This subject continues to occupy the mind of the church. The LGBT+ agenda is forceful and demands the church's attention. The Namibian government is under a lot of pressure by international and national LGBTQ lobby groups. Big nations attach conditions to their donor giving and these include that our country needs to embrace the LGBT+ agenda. The Christian church in Namibia is becoming increasingly divided over this issue. We need a clear statement on which the Bible has to say on this subject. The Bible is our final authority upon this subject.
§ We must recognize that homosexuality along with all other sexual deviations is a sin in God’s eyes. Sexual perversion includes homosexuality (Romans 1:24-32).
§ We
must consider this subject in a redemptive / pro-active manner.
We believe that homosexual people can be redeemed by the grace of God.
§ We
must recognize that we are all sexual beings with a fallen nature.
The greatest sin in life is not homosexuality. The greatest sin is that we are
all, by nature rebels against God and His Word. By nature we go against that
which God has created. This primary sin
is behind all the sins of life.
§ We must recognize that the Bible never considers homosexuality (or any other
sinful or deviant practices) as a
‘genetic deviation’ or an alternative option or expression of
human sexuality. Homosexuality, along with any other deviant practices (e.g.
such as are listed in Gal. 5:19) and must be confessed and submitted to the grace and power
of God who helps us in all our
weaknesses.
Biblical Texts Which Clearly Teach That Homosexuality Is Sin
Genesis
19:1-13 à
Sodom and Gomorrah
Judges 19 à
homo sexual abuse at Gibeah.
Leviticus
18:22 ; 20:13 à
homosexuality is rejected by the
Levitical holiness code
Romans 1:18-32 à homosexuality is a state of being ‘handed
over’ by God
1 Cor 6 :
9,10
1 Tim 1 : 9,10
Gen
2:24 outlines for us the
constituent parts of human sexual relationships :
(i)
a man
(Adam)
(ii)
shall leave his parents
(iii)
to
be united to His wife (Eve)
(iv)
And they shall become one flesh
God’s original design for sexual relationships is to be found in the context of ‘one man - one woman - for life‘. Sexual relationships outside of this context are considered as unnatural (i.e. against created order) and therefore sinful, because they go against God’s purposeful design .
The Bible defines homosexuality as “dishonorable” and “shameless” and “contrary to nature” (Romans 1:26-27).
Sex
within the confines of marriage by way of contrast is to be “held in honor” (Hebrews 13:4). The biblical marriage relationship does not produce
shame and it is not contrary to nature. It conforms to
God’s design and it is therefore normative.
Homosexuality
is against God’s design and therefore not normative. It is in fact an
inversion of God’s created order. It explicitly goes against that which God
has commanded. There is therefore no
such thing as “homosexual marriage” in the
eyes of God and Christians therefore cannot subscribe to the idea homosexual marriage — no matter what the LGBT community and no matter what the state says.
Furthermore, consider that no homosexual relationships are ever spoken of in a positive light in the Scriptures. In fact, the Bible clearly teaches that such a who continue in such practices will not inherit eternal life :
Please note that this list does not only speak about homosexual sin. It also includes those that are sexually immoral (this includes all forms of deviant sex); those who are idolaters (i.e. who substitute God for man-made gods) ; adulterers ( those who break up marriages) male prostitutes; thieves; the greedy; drunkards; slanderers and swindlers (con artists). All those that continually practice these things are all outside the kingdom.
Homosexuality is not the Unforgivable Sin
1
Corinthians 6:11 says, "…and such were
some of you". The wonderful truth is that the Corinthian church was a
group of people who were delivered from these kind of sins. All these sins are
forgivable, once we repent of them, turn our backs on them, and receive the Lord
Jesus Christ as God’s provision for cleansing us from all sin and
unrighteousness of which we are guilty. The Corinthians were a living proof of
this. So, if it is true that homosexuality along with many other sins defines
life outside the kingdom of God, then it
is also true that all such may be redeemed by God.
The Open Acceptance of Homosexuality
in Society is a great Warning Sign !
While
homosexuality is not the unforgivable sin, the unconditional acceptance and
prevalence of it in our society nevertheless
points to disturbing facts.
Considering
Romans 1:18-32, we learn about the
progressive nature of sin. It all begins with idolatry (vv. 21-23). From this follows the fact that God hands such a
society over. That state of “being handed
over” expresses itself in terms of “sexual
impurity” (lit. ‘uncleanness’) in
the use of our bodies which were originally designed to glorify God. This
culminates in vv.26,27 where we specifically
see that sexual impurity is
described in terms of homosexual acts. This is the wrath of abandonment – the
state of being handed over. It is that judicial act of God whereby
He stops convicting the sinner. He lets them do what they choose to do. Such was the state of the cities of Sodom and
Gomorrah, when God’s wrath came upon them.
So,
while homosexuality is a forgivable sin,
and in a sense no worse than others, yet when it reaches unquestioning levels of acceptance in a society, this it is evidence that God has handed that society over to a point of no
return. One only has to survey the
history of nations to confirm this.
John Mc Arthur says this about his own country: “If you look at America you can look back to the sexual revolution of the 60's, which has now become a homosexual revolution of the 21st century in which the homosexuals have redefined themselves as a minority, like a racial group of people demanding rights.”
You see the
progression of this also in our neighbouring country, South Africa, which has become the first country in
Africa to allow gay marriage, approving by law the rights of homosexual
practice in society. In a number
of countries it now becomes a criminal offence
to say anything against homosexuality. It is termed ‘hate speech’ and it is punishable by law and may issue in jail sentence.
When
it becomes the accepted norm for a society, it is clear evidence that
God has handed that society over. Such a
society has become irredeemable, because it has heaped up so much sin upon itself
that God’s judgement will certainly come
soon. The increasing world- wide acceptance of the LGBT norm tells us that the
judgement of God is not far in coming.
What
Should Christians Do?
2.
Christians
must remember that they too are sinners saved by grace, and therefore they must
have compassion for the homosexual person,
helping such to come to repentance and
faith in Christ. Christ heals and redeems all those that come to Him. Christians must long for that distorted image
of God to be renewed in all sinners.
3.
Christians should be involved in the
processes of law-making. We should pray and work to shape our
culture, its customs and laws, so that it reflects the revealed will of God. We should pray and work that the biblical
institution of marriage would be understood by our laws/ government as a lifelong union of one man and one woman.
4.
Christians must not give up on or become
negative in a society that is overcome with much promiscuity
because we know that Christ really is the
sovereign Lord of the universe. Christians are convinced that God will
establish justice and purity in due time. Christians groan in anticipation, as per
Romans 8:23. “We
ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait
eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies”.
5.
Christians must not become cynical at the
results that this immoral culture produces. John Piper says, “The salt of the earth
does not mock rotting meat”. Where it can, it saves and seasons. And where it can’t,
it weeps.” Christians must weep and pray and work for reformation by God’s power.
6.
Christians in the battle against sinful human
behaviour must not become hardened with anger.
Christians understand that this is phenomenon
is nothing new. Christians are not surprised when our counter – cultural
message is interpreted as ‘hate speech’, for after all that is what
Jesus said, “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who
endures to the end will be saved” (Mark
13:13).
7.
Christians,
with loving hearts and weeping eyes must preach the gospel of Christ’s
judgement and forgiveness to this sex-crazed society. And
with hopeful hearts and open arms we must welcome sinners to the Father’s house.
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