HOMOSEXUAL HERMENEUTICS AND ITS DEADLY IMPLICATIONS: A PASTORAL REFLECTION

The church has an enormous test ahead. Can it stand firm against the sin of homosexuality (in the devil's lair, so to speak) and yet be a purveyor of grace and love without compromising the gospel? This question can be the church's blessing or bane in respect to homosexuality. In this, prayers of faith and mercy are of utmost importance.

The issue of homosexuality has pervaded every sector of life. To cast it aside as unimportant is to reject the call of Christ to "love your neighbor as yourself." Thus, it is crucial that we realize the ramifications of homosexuality, both biblically and morally.

I would conclude that homosexuality is a sin for two obvious reasons. First, it continues to damage an already perverted image of God by neglecting the male-female nature of the imago dei. When a man has intercourse with another man, it goes against the very "nature" (cf. Rom 1:26-27) of God's intended plan. But not only does homosexuality do this on a functional level, it also does this on an ontological level. The makeup of the Trinity is relational, the perfect relationship. When God created man in his image, "He created him; male and female he created them" (Gen 1:26-27). Man and woman together, in their relationship to each other, now reflect the perfect relationship of the Trinity. Thus, when there is an aberration of that relationship, like homosexuality or bestiality, there is no longer a reflection of that perfect relationship.

second, biblical evidence clearly condemns homosexuality. Many scholars have attempted to exegete the passages to favor their position. But the end result is either a misinterpretation of Scripture, or a rejection of Scripture's infallibility, or both. Circumvention of the passages through personal biases and forced presuppositions allows much room for contextual and exegetical misconstrual. The burden of proof lies heavily with the homosexual advocates, who are left with a Bible that unequivocally condemns homosexuality at all levels. The avenue of denying Scripture's reliability, inerrancy, and validity would seem to be the only route to follow.

In all of this, we must never forget that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23). Evangelicals must continually balance the right condemnation that is due the gay lifestyle in light of biblical truth, and yet continue to extend the grace that Christ gives to all sinners so long as there is still time for repentance. Surely, fundamentalist Christians wearing, "God hates fags" T-shirts at rallies undermines not just the moral standing Christians can take on the issue but also the gospel mandate to save such sinners as both homosexuals and immoral heterosexuals. While the church has been slow in reaching this large and growing segment of the population, by God's grace that there are ministries that are doing much to stem the tide of the pro-homosexual agenda without undercutting the gospel of grace.71

Stanton Jones has this important insight, exhorting the church to condemn sin and yet to love as Christ loved: