In the last few months I've been asked to give my thoughts on how we deal with homosexuality in a Christian setting twice. As I've investigated the two different scenarios that I've been asked about, part of me is in shock, and the rest of me is calm and confident about my stance on it. This is one of those subjects that some people are afraid to tackle because they don't want to offend anyone, and that some people take too far and condemn those who are involved.
I don't know why people have homosexual feelings. I don't believe that God makes a person gay or lesbian. I've heard different things from chemical imbalances, to neglectful or abusive fathers. I don't know why people are. But I do know that far too often we, as the Church, do not handle the situation correctly.
I think too often we go on the offensive and take things too far, attacking only homosexuality as the only sexual sin. Mark Driscoll, a pastor in Seattle, Washington, once responded with this when asked if homosexuality was a sin, "All sex, now I want to be clear on this because what can sometimes happen is that it seems like Christians are only picking on one group of people, and the Bible says that sexuality is intended to be within marriage. Marriage is between one man and one woman... homosexuality, fornication, which is sex before marriage, adultery which is sex outside of marriage, are all sexual sin. Pornography is a sin... Sex is for marriage, and marriage is for one man and one woman. What that means is that all sex outside of heterosexual marriage is a sin." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSGIPqXhofE)
I think Driscoll's approach is the one we need to take. It isn't an attack on sexual sin, but a defense of marriage and what God created sex to be. We don't let it slide, we don't ignore it like it isn't there, we stand in defense of the truth. When Christians go on the attack we end up with the crusades, killing and damage done by the Church in the name of Christ. But when Christians stand firmly in defense of the truth laid down in Scripture, that's when lives can be changed, the Kingdom of God can be expanded, and God can be glorified.
Paul said in 1 Timothy 3.15b, "I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth." The Church is a place where are all welcome, regardless of their past or present lifestyle. But at the same time the Church belongs to God, and as such it has the standards of truth that it must proclaim and stand firm upon. We present the truth, not one aspect of it. We love people regardless of who they are, but we don't sugar coat the truth of the Gospel so we don't offend anyone.
The Bible says in Genesis, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good" (1.1, 31a). In John's Gospel he tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being" (1.1-3). Satan does not have the power to create, all he can do is work with what God has made. Everything that God makes is good and perfect, because God is good and perfect. What Satan does is takes what God has made good and perfect, and corrupts it, twists it, makes it work for his purpose. Satan did not create homosexuality, fornication, or adultery; he simply took something beautiful that God created and corrupted it. Anything that Satan corrupts is sin, because it is used in a way God never intended.
The Church must take a stand on sexual sin, but we must respond biblically so that that we glorify God. If we handle this issue incorrectly we do harm, and discredit and dishonor Christ and His Gospel. Ephesians 4.15 says to speak the truth in love so that we can grow up into all aspects of our head, Christ. 1 Timothy 1.5 says, "But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." Our purpose is to build the Kingdom of God and bring glory to Him. God is love, and so we love all people because God first loved us (1 John 4). But we must also live lives of integrity before Him, we must live out the truth, and stand in defense of it.
Any sexual act outside of the God ordained marriage covenant between a man and woman is sin. Paul said at the end of his life in 2 Timothy 4.3-4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths." And so he charged Timothy, and I believe all who would take up the name Christian, "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction...But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Timothy 4.1-2,5).
We must stand firm on the truth of Scripture. We must live lives that are molded by God into the image of Christ. We must proclaim the truth in love. Let us stand in defense of what God has made good.
Peace be with you
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