My Take: When it comes to LGBTQ and the church, we must follow God's word
The prophet Isaiah warned that days of moral confusion would come such that men would call evil “good” and good “evil” (See Isaiah 5:20).
How do we determine what is right and wrong?
Majority opinion? If 51% of the population claims something is moral … Nazi Germany proved that majority opinion isn’t always moral and can be evil.
Personal feelings? What is right for me is morality. It is not hard to see the problem with this scenario.
What is legal? Saudi Arabia has laws that fail to protect women against domestic violence. Most people around the world would agree that what is legal is not always moral.
Love what feels right? Love is love. This is a slippery slope in terms of morality. Specifically, most people understand that pedophilia is morally wrong. Love can lead people down the wrong path of finding morality because it is feelings.
Authenentic Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the ultimate standard of determining what is right and wrong. “Your word is truth” (John 17:17) and “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
The Christian Church is at a crossroads regarding homosexual marriage and allowing homosexuals to hold church office. Give in and let the world/culture/feelings define marriage or choose fidelity to God’s word.
The Christian Reformed Church of North America (CRCNA) chose to be faithful to the word of God with regard to homosexual marriage and the ability of homosexuals to hold church office. Further supporting the CRCNA’s position, the Belgic Confession, Article 29: The Marks of the True Church: “It governs itself according to the pure word of God, rejecting all things contrary to it and holding Jesus Christ as the only head.”
It goes on to say: “As for the false church, it assigns more authority to itself and its ordinances than to the word of God; it bases itself on humans more than on Jesus Christ.”
Advocates for the CRCNA (and other Christian churches) to “cave” to the world/culture, will choose feelings over fidelity to God’s word when it comes to homosexual marriage.
Addressing Ray Buursma’s main points in his recent article, titled, "My declaration concerning homosexual marriage," "It harms no one.”
More: Ray Buursma: My declaration concerning homosexual marriage
I disagree. Some research has suggested that homosexuals are at a higher risk of anxiety disorders, depression, substance abuse and suicide.
Buursma also writes: “It prevents no one from following God’s command to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”
Jesus said that he didn’t come to abolish the law (Torah) and prophets but to fulfill the law. That means the Old Testament passages forbidding homosexual practice, for all people including pagans, still apply today. Christians can’t pick and choose what commands of God to follow. (1 John 2:4)
Buursma writes: “It prevents no one from loving God with all one’s heart, soul, strength and mind; it prevents no one from doing unto others as one would have done to oneself.”
Living in unrepentant sin separates a person from God. (Luke 13:3)Buursma writes: “Based on science that demonstrates homosexual orientation is innate and unchosen.”
According to a report from two John Hopkins University researchers, "Some of the most widely held views about sexual orientation, such as the 'born that way' hypothesis, simply are not supported by science."
Many Christians (gay and non-gay) will say the biblical message that the Christian church is preaching is driving homosexuals out of the church … this is probably true.
The church is at a crossroads … it is my prayer that Christians will love their homosexual neighbors and be faithful to God’s word.
— Bill Sutton is a resident of Holland Township. He can be reached at suttonbillfamily@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: My Take: When it comes to LGBTQ and the church, we must follow God's word
