I’ve recently been involved in a study of the Pastoral Epistles. I’ve long appreciated these three small letters. Anyone who has read the Pastoral Epistles is familiar with the various “trustworthy statements,” the first of which is: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all” (1 Timothy 1:15).
While keeping this in mind let’s move to the events of the day, particularly the US Supreme Court’s ruling on DOMA – the Defense of Marriage Act. Each Wednesday I meet with a small group of pastors for fellowship, conversation, and lunch. Today, our conversation was about the DOMA ruling. In our group are pastors who have close relatives who are homosexual. So I posed a question: “If someone close to you who is gay announced they were going to get married, would you attend the ceremony?” That led to a follow-up question: “If asked, would you participate in, or officiate, a homosexual marriage ceremony?” While all of us agreed that we would not officiate such a ceremony, there were differences of opinion on the first question.
Like it or not, many more of us will be having similar conversations. So, how will we respond with the love of Christ while defending the faith? Let me be clear, I am utterly convinced that all sexual immorality – pornography, fornication, adultery, and homosexuality – is grave sin. But, I am also utterly convinced that Jesus Christ came to save sinners and that as a disciple of Christ I must be an ambassador of God’s love and grace. Every human being is created in the image of God, but has fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Paul declared,
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God… your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 19-20).
I pledge to be faithful to God’s offer of forgiveness, justification, and sanctification for all sinners. As I have said many times before, the gospel of Christ is not about the affirmation of sinners, but the transformation of sinners.
In a increasingly secular and amoral culture, I also pledge to defend the Faith. My concern is not so much what the Supreme Court decides. The honorable justices may be the highest court of our nation, but like all humans they too will be judged by God for their decrees. Paul wrote,
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves” (1 Corinthians 5:12-13).
Therefore, my greatest concern is for those within the church, those who seek to justify immorality. We have watched as immoral men and women have been ordained as bishops in the church. We have stood by as some leaders in the church have encouraged the normalization of immoral conduct. In the name of love and tolerance we have been more than patient. I am aware that my words will be deemed intolerant, harsh, and even hateful. I am also aware that we will all stand before God and be judged. Until that day, I will defend the ancient faith and the traditions that have been passed from generation to generation by holy men and women of old. If we are going to be faithful, then we must confront the wicked among us – in the church. We must call them to repentance; and if they refuse, remove them from their places of service and authority within the church. If they are beyond our ecclesial bonds, then we should remove them from our sphere of fellowship in the sincere hope that our acts of rebuke and discipline will bring them to sincere repentance and restoration.
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
