I read an article today, "Hillsong Church Pastors Won't Speak Out On Gays Because Jesus Didn't Either". I'm sure we're all tired of hearing about Christians and Homosexuality, the Church and Homosexuality, the Bible and Homosexuality, God and Homosexuality, etc. And no, I'm not one of those that always has something to say about gays. This is my second time ever writing about it, and I'm only writing this because Pastor Carl Lentz of Hillsong Church NYC stated, "I'm still waiting for someone to show me the quote where Jesus addressed it on the record in front of people. You won't find it because he never did." It is sad but not surprising that many pastors and churches will ignore what Scripture says about this issue (and since Scripture was inspired by the Holy Spirit, it's really what the Holy Spirit says about this issue).
So to Pastor Carl Lentz and any other pastor or church or believer who wants to see and know if Jesus addresses this issue on the record, I declare affirmatively that Jesus most definitely addresses this topic. He just directed it toward the heart of the matter. Jesus says in Matthew 15:10-19 that what comes out of the heart is what defiles a person, and fornication and lust (Gr. porneiai, sexual immorality) made His list.
So a man/woman fornicating with another man/woman (whether hetero- or homo-) or lusting over another man/woman (whether hetero- or homo-) is sin and defiles a person. Jesus said in Matthew 19:3-6 that marriage is between a man and woman as God established in the beginning.
Thus, same-sex marriage is not God designed or approved. So if Jesus declared that fornication and lusting over another is sin and defiles that person and same-sex marriage is contrary to the command and design of God in marriage, what is left for homosexuality ("involving or characterized by sexual attraction between people of the same sex")? What part of homosexuality is not sinful? The answer is there is nothing left for homosexuality, and homosexuality is in fact sinful. Jesus died for that sin like He did all the others, and He transforms the heart and life of a homosexual sinner the same as He does a heterosexual sinner. Either you trust in Christ and become born-again or you die in your sin like every other (hetero- or homo-) sinner without Christ will. So to Pastor Carl Lentz or any other person who was wondering, that's how you can biblically answer the question of what Jesus has to say on this topic.
Grace is needed, but so is truth. Grace and truth cannot be divided otherwise we water down grace and reduce truth to subjectivity, and they are no longer biblical grace and truth.
This was simply a brief response to the question of did Jesus speak out on gays/homosexuality. I have another article that addresses "Can there be a gay Christian?". That's a more in-depth article on this topic.
As a side note, notice in the Matthew 15 passage I mention how it's the Pharisees that are “offended” by Jesus calling out defilement. In our day in age, many of us biblically-orthodox Christians are considered “Pharisees” because of our supposed “lack of tolerance” and “narrow-minded stance” concerning this topic of homosexuality. However, in this passage we can see the parallel with the Pharisees who were offended by what Jesus said about their sin and how today the biblically-liberal believers and leaders (and anyone else) are offended by those who call homosexuality a sin or say that same-sex marriage is not approved by God. That's one to ponder, are the biblically-liberal believers and leaders guilty of being like the Pharisees in their offense to what God clearly calls out in His word?
So to Pastor Carl Lentz and any other pastor or church or believer who wants to see and know if Jesus addresses this issue on the record, I declare affirmatively that Jesus most definitely addresses this topic. He just directed it toward the heart of the matter. Jesus says in Matthew 15:10-19 that what comes out of the heart is what defiles a person, and fornication and lust (Gr. porneiai, sexual immorality) made His list.
“For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.” (Matt. 15:19, NLT)
So a man/woman fornicating with another man/woman (whether hetero- or homo-) or lusting over another man/woman (whether hetero- or homo-) is sin and defiles a person. Jesus said in Matthew 19:3-6 that marriage is between a man and woman as God established in the beginning.
Some Pharisees came and tried to trap Him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?” “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” And He said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” (NLT)
Thus, same-sex marriage is not God designed or approved. So if Jesus declared that fornication and lusting over another is sin and defiles that person and same-sex marriage is contrary to the command and design of God in marriage, what is left for homosexuality ("involving or characterized by sexual attraction between people of the same sex")? What part of homosexuality is not sinful? The answer is there is nothing left for homosexuality, and homosexuality is in fact sinful. Jesus died for that sin like He did all the others, and He transforms the heart and life of a homosexual sinner the same as He does a heterosexual sinner. Either you trust in Christ and become born-again or you die in your sin like every other (hetero- or homo-) sinner without Christ will. So to Pastor Carl Lentz or any other person who was wondering, that's how you can biblically answer the question of what Jesus has to say on this topic.
Grace is needed, but so is truth. Grace and truth cannot be divided otherwise we water down grace and reduce truth to subjectivity, and they are no longer biblical grace and truth.
This was simply a brief response to the question of did Jesus speak out on gays/homosexuality. I have another article that addresses "Can there be a gay Christian?". That's a more in-depth article on this topic.
As a side note, notice in the Matthew 15 passage I mention how it's the Pharisees that are “offended” by Jesus calling out defilement. In our day in age, many of us biblically-orthodox Christians are considered “Pharisees” because of our supposed “lack of tolerance” and “narrow-minded stance” concerning this topic of homosexuality. However, in this passage we can see the parallel with the Pharisees who were offended by what Jesus said about their sin and how today the biblically-liberal believers and leaders (and anyone else) are offended by those who call homosexuality a sin or say that same-sex marriage is not approved by God. That's one to ponder, are the biblically-liberal believers and leaders guilty of being like the Pharisees in their offense to what God clearly calls out in His word?
3/9/15
