One of the topics at yesterday’s church staff meeting focused on the issue of homosexuality and same-sex attraction. An American Baptist denomination newsletter recently ran an article highlighting the recent event at Evergreen LA, “We Need to Talk: A Conversation about Homosexuality & the Asian American Christian Church” which is covered here and here (My reaction can be read on this blog here).
We discussed how the article was presented, and how our church’s (Evergreen SGV) association with Evergreen LA could lead to further questions from both outsiders and insiders, whether warranted or unwarranted. Ultimately, our pastoral staff upheld the biblical view against homosexuality as well as the dilemma of how to balance that with the biblical teaching of the gospel and grace.
It’s been a difficult issue to discuss–something that the Bible is so clear about. Yet so often the words and actions of evangelicals (myself included) reek of hypocrisy and legalism.
Biblical prohibitions often cause such dilemmas. Certain times in the history of the church, some issues have proved more controversial than others. But all in all, they seem to bring as many problems as they solve.
I was particularly encouraged by what I learned today through Dr. Gary Parrett of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, as he was lecturing about the Ten Commandments. He said that the prohibitions mentioned in the Jewish law are very valuable, among other things, as a way to learn the character of God.
Dr. Parrett pointed out that if the Bible prohibits or says that God “hates” something, what does that tell us about what He loves? There is a call to meditate on what God loves. For instance, the fact that God hates divorce teaches us that God loves committed, faithful marriage. The fact that the Bible prohibits murder teaches us how much God values a single human life. And so, the biblical prohibition against homosexuality teaches us how much God loves heterosexual love and sex between a man and a woman within the context of marriage. How wonderful to think about what God loves and has lovingly designed.
Let’s begin to learn about God’s loving intent in creation and design, as we meditate on what He affirms. If only we would yearn to know God and His character more and more.
Filed under: Church Ministry, Ministry Skills, My Personal Walk, Social Issues
yes yes yes yes yes yes!!!! Fixing our perspective on Biblical Prohibitions really does open our eyes to the beauty of the levitical laws. Not only do they show us what God loves… but it shows how we can love our God. During a time when people hungered to know how to relate to their God, these biblical prohibitions were a gift.