I CAN'T HELP IT - GOD MADE ME
DO IT!
"Submit
therefore to god. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)
A
Lutheran minister recently published an article in the Jacksonville Times Union
in defense of a colleague in the ministry who is dying of AIDS, which was
contracted from illicit homosexual behavior. The writer contends that his friend
did not choose to be a homosexual, but that he was raped by a male acquaintance
as a youngster. This traumatic event in his friend's young life triggered
self-doubt and confusion about his sexual identity and made it impossible for
him to later develop a normal heterosexual relationship. He grew up feeling
"different" than a normal man should feel and gradually drifted into a
secret homosexual lifestyle. At the same time, the man received "the
calling" from God to be a minister and he hid his homosexuality from all
but a few close friends to avoid condemnation from his congregation and less
liberal-minded clergy.
The
writer uses I Corinthians 6:9-10 to show why some people would say his friend
with AIDS will not go to heaven, then claims that verse 11 proves that he will
be saved. His basic argument is that we all have some sin in our lives and that,
if all homosexuals will go to hell, then all who commit sin of any kind are
condemned as well since God is no respecter of persons. We are saved, he claims,
through belief in and acceptance of Jesus as our Savior and by the grace of God,
apparently without any requirement to change our attitude, ideas or lifestyles.
Since this friend gave a lifetime of service to God as a minister of the
Lutheran Church and performed countless acts of charity, his hidden life as a
homosexual should not prevent his entry into heaven. His conclusion is that God
will save all kinds of people and that we must become more Godlike in our
tolerance of alternative lifestyles and abnormal behavior since God will judge
each of our hearts and extend His grace to those He deems worthy.
This
line of reasoning permeates organized religion and on the surface it sounds
good-hearted and even logical. "Do not judge lest ye be judged."
(Matthew 7:1) This verse could, also, be thrown in to add weight to the argument
of the well-intentioned minister. But a more in-depth analysis will reveal the
fallacy of his position. I Corinthians 6:11 is written in the past tense and
refers to the previous condition of the sinners described in verses 9 and 10,
prior to their baptism ("were washed") and conversion. In Romans 6,
Paul fully explains that we must change and become a new person when we become a
Christian. We must throw off past sin and no longer be subject to those things
that used to control our lives. Furthermore, in I Corinthians 10:12-13, Paul
says that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to handle
and that for every temptation there is an escape. We all have our individual
weaknesses that could lead us into a life of sin, we allow it to happen.
Homosexuality, drunkenness, envy, jealousy, idolatry and greed are not inherited
traits. But they are obstacles that may have to be overcome by those of us
seeking the kingdom of God. While we must not judge our fellow humans, we must
remember that the Word will judge us all. (John 12:48) As Christians, we have an
obligation to grow in our knowledge of the truth (Hebrews 5:11-14) and
"with gentleness, correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God
may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth." (II
Timothy 2:25) If the Bible teaches a belief or lifestyle, such as homosexuality,
as sin (which it does in Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, I Corinthians 6:9-10),
we must stand opposed and try to teach the truth at every opportunity. For
condoning sin is, in itself, sinful (Romans 1:32) and if we know the right thing
to do and do not do it, we sin as well. (James 4:17)
Richard
Bartholomew