Response to Moxie
With the federal marriage amendment in the news lately, I've been thinking some about Christians who lobby for the acceptance of homosexual relationships both within and without the church. My former church, Spirit of Hope UMC, has become a reconciling congregation which means they "welcome people of all sexual orientations". I'd like to respond to a recent blog by Moxie that my wife and I have been discussing.
The second, more important reason I'm such a loudmouth about welcoming LBGT people into all areas of church and civil life is that Jesus asks us to. The Gospel specifically mandates us to welcome those who are not like us as well as those who are. In particular, we are to welcome those who society (including Bible-reading churchgoers) deems "less than." We are to embrace those who we are told are "suspect." ... Now, I don't personally consider the majority of the LBGT people I know "suspect," but society still does. It's up to Christians and the church to act as Christ wants us to by welcoming LBGT people, whether they're single or partnered, parents or childless.
If you reject the idea that LBGT people deserve civil rights and family protection, go back and read your Bible. ... Not the Old Testament (which Jesus wiped away, remember?). Reread the Gospels. It's right there, laid out in every story, every parable, every big and small thing Jesus said.
Ok, I did look again at the gospels, starting with Mark. Is it true that Jesus "mandates us to welcome those who are not like us"? This is usually taken to mean we should welcome people as they are, because we are all sinners and no one can cast the first stone. However, while Jesus does indeed shock many of the Jews by eating with sinners and tax collectors, touching lepers and talking with women, he by no means accepts or loves a person's sins.
John the Baptist prepares the way of the Lord by "preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (Mk 1:4) Jesus first words of public ministry are, "Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mk 1:15) Jesus' disciples "went out and preached that men should repent." (Mk 6:12) To repent is to turn away from sin and toward God.
Jesus did eat with those considered to be unclean sinners and tax collectors (Mk 2:15-17), but why? Not to love them by accepting their sin (this would not be love). But rather to heal them of their sins: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." Call them to what? Repentance, faith, and transformation. "You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mt 5:48) We come to as Jesus sinners, but we cannot follow him without renouncing our sins.
We see this transformation in every person who comes before Jesus in need of mercy. For example:
1) To the woman caught in adultery and saved from stoning by Our Lord, He says, "I do not condemn you; go, and do not sin again." (Jn 8:11)
2) To the samaritan woman at the well, Jesus speaks to her and confronts her sins of having had many husbands and of living in adultery. She responds with faith that he is the messiah and goes to proclaim this to others. (Jn 4:7-42)
3) To Zacchaeous, the tax collector guilty of fraud, Jesus comes to him and Zacchaeous repents, promising to repay his stollen money fourfold. Jesus says, "Today salvation has come to this house ... For the Son of man cam to seek and save the lost." (Lk 19:10)
I can't find an example in the gospels of someone who comes to Jesus and is not transformed by the experience. He certainly doesn't tell people to stay as they are.
In addition, Jesus speaks harshly against letting sin fester in ourselves. "And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched." (Mk 9:43-48) Further, we are to rebuke our brother who sins and to forgive him when he repents. (Lk 17:3)
So the church's response to those who engage in homosexual acts is not to ignore the sin as a way to love the sinner. It is not true love to allow people to remain in their sin. But rather, we should tell the truth about how God accepts all people who repent of their sins and turn to him in faith, the Master Physician, for forgiveness and healing. This includes the sin of homosexual acts (Rom 1:26-27), meaning that one cannot be in a right relationship with God and at the same time be in a homosexual relationship. For a Christian or church to mislead people into continuing to sin is a terrible thing. In Jesus' words, "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin." (Lk 17:2)
The second, more important reason I'm such a loudmouth about welcoming LBGT people into all areas of church and civil life is that Jesus asks us to. The Gospel specifically mandates us to welcome those who are not like us as well as those who are. In particular, we are to welcome those who society (including Bible-reading churchgoers) deems "less than." We are to embrace those who we are told are "suspect." ... Now, I don't personally consider the majority of the LBGT people I know "suspect," but society still does. It's up to Christians and the church to act as Christ wants us to by welcoming LBGT people, whether they're single or partnered, parents or childless.
If you reject the idea that LBGT people deserve civil rights and family protection, go back and read your Bible. ... Not the Old Testament (which Jesus wiped away, remember?). Reread the Gospels. It's right there, laid out in every story, every parable, every big and small thing Jesus said.
Ok, I did look again at the gospels, starting with Mark. Is it true that Jesus "mandates us to welcome those who are not like us"? This is usually taken to mean we should welcome people as they are, because we are all sinners and no one can cast the first stone. However, while Jesus does indeed shock many of the Jews by eating with sinners and tax collectors, touching lepers and talking with women, he by no means accepts or loves a person's sins.
John the Baptist prepares the way of the Lord by "preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (Mk 1:4) Jesus first words of public ministry are, "Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mk 1:15) Jesus' disciples "went out and preached that men should repent." (Mk 6:12) To repent is to turn away from sin and toward God.
Jesus did eat with those considered to be unclean sinners and tax collectors (Mk 2:15-17), but why? Not to love them by accepting their sin (this would not be love). But rather to heal them of their sins: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." Call them to what? Repentance, faith, and transformation. "You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mt 5:48) We come to as Jesus sinners, but we cannot follow him without renouncing our sins.
We see this transformation in every person who comes before Jesus in need of mercy. For example:
1) To the woman caught in adultery and saved from stoning by Our Lord, He says, "I do not condemn you; go, and do not sin again." (Jn 8:11)
2) To the samaritan woman at the well, Jesus speaks to her and confronts her sins of having had many husbands and of living in adultery. She responds with faith that he is the messiah and goes to proclaim this to others. (Jn 4:7-42)
3) To Zacchaeous, the tax collector guilty of fraud, Jesus comes to him and Zacchaeous repents, promising to repay his stollen money fourfold. Jesus says, "Today salvation has come to this house ... For the Son of man cam to seek and save the lost." (Lk 19:10)
I can't find an example in the gospels of someone who comes to Jesus and is not transformed by the experience. He certainly doesn't tell people to stay as they are.
In addition, Jesus speaks harshly against letting sin fester in ourselves. "And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched." (Mk 9:43-48) Further, we are to rebuke our brother who sins and to forgive him when he repents. (Lk 17:3)
So the church's response to those who engage in homosexual acts is not to ignore the sin as a way to love the sinner. It is not true love to allow people to remain in their sin. But rather, we should tell the truth about how God accepts all people who repent of their sins and turn to him in faith, the Master Physician, for forgiveness and healing. This includes the sin of homosexual acts (Rom 1:26-27), meaning that one cannot be in a right relationship with God and at the same time be in a homosexual relationship. For a Christian or church to mislead people into continuing to sin is a terrible thing. In Jesus' words, "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin." (Lk 17:2)