The Church and the Gay Issue

Hypocrisy at its Finest

A singer named Jennifer Knapp, of whom I had never heard before last week, used to sing gospel songs. She disappeared from the Christian scene and last week re-emerged and stated she was gay. She also said she could not reconcile her same sex attractions with what is usually accepted as the Biblical norm, which is that practicing homosexuality is a sin. OK, we have heard this story before. I both disagree with her lifestyle and Biblical perspective, but I also anticipated the hypocrites to pounce upon this issue. Peruse the internet and behold – I was correct.
Let me make some observations. Yes, there are verses, not to mention the physiological design that clearly reveal God’s intent as it pertains to same sex unions. But while we jump up and down upon that safe zone it is also true that for every New Testament verse about homosexuality there are at least ten about covetousness, greed, and the love of money. And then there are verses like these:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:


For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

And not only do most western believers ignore those verses, even the strictest literalists twist and change them in order to accommodate the hedonistic, western lifestyle. See - the verse about homosexuality being a sin is literal, but the verse about laying up money for yourself is, well, a figurative suggestion. In fact, most believers claim their investment portfolio, or their 401k, or their large house and cars, are a gift from God and meant to lavish upon themselves - as if God takes pleasure is heaping prosperity upon some while He watches other believers starve. And which God would that be? The same believers who are effervescent in their "homosexuality is a sin" badge can sometimes be found on a "Christian" cruise complete with hefty pricetag, open gluttony, and a host of unbiblical behavior concerning money and excess. John Wesley would have roundly condemned as have I - here.
Oh how easy it is to use someone’s struggles as a platform for parading our orthodoxy as concerns CERTAIN sins. If we could investigate the average orthodox congregation we would find these sins:

* Large retirement accounts
* Unforgiveness
* Murmering about the president
* Judgment
* Divorce and remarriage
* Praylessness
* Lack of witnessing
* Self righteousness

And in fact, some of those sins are practiced as if they were in God’s will. What does this tell us? It reveals that we are a most self righteous and uncompassionate people who personally rely of God’s grace to save us but who dispense law to those whose sins we have never tasted. So if you desire to display your credentials about homosexuality being a sin – Bravo! You are awarded the Orthodox Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.
But upon further inventory of sins not associated with same sex relationships, we just might see that you and I are every bit as guilty as Jennifer Knapp. Most of us do not know, have not prayed for, and do not love this sinner named Jennifer. But she has inadvertently provided some red meat for those orthodox carnivors who specialize in scouring the news items in order to find misery, failure, heartbreak, struggles, and every sin that they can claim as personally alien. They do not love their doctrine...they love themselves.

And let us be perfectly clear: If a sinner cannot believe on Christ for their eternal salvation and still be deceived about certain sins in their lives…well then…no one will be saved.

Two years ago I wrote this out of a heart of compassion and a realization of my own hypocrisy.

An Inconvenient Truth