On Sexual Sin

“Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

(1 Corinthians 6:9–11 NLT-SE)

There seems to be some confusion on where I stand on issues such as homosexuality and transgenderism.

It’s not that complicated.

Despite all the attempts at linguistic, theological, and philosophical gymnastics to prove otherwise, the Bible is clear that homosexuality is a sin.

The moral tradition of the church has affirmed this for 2000 years…I feel the weight of that and I should.

Having said that, the New Testament seems to treat it as the verse above does…as just one of the many results of the fall that plague us all.

Thus, in a church of any size, one should expect there to be some who struggle with this sin…just as there will be those that struggle with all manner of other sins.

From a pastoral standpoint, I would deal with it as I would deal with someone wrestling with heterosexual sins or gluttony, or greed or …whatever.

I certainly wouldn’t hate them because they are gay…otherwise I would have to hate everyone and despise myself, as we are all sinners in need of a Savior.

The idea that defining any practice as sin is “hate speech” is linguistic and cultural fraud of the highest order.

To be honest, I have a harder time loving those who cheat on or are abusive to their spouses than someone who is gay.

What I refuse to do is “affirm” or normalize what the sacred text defines as sin.

That would be as ridiculous as “affirming” theft, greed , or abuse.

The biblical declarations that define sin are actually speaking to those things that are contrary to human flourishing or the flourishing of a relationship with God or both.

On an individual level, sin will bring harm to you or your neighbor, on a societal level ,when sin is affirmed the culture itself erodes.

When we affirm any practice of sin, we are denying the practitioners of that sin the Gospel and the hope that comes with it.

Are there gay Christians?

Are there gluttonous Christians?

Greedy Christians?

Of course there are.

We’re all messed up, all in process, all utterly dependent on the grace of Jesus Christ.

What about transgenderism?

There is a tiny section of the populace that genuinely struggles with gender dysphoria.

We should react to them with all the compassion and respect that is owed any other person created in the image of Christ.

Having said that, I believe that much of the current trends are created by culturally induced mental illness, not genuine genetic or biological issues.

To be even more blunt, I believe that it is another demonically inspired attack on the most vulnerable population there is.

If the enemy of our souls can take out the kids, he can take out the future.

It should be illegal to allow or encourage minors to undergo drug or surgical therapies that will ruin their lives in the long run.

It is not “loving” to lead the young to destruction.

From a spiritual standpoint, what we are seeing in all these issues is a fundamental, demonic , assault on human identity and a hostile rejection of the Creator who made them male and female for the purpose of human flourishing and joy.

Having now said all this… judgment will begin in the house of God.

The divorces, the fornications, the abuses, the cheating in the pulpits and pews…the idolatrous pursuit of wealth and power…these are our problems…and do not think for a moment that God does not see.