British ( Christian ) rock star Vicky Beeching stunned the world recently with her announcement that 'I'm gay, and God loves me just the way I am'! One thing we may note here is that Ms. Beeching, whether she meant to or not, is acknowledging that her homosexuality is wrong, or according to the Bible, a sin! Is it as sin? I myself have struggled with the issue in the past, and continue to struggle with it! It is one thing to go to Scripture and stone those who prefer partners of the same sex, with the use of certain proof-texts, but can we go to the same Scriptures and say that it is wrong for to people of the same sex to love each other to the point where they are ready to commit their lives to each other?
As we have seen previously, there are some ( Christians ) that believe, since 'we are not under Law but under Grace'; there is no such thing as sin anymore, and therefore it is no longer a sin to force a union with one of the same sex. This brings up an interesting question; 'is it possible for there to be union between two members of the same sex?' If so, how? If not, why not? Must 'union' necessarily involve procreation? Is it possible that two people of the same sex could make a spiritual union, and therefore spiritually procreate, by simply passing the knowledge of God on to the next generation, not necessarily their own natural progeny, but to a sort of spiritual progeny?
The Law, as most Christians will tell you, condemns the act of faux copulation between two people of the same sex! Many would even tell you that this is wrong even for a single person to engage in, by him or herself! Since, as most Christians labor to point out, we are not under Law, but under Grace, that Law no longer condemns us, for the Grace of God covers us! While this is true, that the Law does not condemn us ( those who are in Christ ) & that the Grace of God does cover us, this does not give us license to do what God has previously said was wrong, or sin!
So, we are back to the haunting question, 'is homosexuality a sin?' The Bible most certainly seems to condemn it as such, but does it not do the same for heterosexual unions outside the covenant of marriage?Does not Scripture speak more harshly, or at least as harshly against this latter group, those who unlawfully engage in sexual relations?
'If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination'.
Leviticus 20:13a
'For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions.
For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.'
Romans 126
Likewise also, the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
Romans 1:27
Here is irrefutable proof that our Heavenly Father condemns such activity, right?! The latter half of verse 13 of Leviticus 20 reads, 'they shall surely be put to death, their blood upon them'. Has that changed? Has our Heavenly Father, now that we are in the Age of Grace, changed His modus operandi, having become gentler ( feeble ) in His old age? Was He the harsh and angry God that we are used to hearing about in the Old Testament, but now, with the Advent of His Son, has He become a kinder, gentler Lion; has He been tamed?
Here's the final question; 'can a homosexual be a Christian?' Most would immediately & vehemently say 'NO', but is it really that simple? There is an operational theory that there is a homosexual gene, but then there are those who say that it is rebellion against Almighty God which causes certain men & women to prefer the same sex, because, 'God gave them up to uncleanness'! If it simply IS a gene which naturally attracts them to the same sex, is this not simply the way God made them, so therefore may we say that our Heavenly Father DOES love them, as all of His children? On the other hand, if they are just rebelling against His natural order, should we not condemn, not only those who do such things, as with all those who rebel against this order?
Most telling, maybe, is the fact that people like Vicky Beeching, who have unveiled their homosexuality while still claiming the name of Christ are saying things like, 'God loves me anyway', are not so much using the 'I was born with it' card as the 'Grace' card anymore! If we have understood the Scriptural condemnation of same-sex 'union' correctly, can we conscientiously not put these people to death? If we have not understood the Scriptures correctly in this matter, what then?
Thoughtfully,
Charles Haddon Shank
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