Several days ago, I received a message from a friend who sent me a link to an online article that has been signed by hundreds of Virginia Methodists that include clergy, retired clergy and laity. Some of the names on that list are people I consider friends. Even after I write this, I will still consider them friends, we just don't agree on this issue. The question is, will they still continue to consider me a friend because the social response to people like me, who hold to a Biblical Worldview, is that we are intolerant and there is no room for disagreement.
Before you read any further, please take the time to click the link below titled "A New Thing" and read the article and see all of the names signed to this document. My goal is simply to lay out what Scripture says in regards to each area of this article and let you decide for yourself what is truth and what's not.
Let me start by saying I don't believe in discrimination on any level. I have friends of all different nationalities, sexual orientation, belief system's, etc. I honestly believe that any of my friends in the LGBTQIA+ community would defend me in my treatment of them, us having a friendship that is authentic & real, one in which they can call on me and I will be there for them, pray for them, love them, all the while holding to that Biblical worldview in which I don't agree with the lifestyle they live.
Let's take a look at "A New Thing"...
"We refuse to uphold any exclusionary provisions against LGBTQIA+ Christians. We reject the notion that the lives of LGBTQIA+ people are “incompatible” with Christian discipleship. The God we know in Christ Jesus astounded and annoyed people by eating with those deemed sinners in his day (Luke 19:1-10), by offering God’s grace and healing at times considered inopportune (Mark 3:1-6), and by accepting comfort and love even when it interrupted the proceedings or offended the faithful (Luke 7:36-50). As faithful followers of Christ our Lord, we strive to be as connected to and invested in our communities as Jesus was in his."
I do agree that the church, God's people, needs to strive to be connected and invested in our community. The passages used here are good examples of how Jesus intersected and impacted the lives of those around Him, but in no way push for anything outside of the truth of who He is and the truth of His Word, or again Him being who He was and is: the living breathing Word (John 1:1, 14).
"Our love and understanding of scripture, our reliance on the breadth and depth of Christian tradition, our prayerful reflection on our lived experience, and our God-given reason, all conspire with the Holy Spirit to breathe new life and understanding into old debates. We affirm the diversity of sexual orientations and gender expressions that God has created and called good (Genesis 1:26-31) and we commit ourselves to live faithfully out of this understanding, especially in this uncertain time."
There are lots of problems here:
1. "Our love and understanding of scripture..." - Both of those are lacking. If you love scripture, the attempt to undermine its Authority by declaring good what God called sin is not love. (Psalm 50:16-17). Instead, it's selfish and leads people into dangerous territory where they are trusting in something that isn't true. Obviously the understanding portion is missing. We can't cherry pick from scripture what we want to be true. Instead, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Tim. 3:16
2. "Our reliance on the breadth and depth of Christian tradition..." - One of the main problems is that we rely on traditions greater than we rely on the truth of God's Word. Even so, there has never been a tradition where we are ok with sin. If that's the case, salvation in Christ would be worthless.
3. "Our prayerful reflection on our lived experience..." - This is probably one of the things I hear the most. Your life experiences, emotions and relationships don't give you the power to strip the Authority away from God's Word. We don't get to decide what is right and wrong; God does. We don't necessarily have to like it, but if we believe, we have to accept all of it, or none.
4. "Our God-given reason, all conspire with the Holy Spirit to breathe new life and understanding into old debates" - Yes God gave us all a brain to reason. However, He also gave us the Holy Spirit, "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you." (John 16:13-14). These are not debates so stop referring to them as such. They are truths in which God made clear from the beginning of time. Lots of other religions (Mormonism, Islam, etc.) have attempted to breathe new life into old debates and that has ended up leading people away from the truth of who God is for a long time.
5. "We affirm the diversity of sexual orientations of gender expressions that God has created and called good (Genesis 1:26-31)..." - I'm really confused as how this scripture was ever used to try and defend this point. It specifically states, "God created man in His image, He created him; male and female He created them." There's nothing to try and debate here. He made two genders: male & female.
6. "...and we commit ourselves to live faithfully out of this understanding, especially in this uncertain time." - Neither God, nor the world need people who are trying to live out their own understanding. Instead, He and they need people who live out His only understanding (the truth of His Word) so that people have the chance to come to a saving knowledge of who He is.
"Because we are living into obedience to our baptismal vows to “accept the freedom and power God gives us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves,” because we baptize everyone without regard to their sexual orientation or gender/gender identity/gender expression, and because the call to licensed, commissioned, or ordained ministry flows from the waters of baptism. We therefore recognize, nurture, welcome, mentor, and celebrate everyone called by God into the fullness of licensed, commissioned, or ordained ministry. We urge our Board of Ordained Ministry, District Committees on Ministry, and local congregations to recommend qualified candidates for ministry, without respect to their gender/gender identity/gender expression or sexual orientation, and to refrain from using criteria that exclude persons solely on this basis. When called to serve on these committees ourselves, we will support candidates and make our recommendations in this manner."
Problems here:
1. "...because we baptize everyone without regard to their sexual orientation or gender/gender identity/gender expression..." - Identity is only found in Christ. Gender identity is found in male or female (Genesis 1:27). Anything outside of God's plan is sin. According to what we read in scripture, "Peter said to them, 'Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Baptism only takes place after we recognize and repent of our sins (Galatians 5:19-21).
2. "we urge our board....to recommend qualified candidates for ministry, without respect to their gender/gender identity/gender express or sexual orientation, and to refrain from using criteria that exclude person solely on this basis." - Biblical Qualifications of a Pastor: "A pastor, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperament, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages His own household well, keeping His children under control with dignity, and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." 1 Tim. 3:2-7 This is also confirmed in Titus 1:6-9 and in verse 9 it says, "..holding fast the faithful word which in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able to both exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict."
"Because scripture teaches us that we are all created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28a), bestowed with the good and holy gift of sexuality (Song of Songs 4), and created to live in covenantal relationship with God and one another (John 13:34-35), and because, as with the call to ministry, marriage vows flow from the waters of baptism and because marriage is a means of grace, we are also called to recognize, affirm, and celebrate the covenant of marriage between any two persons who meet the commitments and standards for marriage, regardless of their gender/gender identity/gender expression or sexual orientation. We cannot deny the covenant of marriage to committed, same-sex couples. Until our church changes its discriminatory stance regarding LGBTQIA+ weddings, we commit to upholding the same standards for all weddings."
1. "Because scripture teaches us that we are all created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28a)..." - Yes we are all created in the image of God, but we can't leave out verse 27 where it specifically states God only created two genders: male & female.
2. "We are also called to recognize, affirm and celebrate the covenant of marriage between any two persons who meet the commitments and standards for marriage, regardless of their gender/gender identity/gender expression or sexual orientation..." - I would simply pose the question, what are the commitments and standards for marriage? According to God, "The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man and brought her to the man. The man said, 'this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.' For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed." Genesis 2:22-25 or "A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones." Proverbs 12:4. Ephesians has an entire passage given direction to husbands and wives, "Wives submit to your own husbands as you do to the Lord....Husbands love your wife, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her." Eph. 5:22-33. Or how about something as intimate as, "But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. (1 Cor. 7:2). There is never any direction given for anything outside of the marriage between one man and one woman. Instead there is scripture after scripture showing that the LGBTQIA lifestyle is outside of God's plan. (Romans 1:26-28, 1 Tim. 1:8-11, and many more)
For the sake of time, I am going to address this last section in its entirety:
Clergy Ethics
Because we expect clergy to dedicate themselves to “the highest ideals of Christian life” (Discipline, par. 304), it is not acceptable to insist on mandatory sentences with respect to a narrow range of sexual conduct, while affording our bishop discretion with respect to most aspects of clergy ethics and clergy sexual conduct, and because to do so strips the bishop of authority and discernment and limits outcome possibilities which, in turn, precludes a just resolution, we refuse to convict our colleagues for extending the grace of marriage to committed couples or for any charges related to LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
Retired Clergy
Additionally, because the call to ordained ministry is a call on the whole of our lives, extending beyond our years under appointment, and because those of us who are retired clergy are no less faithful than our actively serving colleagues to the example of Christ, the persuasion of the Holy Spirit, and the call to serve God and God’s people, in support of and alongside our active colleagues, we will not accept interim appointments or otherwise fill in for pastors who are removed from their appointments for any charges related to LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
Laity
Because, as baptized Christians, we are all ministers, this call extends to laity as well. We will work with our churches toward full inclusion in all facets of our life together. We will support clergy in this commitment and partner with them to extend the grace of marriage to all people. We will support all qualified persons who express a call to ministry and welcome LGBTQIA+ ministers who are appointed to our faith communities. When called to serve on Staff-Parish Relations Committees, District Committees on Ministry, or the Board of Ordained Ministry, we will support candidates for ministry and clergy appointed to our congregations, without respect to their sexual orientation or gender/gender identity/gender expression.
Faithfully Forward
We hear God calling all disciples to greater faithfulness in the midst of this time of pain and lament. At Christ’s invitation, we continue gathering around the wide-open Communion table as one family, seeking to grow closer and more faithful to Christ our Lord and to live in love and peace with all of our neighbors (Matthew 22:34-30; Luke 10:25-37). So fed, we commit ourselves here to the next steps in our journey. How spiritual leaders carry out these standards is left up to their individual conscience. Similarly, each spiritual leader is responsible for faithfully applying them.
"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." 2 Tim. 4:3-4
"I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." Romans 16:17-20
"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ." Galatians 1:6-7
"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you." Hebrews 13:17
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." Romans 13:1
"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you." Hebrews 13:17
Hear My Heart
I firmly believe that God does love everyone He's created. I firmly believed that God wants all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). I don't hate anyone. I don't hate people who believe differently than I do. Again, I have friends who don't believe anything close to what I believe. That doesn't mean we shouldn't stand strong in our convictions. I don't believe standing for truth is intolerant, hate-filled, or that I'm a bigot. I mean, what do you stand on? What do you believe to be true? Do you stand firm in those convictions and expect to still be accepted? Isn't that the entire argument here? Convictions for me are rooted solely in the truth of God's Word, nothing else: not society, not expectations of others, not demographics, emotions, relationships, etc.
The Heart of God
The part we tend to mess up is we push the all-loving part of God and forget the Just & Holy side of God. The best example I know how to sum all of this up in is the situation with the woman who was caught in adultery in John 8:1-11.
"Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them.3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery.5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
You see the loving compassionate side of Jesus when He told everyone who was without sin to cast the first stone. Then Jesus speaks to the woman and showed her there was more to her life than the sin she had been caught in. He then told her to, "Go." But before she left, He told her, "Sin no more." We tend to leave off that last piece when we defend sin. We want the loving accepting side of Jesus but not the Just and Holy side of Him where life change is expected.
My hope is not to make anyone feel alienated, that God doesn't love them or doesn't want to have a relationship with them. The reality is, if we are going to know God in His entirety, we have to be willing to accept what He says for every area of our lives, and not just the those we agree with.
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