By: Jeremy Rein

8 October 2004 Walking the Walk Part II: The need to stand tall

~Second in a series concerning the Christian response to homosexuality (part one)

Recently the issue of homosexual relationships, in particular, homosexual relationships and their presence within the church was brought to national prominence by the decision of the Anglican Episcopal church to appoint an openly gay priest as bishop. This uncertainty about the moral standing of homosexuality discloses how the church's standard of sin is faltering. If we as Christians are not united around what is good and what is evil, our witness to the unbelieving world is lost and the Church's position as the source of moral truth within our culture is gone. In order to have a coherent and consistent witness to the unbelieving world in the area of homosexuality, the church needs to continue to condemn homosexuality as a sin. Only when homosexuality is treated as a sin can a person struggling with homosexuality rely on the healing grace of God for life changing, and ultimately soul changing healing.

In my previous article "Walking the Walk: The Christian Response to Homosexuality," I called for the need to relate to the homosexual community. We need to reiterate that as Christians we are called to show love and compassion to unbelievers, which, of course, includes the homosexual community. This witness is of utmost importance and cannot be maintained without the church adhering to a consistent biblical position, which holds that the practice of homosexuality is sinful. The Anglican Bishop of Virginia, when asked whether he would have schism or unity (concerning the homosexual disagreement within the church), replied: "As the church faces the danger of a schism, maintaining unity and taking measures to hold things together is vitally important."(1) This attitude toward the truth in favor of "unity" is deadly. While unity in the church is important, even a central issue, there cannot be unity without truth. A further statement from the church declares:

There has been no "schism" in the Anglican Communion or Episcopal Church, although differences on the issue of homosexuality are deep and strong, and may yet divide us. Disagreement within the Communion is common, acceptable, and even desirable, and the Anglican Communion has experienced and continues to experience disagreement about other issues, like the ordination of women. We…remain focused on our beliefs and our mission in the community and the world. (Ibid)

One must ask how the church can "remain focused on its beliefs and its mission to the community and the world" if the church is not steadfast about foundational issues like marriage? If the church does not stand upon truth, on what does it stand? There can be no effective witness by standing firmly upon the space between "disagreements."

Many people, and perhaps this bishop adopt an attitude of tolerance instead of condemnation because they do not want to alienate homosexuals. However, if we do not call sin "sin," then we cannot win people to Christ. Ultimately, our response to homosexual sin is a gospel issue. As Dr. Paul Zahl, a preeminent Anglican priest opposed to gay unions, noted, the failure to call homosexuality a sin, "demolishes salvation because it asserts that what Scripture calls sin is not sin. When there is no sin, there is no judgment. Without judgment, there can be no repentance. Without repentance, there is no forgiveness. The . . . decision . . . thus denies the redemption of the world to a whole category of persons" (2) When the church calls homosexuality sin it is not just subjectively criticizing the "sexual preference" of a certain group of individuals; instead we are condemning their behavior out of love. In a message about homosexuality within the Church, Dr. Phillip Ryken emphasized that the homosexual community must understand that "The only way to resist temptations and pursue a life of sexual purity is doing what is right before God, who shows mercy to sinners." (3) If anyone should know this, it is the church-both its members and the ministers who are called to lead by the holiness of their example. We want the homosexual community to understand that it is ultimately the righteousness of God that the homosexual has offended. They must see that the quarrel is with God and not us. Only then, can we lovingly point the way to God through our relationships. For relationships to succeed and the church to be an effective witness, the church has to be united in its condemnation of homosexuality. The failure of the church to take a firm stand upon the issue of homosexuality and the sanctity of marriage diminishes the power of the healing grace of the gospel.

In order for an effective witness to be established by Christians within the homosexual community, the church must first have a consistent position about the sinfulness of homosexuality. The recent controversy within the Anglican Church illustrates the current problem within the church. For an effective witness to condemn sin, provide relationship, and present the healing power of the gospel, the church must stand firm in its position that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with the scriptures while continuing to foster meaningful relationships with homosexuals. Only when sin is called sin and truth called truth can the foundation for true healing be established.

(1) Bishop Peter Lee quoted in Christianity Today Sept. 16, 2004.

(2) Dr. Paul Zahl. "A Trajectory Away from the Truth: How to Undermine the Bible," Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, August 13, 2003

(3) Dr. Phillip Ryken The Gay Bishop. window on the world sept. 7, 2003.