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I Believe Homosexuality is a Sin...But it's Not My Fault

2/25/2019

7 Comments

 
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I believe homosexuality is a sin.

In today's culture, that statement sounds as backward and narrow-minded as if I said, "I'm pro-slavery" or "women shouldn't vote." When viewed through the lens of today's culture, a stance against homosexuality is synonymous with homophobia.

More than just backward and narrow-minded, it's considered hateful and evil.
​

Recently, two prominent figures have received strong criticism for being associated with “anti-LGBTQ” institutions: the vice president’s wife, Karen Pence, for teaching at a conservative Christian school which doesn’t enroll LGBTQ students; and actor Chris Pratt, for attending a church with “anti-LGBTQ” theology. In both cases, critics respond with shock and disbelief that such prominent figures would associate themselves with such “hateful” and “backward” institutions. Ellen Page, actress and LGBTQ activist who has been vocal in her opposition to both the Pences and Chris Pratt, recently said in an interview for “The Late Show” that holding to such views is equal to hating people and wanting “to cause suffering.”

Yet, despite the pressure of the culture around me, I have no choice but to hold to my conviction that homosexuality is a sin before God.

But before you write me off as a hateful, judgmental Christian, allow me to shift the blame. It's not my fault that I believe homosexuality is a sin. This isn't a conviction that I cooked up on my own, and it's clearly not a product of peer pressure. In fact, there are times when I wish that I was "ok" with homosexuality; however, an authority outside myself is demanding that I adopt this "narrow-minded" view, and I do so willingingly and submissively.

I blame the Bible for my stance against homosexuality.

You see, because I believe that the Bible is the very Word of God, I must believe all of it. True Christians believe that the Bible is God’s authoritative revelation to humanity. As such, we are not at liberty to mold, manipulate, or update what God has revealed. As a follower of God, I do not have the right to pick and choose which parts I accept or reject. Some people, including professing Christians, consider Scripture to be nothing more than a nice, harmless collection of writings meant to make us feel good and therefore can be molded to fit the culture of the day, but here's the problem: if you label a certain biblical truth claim as subjective,  you must be willing to do the same thing to every claim in the Bible. So what do you do with the Bible's teaching on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ? What do you do with the gospel? Is that subjective too? If you pick and choose which parts of the Bible you believe, then nothing in the Bible carries any weight. The Christian faith requires that you believe all of God's Word; otherwise, your faith is pointless and empty.

So, does the Bible clearly say that homosexuality is wrong? Yes it does (Lev. 18:22; 1 Cor 6:9; 1 Tim 1:10; Rom 1:26-27), and these clear statements of Scripture are not culturally obsolete preferences of the human authors--they are the authoritative word of the Almighty God. As Paul states in 1 Timothy 1:10, practicing homosexuality is “contrary to sound doctrine.”

If I am to accept what the Bible says about the gospel, I must also accept what it says about homosexuality--I have no other choice. I must submit to what my Creator has revealed. And what he has revealed is good and holy and right. He sets the standard, not I.

But just as clearly as the Bible condemns homosexuality, it also condemns hatred. 1 Peter 3:15 says that we are to give a defense for what we believe "with gentleness and respect." To treat a homosexual individual disrespectfully, arrogantly, or hatefully is just as much a contradiction of Scripture as it to deny that homosexuality is a sin. Sadly, many who claim the name of Christ have perverted the Gospel through their hateful and arrogant demeanor. Indeed, what the Christian apologist Greg Bahnsen once said is too often true: “The hardest question to answer in all apologetics is not the existence of God or the problem of evil, but ‘Why should I listen to you when Christians do not not act like Christians?’”

So, Christians, I encourage you to “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” with your gentleness, kindness, and love, but I also encourage you not to waver in your faith. Don't waver in your confidence in God's Word. Either utterly reject it, or submissively accept all of it. Don't try to be the judge of God's Word; allow God's Word to be your judge.

Non-Christians, I don’t expect you to agree with me, but I hope you understand that when I say I homosexuality is sinful, I’m not saying it because I hate people or want to cause suffering (my Bible forbids me to do so); I’m saying it because the God who created you and me has a right to rule over his creation, and has sovereignly declared what is moral and immoral. He has a righteous, perfect standard. Yet, he has also graciously provided salvation through his Son, Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save his creation from their sins, because none of us can live up to that righteous, perfect standard. He has provided a way for us to be reconciled to himself.

When you mock a Christian for his stance against homosexuality, you are not mocking his narrow-minded worldview; you're mocking his faith. You're mocking his belief in the truthfulness of God's Word. And if you meet someone who claims to be a Christian, but rejects what the Bible says about homosexuality, you have met someone who doesn't believe that the Bible is completely reliable. Can one be a Christian and reject the Bible's reliability? I'll let you decide.

So if you mock me, don't mock me for taking a stance against homosexuality; mock me for taking my faith seriously. Mock me for believing that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.

Mock me for being a Christian.
​
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Aaron Berry earned both his undergrad and MA in Bible at Bob Jones University and most recently completed his MDiv at Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary in Allen Park, MI, where He and his wife Hanna, currently live with their two children, Brooklyn and Joshua. He also serves as the Director of Recruitment at DBTS and is a pastoral assistant at Inter-City Baptist Church. ​​​You can follow him on Twitter @AaronMBerry

7 Comments
Annette Riddle
2/26/2019 12:33:01 pm

Thankyou Brother Aaron! God bless you for standing up for all of the Bible in love in God in Jesus!
Recently I moved and throught correspondence foundout my former home Baptist Church is a cessationist church while my new home Baptist church is a full gospel church believing in the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the Church today. I was so glad to find that out about my new home Church!
You do believe in 1 Corinthians 12 for all believers as distributed by the Holy Spirit don't you?
Does Detroit Baptist Seminary where you received your Masters ofDivinity believe?
I have considered going there.

Thankyou,
Much peace in Lord Jesus,
Annette Riddle

Reply
Aaron Berry
2/26/2019 01:16:46 pm

Annette,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Since cessationism/continuationism isn't the subject of this article, I would prefer not discussing it here. But, I can briefly answer your question and give you some resources that might be helpful:

I, as well as DBTS, hold to a cessationist view. This doesn't mean that we believe that the Holy Spirit doesn't give spiritual gifts to the church--quite the contrary! The gifts of the Spirit continue on in the church today. Cessationists simply believe that some of the gifts that were manifested in the early church are no longer being manifested today.

If you would like to read more about it, here are a couple articles that might be helpful:
- https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/TM13-7/a-case-for-cessationism-tom-pennington

- https://www.mbu.edu/seminary/a-case-for-cessationism/

Here also is an article from the DBTS journal with a more in-depth discussion on tongues:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KA1YJeZajUvrLxz2qoh3OqCpGKc38t4M/view

God bless!

Reply
Jon
2/27/2019 11:10:11 am

Good article. I think it was very well written and accurate. I think we as Christians need to think of homosexuality as sin, but we must remember that we are all sinners and view homosexuals in that sense. We are ALL sinners, and we ALL need salvation through Jesus.

Reply
Aaron Berry
2/27/2019 01:03:14 pm

Jon,

Your comment reminds me of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 "...neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practic homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord jesus christ and by the Spirit of our God."

The reality that I simply a sinner who has been saved by the grace of God should keep me humble as I interact with unbelievers.

Thanks for your thoughts, Jon!

Reply
Jakedude
3/12/2019 10:42:51 pm

Hey aaron....excellent article. You put down in words everything that i think and believe.

I am a christian. I also will say here that I have homosexual tendancys....as a male, im attracted to guys (as well as women). I have never justified my problem and I have always debated this issue just as you stated here. Ive kept this problem in my life totally secret as i am not proud of it whatsoever. I just wanted to say that even with my own problem, your article here is 100% correct..imho.

Keep up the good work.

Reply
Aaron
3/13/2019 09:35:02 am

Jake, thank you for your humble and honest comment. Scripture is the arbiter of absolute truth, regardless of our feelings and struggles. Also, as a brother in Christ, I urge you to find encouragement and discipleship in a good local church, if you aren't part of one already. Our struggles will stay struggles for as long as we keep them hidden, but God's grace is great enough to conquer any struggle. Another resource you might find helpful is https://www.harvestusa.org.

We'd love to recommend more resources to you if you'd like! Feel free to contact us via email, pursuingthepursuer@gmail.com, and we would love of help.

God bless!

Reply
Dunn link
3/20/2019 10:51:07 am

I am so happy you are standing by the truth. I wrote a similar post on my blog and am happy you are not scarred speaking the truth.

https://faithfulchristian.net/bible-verse-about-gay-homosexuality/

We cannot be subjective while reasoning towards perfection. God gives his command and we follow. You've inspired me to keep writing more about the gospel irrespective of whose feelings are affected.

I saw your website through your post "With God All Things Are Possible" https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-promise-with-god-all-things-are-possible.html

God bless and strengthen you more.

Reply



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