Homosexuality Clarification Statement

If you’ve been coming the past few weeks then you know we have been sitting in a series called Sexuality & Jesus. We’re going to be wrapping that series up tonight with a Q&A where we are going to answer many of the questions you all have been asking the past few weeks. Now, before we dive deep into those questions I want to go back to the topic of homosexuality and offer a few clarifying thoughts to clear up some fog around the message I communicated.

Over the past two weeks I’ve had tons of conversations that have made me realize two things: The first, I wasn’t clear enough in parts of the message. The second, I was even wrong in some parts. So, I want to humbly ask for your Grace as I have been the whole series while I clear things up.

I wasn’t clear enough on temptation and the struggle against sin. I made the point repeatedly that “homosexual attraction is not a sin, only homosexual behavior is” which, for some of you, communicated that there is nothing to struggle against as long as you don’t fall into action. Rightfully, someone asked me this question - “Suppose we applied that approach to other sins. In that case, pride, self-righteousness, envy, jealousy, coveting, lust, impure thoughts, and a depraved mind would not be sins unless you acted them out.” I want to say something loud and clear: We are called to struggle and fight all of our sin. And, if you are same-sex attracted, you are called to struggle and fight with that and pursue holiness (just like we talked about last week.)

James has some inspired wisdom to share with us,

James 1:12–14 ESV

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

I love how the MSG paraphrases this, “Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.” We MUST struggle against our sin, by the power of the Holy Spirit!

I also sat in the topic of attraction longer than I should have. In my message I talked about attraction and where it originates from and whether or not same-sex attracted people choose to be same-sex attracted. I made a mistake by communicating that all same-sex attracted people didn’t choose it. Let me be clear- choosing to live a lifestyle identified by anything other than Christ is a sin. Our identity should be as as Christ Follower, nothing more and nothing less. By adding to that identity, or removing from that identity, we are significantly reducing all that God has for us in the Gospel. The reality is this, attraction (for the same-sex attracted and the opposite-sex attracted) can very easily lead to sin. We must wrestle and struggle with our attraction, whether we are same-sex attracted or opposite-sex attracted, if we don’t we will very easily fall into lust, or thought-sin that dishonors you and the other individual. In fact, Jesus says very clearly in Matthew,

Matthew 5:27–28 ESV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

We are called to aggressively struggle against the sin in our lives, whether it be thought-sin (meaning sin of thought, how we think of other people. I.e., lust, judging, hatred, esc) or physical sin (sin of action. I.e., pre-marital sex, homosexual sex, violence, esc). Scripture clearly communicates to us that if we live a lifestyle contrary to the Word of God you cannot be a Christ follower. To follow Christ means to drop every sin that is entangling us,

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Finally, I dangerously implied in my message that if you don’t love gay people, you’re not a Christian. Let me clarify, my intent in my statement “I question if you have the Holy Spirit in you if you can’t love gay people” was to say that naturally when we receive the Holy Spirit upon salvation we are given a heart that breaks for and loves the lost. I did not intend to call into question your salvation based off of relationships you may or may not have with people living a gay-lifestyle. For those who received it like that, I sincerely apologize.

Here is the truth, this is not a mandate for all insofar as every Christian must have a gay friend. You may be in a position where engaging with certain people choosing certain sin may leave you entangled in the same sins they are trying to help others flee. The decision to pursue others entangled in these sins should be bathed in prayer, discussed with wise counsel (your parents), and acted on with caution and accountability. As your pastor, I would never ask any of you to run into a war that you are not properly equipped to fight.

I’m going to hand it off to Jake in a second to actually address that topic, since he has personal experience with it. But, I want to ask for your forgiveness. My job as your pastor is to be honest with you and to help you wrestle with hard questions, but it’s also to do everything in my power to communicate a clear and Biblical message. I failed to do that clearly, so please forgive me. My hope is that you see my heart for two things: First, my heart for the lost and my longing for all to know Jesus. Second, my heart for you falling deeper in love with Jesus. Ultimately, I promise that that will always be my goal. To help us reach and love the lost, and to help us all fall deeper in love with Jesus.