ Everybody in Jesus’ day knew perfectly well what eunuchs were. They were incapable of being with another human being because they had been rendered that way. Jesus even use the technical terms: There are some that are born eunuchs, some that were made eunuchs by other people, and some who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of God. Jesus essentially and clearly ruled out any form of sexual activity outside of monogamy in marriage between a man and a woman. This should not be surprising to us, it is a common point of view of the Jews, common of early Christians.
What is the fallout from these facts as to how we read the Bible? Lets look at several things. What we all “homophobia” today, the singling out. the stigmatizing, name calling and out casting of homosexuals simply because of their gender orientation I see as a sin. God loves everybody, he just does not love their sin. And one sin a person can commit is treating one group of sinners as somehow worse than everybody else. This is morally wrong and it is a sin to treat Gay and lesbian people as if they are some type of lepars.
Anyone who knows my heart knows that I have a radical approach to “church” that includes radical hospitality of all and everyone. I also have an orthodox understanding of scripture. Like Jesus I try to display extravagant grace, while presenting complete truth in all situations as Jesus did with the women in John 8 caught in adultery. If approached by a LGBTQ individual or couple how would I respond? First, I would let them know I do not judge them. As one saved by grace I look at them with love and not judgement. My story of past sins I committed before coming to Christ is far worse than sleeping with a man. Secondly, As a representative of the church, I would say to them if you have ever been hurt by the church through any form of hate, prejudice, condemnation, or judgement by the church, I am sorry. That is not what the church is called to offer the world, it is a sin, I am sorry and it is not what I am offering you.
Thirdly, I love you and you are welcomed to come and be part of Toney UMC, ODC, and worship in my home. Fourthly, though you are graciously welcomed into the family of God to come just as you are, you, however, just as I and anyone who seeks Christ, you are not allowed to remain as you are. All of us have to repent of our sins. When we call Jesus Lord, we surrender our image of ourselves to the workings of the Holy Spirit to conform us into not our image, but the image of Jesus. I am not going to “call you out”, I am not going to call anyone out. But you, I, we; are all called to repentance, and should be called to repentance. The church was designed to be an equal opportunity critiquer of all behaviors and lifestyles that the Bible says are inappropriate. The Holy Spirit is an equal-opportunity critiquer and confronter of all human sin.
So come as you are, you are welcomed as you are, however all of us are called to repentance and should be called to repentance. And if there is a behavior, or lifestyle anyone is refusing to surrender to God, then it becomes not a behavior issue, but an obedience issue. In the Bible, inappropriate behavior is where the rubber meet the road; Not inclinations or tendencies; as all of us have inclinations: some that are healthy, and some that are unhealthy and sinfull. That is not where the real issue lies, The issue in the Bible focus on behavior. We are all fallen individuals. All of us have tendencies and inclinations that we are not sure are behaviors derived more from nature or nurture. But what we can be sure of is what kind of behaviors are said to please God, and when it comes to sexual behaviors, what behaviors do not please God.
Here is what else I would want to say most. Within my own, our own Methodist tradition, if we did not ordain sinners, including myself, we would not have any ordained ministers of any kind. If we did not accept members into our churches who were sinners, our churches would be empty. So if any person, no matter what orientation they are sexually; heterosexual, homosexual, LGBT, is prepared to be chased in celibacy singleness, or be faithful in heterosexual sexual relationship in monogamy of marriage, then they can be candidates for ministry. We will not rule them out just because their inclinations are different from mine or someone else. I think that is gracious, I think that is fair. I think that is where the church should stand. I think that is what the Bible allows us to say.
My family, as we journey through the reading the Bible together it is going to speak into the issues and behaviors of our lives and the life of the church. That is what God’s word is designed to do. I pray as you read through it this morning you will not be drawn to reflect on the behaviors of others, but the behaviors of the person you see in the mirror and ask the Holy Spirit to remove or add behaviors to transform you more into the image of Jesus, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my frinds!!!
I would love for you to share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
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