What
in the World Is Going On?
Like any father, I am concerned about the kind of world my children will
inherit. I have two boys: and a Grand daughter
Last Father's Day, a colorful issue was blowing in the wind—a rainbow
flag. No doubt it will be unfurled again for LGBT Pride Month—the month of
June. (LGBT: lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender.) In 2011, the
leadership at the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond, Virginia—the city
where—decided to fly the flag of the gay pride movement following the
president's endorsement of June as LGBT Pride Month. In that
same spirit of celebrating diversity the city council issued a proclamation also designating June
as LGBT Pride Month for Richmond. It seems that the colorful rainbow
agenda of the LGBT movement is in full bloom.
Because
such unprecedented pro-homosexual statements are increasingly being made in
public in the U.S., a Christian response to the contrary should not come as a
surprise. But viral video rants
against same-sex marriage don't exactly convey a Christian viewpoint. How about
a little grace, civility, and reasoned biblical discussion for a change?
While many
are saying that homosexuality should be accepted in the name of Christian love,
such a position actually conflicts deeply with a coherent Christian
view. When President Obama made history recently by endorsing same-sex
marriage, he cited Christian reasons for doing so. Perhaps, in one sense, it's
correct to say that Christians are not against those who practice
homosexuality. Just as Christians are not anti-liars (we simply affirm
that lying is wrong), so we are not against people involved
in homosexuality. It is clearly not a Christian virtue to hate
anyone who sins. But it is Christian to oppose sin. And on
this point, Bible-believers must depart from the president's 'evolved'
view.
Why
Do I Care?
Perhaps, my main concern is for those who try to use the Bible and Christianity
to justify homosexuality. Christians certainly need to pray, be humble, kind,
and serve the less fortunate. But Christians also need to know what the Bible
says, accurately interpret it, and be able to explain God's truth to
others.
It's
important for Christians to take a biblical stance on the same-sex marriage
issue because, according to Jesus Christ (Mark 10:6-9), a person should pursue neither marriage nor
sex outside of the sacred bonds of male-female marriage. Whenever I hear
someone citing "Christian reasons" for endorsing same-sex marriage, I
wonder if the person realizes that such an idea runs completely contrary
to the Founder of Christianity Himself.
Again, this
is certainly a divisive and heated issue, but name-calling by either side is
counterproductive. As fellow human beings, we ought to uphold and defend
each others' right to freedom of speech, including humane disagreement. All
people are created equal, but the same cannot be said for all ideas. Some are
better than others. Unfortunately, a few professing Christians do a very poor
job of representing Christ. Although they seem to get the most media attention,
they do not speak for me. Neither do they speak for millions of ordinary
Christians who are increasingly being lumped together with the lunatic fringe
of Christianity. Bible-believers shouldn't be labeled as ‘hate mongers' for
simply being true to the same
historic Christian faith that was the driving moral force
behind the abolition of slavery (contrary to the one-sided claims
of theologians like James Cone).
A
Potentially Time-Saving Disclaimer:
In recent years, it has become unpopular to not go along with the doubtful
assumption that some people are irrecoverably and genetically destined to act
out same-sex impulses. In other words, we're not supposed to question the LGBT
claim, "God made me this way." Such a question is being defined as
"hate" by some. (Nevermind this is a fallacious stratagem that
undermines fair consideration of the issues.)
In light of
the reality of this widely used tactic, I offer the following disclaimer:
If the
reader is hidebound by such a dubious assumption and habitually labels as a
'hater' anyone who dares to question the belief that LGBT behavior is
unavoidably mandated by one's DNA, I think I should be kind and save you some
time. There is a truthful explanation for why people engage in LGBT behavior,
but you won't like it. You could continue reading this article, but it may do
little good. On the other hand, there are probably more than a few readers who
are genuinely interested in understanding why Christians so strongly oppose (or
ought to oppose) the rainbow agenda. If this openness to understanding describes
you in the slightest, then read to the end and please add to the discussion
with your comments. Non-readers, please withhold your comments. Freedom of
speech means that you're free to write on your own blog or website. This
article is an invitation for readers to take part in a productive conversation.
Thank you in advance.
So
Then, What Does the Bible Say? (And why should I care?)
Contrary to the abysmal image projected by some professing Christians,
homosexuality is not a special sin deserving of special
disdain. In fact, if it helps take the edge off of the religious overtones of
the word sin, what the Bible calls "sin" may be thought of in common
sense terms as destructive behavior that promises fulfillment but doesn't lead
to it. Ultimately, sin is any lack of conformity to God's holy requirements in
the Bible. Sin begins with a false view of God that breeds disregard for God,
which ultimately gives birth to attitudes and actions contrary to God's moral
will (1Thessalonians 4:3-7). Not everyone understands or respects
the gravity of this, so some attention will be given to explore what it means.
Simply put,
Christians believe the Bible when it says: "Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:34).
In other words, any society that condones destructive behavior (as Scripture defines it), is a society that will
weaken and decline.
To anyone
who prefers to live by his or her own rules, Christianity, particularly the
Christian view of sex, is highly offensive to begin with. It makes a discussion
like this tense enough from the start. When grown adults (Christians included)
act or speak in a graceless, mean-spirited way it only makes matters worse. But
truthful speech cannot be set aside for the sake of avoiding the healthy exchange
of ideas. It's ultimately an act of kindness and compassion to inform
people of truth, just as we tend to benefit from the truthful diagnosis of a
doctor.
Some
diagnoses come as a shock, and I realize that this may be a shock for some
readers, but the faithful, historic interpretation of the Bible calls
homosexuality a sinful, self-destructive act. The New Testament lists
homosexuality right alongside lying (1 Timothy 1:10),
robbing, being greedy, swindling (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), gossiping and committing
murder (Romans 1:25-31). Such broad lists like these are meant to
convey one thing: we all have sin issues. It's bad news for all of us.
Repeat:
we all have sin issues.
The bad
news for those who engage in homosexuality does not go away simply by the
spurious claim that somehow the Church has "misunderstood" these
texts for centuries, only to be corrected by later revisionist scholars in
recent decades. These New Testament Scriptures are perfectly clear. They claim
binding authority over all people in all time periods, regardless of whether
people acknowledge such a claim (Philippians 2:7-11).
For readers
who are for the first time seeing Bible verses that condemn homosexuality, they
aren't quoted to be inflammatory. Rather, they are cited to make clear what Scripture
actually says. Biblical standards of right and wrong have stood the
test of time. You might choose to ignore them, but changing them is not a
valid option.
People who
try to use the Bible to argue that accepting homosexuality is how we are to
'love our neighbor,' wrongly omit the first half of what Jesus said in that
context. Jesus actually said, "The great and first commandment is 'You
shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.'" (Matthew 22:36-40). In other words, love for one's neighbor is
bounded by one's primary allegiance to God. How can one
claim to love God, yet hate what His Word says about homosexuality, or
disregard His design for marriage?
Who
Gets to Say What the Bible Says?
Those who use the Bible to persuade others actually put themselves in the
precarious role of assuming to speak for God as a teacher. According to James 3:1,
teachers are subject to stricter judgment both for their character and for how
accurately they handle Scripture. Unfortunately, biblical literacy is at an
all-time low, even in churches. The naïve give equal weight to every opinion on
or about the Bible, apparently unable to discern the many illegitimate
would-be teachers who are out there sowing confusion.
An authorized
teacher of the Bible possesses certain observable character qualities clearly
spelled out in Scripture. In the books of Titus and 1
Timothy, such teachers are referred to as overseers. They are "…above
reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable,
able to teach" (1Tim. 3:2). It's noteworthy that one of the characteristics of
a true teacher is that he believes in monogamy and
upholds male-female marriage. Arguing for same-sex marriage on secular grounds
is one thing. Arguing for same-sex marriage in the name of Christianity or the
Bible is not only absurd, but the one who does so—whether clergyman, farmer,
judge, or president—puts himself personally under God's condemnation.
In the
Bible, God exclusively blesses male-female marriage (Mark 10:6-9, Hebrews 13:4, 1Timothy 1:9-10). He is clearly opposed
to all sexual activity outside of that sacred relationship. Bear in
mind, everything that God forbids He forbids from a loving heart. Sexual
activity outside of male-female marriage not only disregards God's will but it
also does harm to the participants, regardless of whether it's consensual, and
regardless of whether the harm (or the offense toward God) is ever
acknowledged.
God is all for
sex in the context of a loving, male-female marriage as He designed it. Sex is
a powerful, wonderful expression of love that also demonstrates HIs creative
genius. God isn't against sex. Christians aren't prejudiced
prudes. God is against the wrongful use of sex,
ultimately, because He has your best interests at heart.
Far too
many people wrongly assume that God exists simply for our happiness as we choose to define it. If that were
true, then opposing the rainbow agenda would be just baseless prejudice. But
God isn't a willing recruit for anyone's personal agenda. That's why this
discussion can't be simply about who has the most Bible verses to shoot like
missiles at the other side.
The
Core Issue: What's Your View of God?
At the core of the topic of human sexuality, as with all topics, is either a
sound understanding of God or a flawed understanding of God. People may say
that morality can't be legislated, but that simply isn't true. Indeed, some
view of God (conscious or not) undergirds every political decision and law that
gets passed. This is not always apparent, but is especially visible with issues
surrounding the rainbow agenda. Unavoidably, someone's view of morality is
codified into human law, while contrary views of morality are overturned.
Rightly
understood, the Christian view of sex is just as offensive to unmarried teens
and singles at church who are engaging in premarital (heterosexual) sex as it
is to a transvestite marching in a parade. So, the issue really can't be
compartmentalized and made into just an issue about homosexuality. The rainbow
flag flying downtown at Richmond's Federal Reserve building is simply the
flashpoint of discussion.
Shouldn't
Christians Be Trying to Pass Laws Against Eating Shellfish Too? (No.)
Something should probably be said here about how the Old Testament fits
together with the New Testament. Frequently, you'll see people struggling to
make sense of the laws about not eating shellfish and not mixing different
kinds of cloth when they also see a law against homosexuality in the same
context (Leviticus 18-20). They seem to think that they can discount
the prohibition against homosexuality since the other laws have been nullified
(Acts 10:9-48). Such Scripture twisting is all too common. The
Bible actually is quite clear and consistent, despite those who misinterpret it
(2 Peter 3:16).
The basic
rule of interpretation is that whenever an Old Testament moral principle is
re-stated in the New Testament, it means that moral principle is meant to be
interpreted as still binding today. The passages quoted above from Matthew,
Mark, 1 Timothy, 1 Corinthians, Romans, and Hebrews are all in the New Testament. They serve as excellent
examples of this basic rule.
Because biblical
literacy is so abysmal in this age, people don't realize that after the earthly
ministry of Jesus Christ, the New Testament church age was ushered in,
abolishing Israel's ceremonial laws, dietary restrictions, and priesthood (cf. Acts 10, Colossians 2:13-17). The New Testament still upholds the
prohibition of homosexuality, but the death penalty no longer applies to those
who engage in homosexual acts. Such strict punishment was valid only inside the
context of Ancient Israel.
Establishing
a Theocracy Is Not the Christian Goal
Establishing a theocracy is not the Christian goal or ideal. Coercive human
government—either Christian or secular—is undesirable in the Christian view. An
informed biblical worldview actually supports pluralism, democracy, and
freedom. Christians neither tolerate coercive secularization of the government,
nor do they aim to establish a theocracy. Anyone who presents those two as the
only options presents a false dichotomy.
People may
object that the Bible is just a human book or that it's been changed and cannot
be trusted.1 But such
arguments have been sufficiently answered both in short and at length. Anyone can be set free from the
fruitless cul-de-sac of skepticism if they have ears to hear.
What
Is Hate Speech?
As people who are limited in knowledge, we need truth from God, whose knowledge
is infinite. We may not always like the truth we hear, but we certainly need
it. The Bible is the anvil of truth that wears out every hammer in every age.
The Richmond City Council, Federal Reserve leadership, and the U.S. president
have turned truth upside down. Saying so might mean Christians like me will be
wrongly accused of "hate speech." But to refrain from objecting to
moral decay is, in the historic Christian view, truly hateful non-speech.
Each of us
will face God in judgment. And as Hebrews 10:31 says,
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
And 2 Corinthians 5:11 "Knowing the fear of the Lord, we
persuade [others]" to "repent and turn to God, performing deeds in
keeping with their repentance" (Acts 26:20).
Christians
aren't out to judge others as if we're somehow better in and of ourselves. We
simply embrace God's unchanging standard of morality. We unapologetically
differ with those who would assault it, change it, or ignore it. We point to
salvation in Christ as the solution for broken people who, like us, have gone
against God's healthy design for their lives. Yes, Christians have fallen short
of God's holy requirements just like everyone else. We're no better than
anyone. The solution is not to ignore God's moral standard though. Nor is it
helpful to try to change God's standard by misinterpreting the Bible.
The
Christian hope for homosexuals is not heterosexuality, but holiness. We're not
trying to make gays straight but take them straight to Jesus, just as we
would anyone ensnared by sin. Once they trust Him, He gives them His perfect
righteousness, frees them from sin, and transforms their lives from the inside
out.
What
About Tolerance?
As for tolerance, well, genuine Christians are all for living at peace with those they disagree with.
Many today confuse the word tolerance with "acceptance" or
"affirmation." It's assumed that anyone who is not pro-gay is
automatically a "hater." No, the historic meaning of tolerance is that
we should live peacefully and respectfully together, though we disagree even in
outspoken ways.
Christians
are called to something more than mere tolerance. We are called to express the
truth of the Bible clearly. We are to do so with love, having as our aim the
rescue and restoration of sinners just like us. That's what it means to love one's neighbor. A
brief article like this may not speak to everyone effectively. And, certainly,
no Christian is perfect. Still, we aim for biblicalprinciples to guide us when
discussing sensitive subjects with others who differ. One motivation that
compels Christians to engage with people is that the truths of Christianity are
public and universal, not private and parochial. The historical record of
Christ's life, death, and resurrection exists because it's true, not because it's a propped up religious
myth. This fact has bearing on every life, acknowledged or not. People aren't
just flesh and blood, but eternal souls who will one day stand before their
Creator and Judge.
As for
so-called "homophobia," Christians don't fear homosexuals, but
fear for them, just as we would for anyone enslaved in sin
of any type. We know the judgment
that awaits all those who will not turn from their sin and turn
to Christ. What Jesus accomplished saves sinners: His
sinless life, His substitutionary death on the cross, and His rising from
the dead. Christ sets free all who are enslaved to sin and removes all fear of
judgment and punishment.
Far from
being a religion of negativity, Christianity positively declares that knowing
Jesus Christ is the greatest thing in the universe. The Christian message not
only makes sense of life, it includes the good news that God can restore all
that sin has broken. In other words, the world we all want is coming—complete
peace, justice, and human flourishing in the manifest presence of God. You can
be part of it. Christ forgives those who admit to being sinners and who call
out to Him for rescue from sin's control. By trusting Christ, anyone can be
transformed into a person who lives in a way that pleases God.
Bible-believing
Christians are concerned for our neighbors who struggle with same-sex
attraction, and we seek their good. We affirm the dignity of fellow human
beings who also bear the image of God. We all need the light of truth shined
into our darkness. Jesus said, "I have come as Light into the world, so
that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness" (John 12:46).
He said this knowing that people "love darkness rather than light" (John 3:19).
But instead
of meeting God someday in condemnation, you can meet Him now in blessing. Wrong
desires can be changed so that you begin to love the things He loves. Although,
I have been personally guilty of numerous sins, I am forgiven because Christ
died and rose again for sinners like me. Jesus Christ gives a clean slate (1 Corinthians 6:11) and new desires (Titus 2:11-14). The same offer of forgiveness and
transformation extends to everyone reading this with a heart to understand.
Uniting
Around Common-Sense Morality Does Not Equal Making the U.S. Into a
"Christian Nation"
Admittedly, in the U.S., a number of our founders were Christians in name only.
Some were merely deists. Still, the historic Christian faith was the worldview
that provided the moral underpinnings of this country, and that worldview still
has weighty implications for matters of public life. One implication of the
Christian outlook is that the improvisational morality of our times is, quite
simply, a farce. A shifting moral foundation upholds nations about as well as
the Sahara upholds skyscrapers. It goes without saying that condoning
homosexuality represents a seismic shift in the moral landscape of the United
States.
The
implications of the rainbow agenda go far deeper than most people surmise by
taking a superficial view of it. As Dr. Albert Mohler astutely
observed, people must wake up and come to grips with what is at
stake:
"Marriage is first and foremost a public
institution. It has always been so. Throughout history, societies have granted
special recognition and privileges to marriage because it is the central
organizing institution of human culture. Marriage regulates relationships,
sexuality, human reproduction, lineage, kinship, and family structure. But
marriage has also performed another crucial function—it has
regulated morality. Redefining marriage is never simply about
marriage. It leads to the redefinition of reproduction and parenthood, produces
a legal revolution with vast consequences, replaces an old social order with
something completely new, and forces the adoption of a new morality. This last
point is especially important. Marriage teaches morality by its very centrality
to the culture. With a new concept of marriage comes a new morality, enforced
by incredible social pressure and, eventually, legal threats.2
What
About Civil Rights?
Martin Luther King, Jr. is a man greatly admired, and deservedly so. It's been
well-established that historic Christianity was the moral authority behind
not only the abolition of slavery, but also the triumph of the Civil Rights
movement. To the dismay of many, however, it has become common to hear LGBT
advocates claim that they are "today's oppressed people group," as if
people with same-sex attraction are the heirs of the Civil Rights
movement. The moms and dads I know in the African American community,
as well as many of its courageous and outspoken leaders, are deeply offended at the LGBT movement for
hijacking the Civil Rights legacy and using it to impose their agenda.
The
Bible clearly affirms the dignity and worth of all people, regardless of
skin color. But the Bible condemns homosexuality because it is rebellion
against the created order of male-female marriage (Romans 1:18-32). The Civil Rights movement was a welcome
corrective to a pernicious evil—one that many professing Christians today are
unfortunately still blind to, namely racism. Christianity does not uphold the
gay pride movement in the least.
Again, we
are all sinners. We all have temptations that we struggle with. Some people
struggle with same-sex attraction. Others struggle with different sins. Honesty
and humility about this is the pathway to peace. Trying to get the whole world
to celebrate a lie will only serve to prolong cultural conflict.
Tampering
with the definition of marriage is like tampering with the atomic structure of
hydrogen. The abomination of homosexuality will never be on equal footing with
God's created order of male-female marriage. People of conscience will continue
to firmly believe so. Some may call same-sex
relationships "marriage" but such unions will never fit the
Christian definition of marriage. I will never perform one. Most people (not
just conservative Christians) reject the notion of same-sex marriage when
allowed to think about the matter in the privacy of a voting booth. Polls will
probably always report a different story, as evidenced by Gallup recently. As hard as it is for some people
to accept, millions of Americans just don't believe in so-called "marriage
equality." A Supreme Court decision forcing them to accept it would have
the opposite effect.
LGBT:
You Make Up Less Than 2% of the U.S. Population, and Christians Really Do Love
You
Genuine concern compels us to rescue people from drowning, not open the
floodgates and drench the city. Apparently, the City Council and
the leaders of the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank think that opening the
floodgates is the right idea. They have made an aggressive move to shape
society with their bully pulpits. Regardless of whether it changes
anything, I hope the flag is taken down and never raised again. I'm not the
only young-ish dad in Virginia who feels that way.
Truth tends
to forge strong convictions. That's why attempts to normalize homosexuality
through TV sitcoms like Will & Grace, Glee, and Modern Family don't have
the desired effect on every young family. Still, I'm just a dad. And like most
American dads, I don't have a clue how to remove myself from the Federal
Reserve System. I realize that though the actual number of self-identifying
LGBT people is probably less than 2 percent of
the U.S. population, there is big political power behind the movement. I'm
probably expected to be a good little passive sheep and quietly go along with
the program. After all, I don't have a tall building or a presidential office
from which to issue history-making public statements. I edit Christian
websites. I teach the Bible and lead music at a local church. I don't have a
clue where this article might go or whom it might reach.
But I write
this because my life has been forever changed for the better by Christ as I learned Himin the historic Christian
gospel. I write because people are misrepresenting Christianity to justify
wrongheaded ideas about human freedom. I write because people don't seem to
fathom the danger of twisting Scripture and defying God.
For me, the
growing moral decay all around serves as a daily reminder of Christ's parting words that He is with His true followers
even unto the end. Yes, worse changes may be blowing in the wind for America's
children and grandchildren. But there will, yet, come a day of reckoning.
There is a long view of human history, and it does not end with fallen man
seated sumptuously on a golden throne.
A piece
like this might not avoid the typical, vacuous rebuttals like "'Love the
sinner, hate the sin' is just a mask for bigotry," "Hate is not a
family value," or "Commonsense is the first casualty of
ignorance," etc. People have the freedom to state such non sequiturs if
they so choose. I defend their right to say as they please (on their own
websites). I'm most interested in reaching those who have a heart to understand
God and who want to discuss what is genuinely in people's best interest. Those
wanting another pointless shouting match, please count me out.
Christians
don't hate LGBT people. In their confusion, they distort the God-ordained
beauty of human sexuality and it appears that they cannot rest until everyone
affirms their behavior. Why must it be skewed as "hate" to disagree
with, yet still have sympathy for such tragic people? Flawed views of God
lead them to think that He's either non-existent or He's up in the heavens
waving His rainbow banner of approval right along with them. Weighty chains
bind their souls to empty promises of fulfillment that do not ultimately
deliver. Only the short-sighted Christian cannot bring himself to pity or show
kindness to a fellow human being caught in such a deadly web.
Christians:
Focus More on the Gospel, Less on Political Action (and angry Facebook
comments)
When biblical truth resonates and takes root, people escape sin's entrapment
and there can be a reversal of moral decline in a society. That said, saving
society is not the Christian's primary calling. Telling people the gospel of
salvation is. Instead of over-emphasizing political action, Christians need to
understand the cart-and-horse analogy and focus on compassionately
proclaiming the gospel. The failed "Moral Majority" experiment of the
1980s in America showed us the result of shrill debates and top-down
legislation of Christian
virtues--these things just don't effect lasting change in the hearts of
people.
This is not
to say that it's unimportant for Christians to participate in the political
process. As citizens, we can and should call for biblical morality to be
reflected in our laws. As mentioned before, someone's version of morality is
going to be reflected there. Bible-believing Christians can be good citizens as
well as faithful proclaimers of the good news of salvation in Christ. The Holy
Spirit uses no other means besides the gospel to
‘turn the switch on' in people's hearts and illumine the truth, beauty, and
love of Christ. As we proclaim Him, we leave the work of changing other
people's hearts in His hands.
So, enough
with the angry blog posts, Facebook comments, and viral video rants. Christians
are to be people of both truth and grace. This is not a call
to be soft on the Bible, or make the gospel palatable to the masses. The gospel
pointedly confronts blindness in those who are deluded that they can see.
That's an
offense we will never avoid.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !
So long story short , Boy Scouts is for training , teaching young boys how to be christians and enjoy the outdoor.
g
