Six helpful resources for those seeking an evangelical Christian perspective on homosexuality

lsn ^ | Peter Saunders

[Morgana]

Because of the bias of the liberal press, Steve Chalke’s recent endorsement of permanent gay partnerships and the extreme unorthodox views of the ‘Accepting Evangelicals’ group, to which he belongs, have had an unhelpfully disproportionate amount of media coverage.

Many Christians are understandably confused.

I received this letter this week which I think is not an atypical experience.

I am publishing it anonymously with permission and have removed the name of the church.

‘My husband and I worship at a leading conservative evangelical Anglican church and we value the teaching we receive there. Our adult children come from different angles, one from a traditional evangelical church in London, the other from a more liberal Christian background. The recent Steve Chalke article will highlight the differences in our views. I have tried to find support for the evangelical views to enable us to discuss this from an informed evangelical point of view. Your blog has been useful but I wonder if you have any further areas you could direct us to? I would appreciate any help you can offer.’

So, here are some articles and resources that I hope are helpful (each title is hyperlinked)

1.A battle I face

Vaughan Roberts is Rector of St Ebbes Church in Oxford and a popular Christian author and conference speaker with an international ministry. He has also struggled personally with feelings of same-sex attraction. This testimony was published in Evangelicals Now last year and is clear, biblical, passionate and pastoral.

2.How can the Gospel be good news to gays?

Sam Alberry is associate pastor at St Mary’s Church in Maidenhead. This brief article is clear and compassionate taking a firm biblical stance on the issue but arguing that people with homosexual orientation need more grace and not less.

3.The Bible and Homosexuality

Greg Downes is theologian in residence at Christianity Magazine. This article which unpacks a traditional evangelical understanding of homosexuality appeared initially as part of a head to head with Steve Chalke but it has had very little publicity. It is an excellent overview of the main Scriptures and links to a longer article going into more detail.

4.Biblical and pastoral responses to homosexuality

This new book, published last summer by the Evangelical Alliance gives ten affirmations clearly setting out EA’s position on the subject. In explaining these affirmations it reviews biblical and scientific material and explores the pastoral outworking of an evangelical position. It will especially be of help to church leaders and pastoral workers as well as those with same-sex attraction seeking to live faithfully as Christian disciples.

5.Unwanted same sex attraction

This booklet was published just over a year ago by Christian Medical Fellowship and is jointly written by an evangelical theologian and a professor in psychiatry. It sets out a framework for Christian ministry among people with same-sex attraction which is psychologically rigorous, theologically orthodox and pastorally sensitive.

6.Homosexuality

This is an article in the CMF File series which gives a basic overview of the subject of homosexuality from both a Christian and Medical perspective. Although I wrote it ten years ago before the Equality Act most of the material is still very much up to date. It is available in photocopiable pdf format so makes a useful handout.

[Cindy]

Why is there even a controversy?

For those who really are Christians, all one has to do is open the Bible and read it.

Homosexuality is a sin.

Period.

God doesn’t debate.

[Brad’s Gramma]

AMEN!!!!!!!

[Morgana]

God does not debate but libs sure do. If they can twist something in the Bible to make it fit their agenda you know they will.

[max americana]

“Many Christians are understandably confused.”

Nope, we ain’t confused. The author of this satanic article is the one who is confused.

[Yosemitest]

There's NO confusion.
The Bible is VERY CLEAR.

Those who support homosexuals are against our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
These anti Christ people only bring destruction on us ALL.
I have NO sympathy for homosexuals!

Homosexuality is a "Mark" of disobedience.

It was given by our Heavenly Father to test us
to see ... if we will OBEY our Heavenly Father,
and abide by His commandments, statues, and ordinances.

Someone once asked

"Why are they [homosexuals] all so angry?"

The answer is in the definition of "REPROBATE".

rep·ro·bate \ˈre-prə-ˌbāt\ a. [L. reprobatus, reprobo, to disallow; re and probo, to prove.]

1. Not enduring proof or trial; not of standard purity or fineness; disallowed; rejected.


Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them. Jer. 6.




2. Abandoned in sin; lost to virtue or grace.

They profess that they know God, but in works deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. Titus 1.

3. Abandoned to error, or in apostasy. 2Tim. 3.

And the reason"why" is given in the Bible.

God has a cure for homosexuals.

But will we OBEY our Heavenly Father?

[CitizenUSA]

Here’s the deal. Same-sex attraction is really no different than a slew of other temptations that are a normal part of human life. We all are tempted to sin. We all sin. A homosexual is no worse a sinner than a fornicator, a liar, an addict, or a thief.

It’s foolish to look down on homosexuals when one’s own life is full of sin. Fornication, for example, is rampant even in our churches. Yet, a fornicator is no worse than a sodomite from a sin perspective.

According to the Bible, there is only one way to erase sin. We have to believe in Christ and repent of our sins. If someone is truly sorry for what they’ve done, then they’ll try not to repeat the sin. We may fall short from time to time. We’ll certainly be tempted, and the temptation usually come in the same way where we were once weak. Nevertheless, a person who has repented and had their sins erased will no longer be slaves to sin.

The problem with homosexuality is not same-sex attraction itself. The problem with homosexuality is denying it’s wrong, refusing to repent, and giving in to the temptation. Churches who say it’s OK to be an unrepentent homosexual are apostate. They are evil, worse than those who are ignorant of the true, and I’d hate to be in their shoes when they stand before Christ.

So that pretty much sums it up. Repent and make peace with God.

[ansel12]

a leading conservative evangelical Anglican church

I'm confused. Do they have those, is there such a thing?

[max americana]

“a leading conservative evangelical Anglican church”

In a liberal’s mind, everything is magical.

[ansel12]

I liked that, “magical” was a good description.

[iowamark]

(Reposted with links:)

So, here are some articles and resources that I hope are helpful (each title is hyperlinked)

1.A battle I face

Vaughan Roberts is Rector of St Ebbes Church in Oxford and a popular Christian author and conference speaker with an international ministry. He has also struggled personally with feelings of same-sex attraction. This testimony was published in Evangelicals Now last year and is clear, biblical, passionate and pastoral.

2.How can the Gospel be good news to gays?

Sam Alberry is associate pastor at St Mary’s Church in Maidenhead. This brief article is clear and compassionate taking a firm biblical stance on the issue but arguing that people with homosexual orientation need more grace and not less.

3.The Bible and Homosexuality

Greg Downes is theologian in residence at Christianity Magazine. This article which unpacks a traditional evangelical understanding of homosexuality appeared initially as part of a head to head with Steve Chalke but it has had very little publicity. It is an excellent overview of the main Scriptures and links to a longer article going into more detail.

4.Biblical and pastoral responses to homosexuality

This new book, published last summer by the Evangelical Alliance gives ten affirmations clearly setting out EA’s position on the subject. In explaining these affirmations it reviews biblical and scientific material and explores the pastoral outworking of an evangelical position. It will especially be of help to church leaders and pastoral workers as well as those with same-sex attraction seeking to live faithfully as Christian disciples.

5.Unwanted same sex attraction

This booklet was published just over a year ago by Christian Medical Fellowship and is jointly written by an evangelical theologian and a professor in psychiatry. It sets out a framework for Christian ministry among people with same-sex attraction which is psychologically rigorous, theologically orthodox and pastorally sensitive.

6.Homosexuality

This is an article in the CMF File series which gives a basic overview of the subject of homosexuality from both a Christian and Medical perspective. Although I wrote it ten years ago before the Equality Act most of the material is still very much up to date. It is available in photocopiable pdf format so makes a useful handout.

Reprinted with permission from Christian Medical Comment. http://pjsaunders.blogspot.ca/

[POWERSBOOTHEFAN]

I think that deep-down inside they know they’re wrong and that’s one reason they’re angry.

[Yosemitest]

Read Romans 1:16-32 closely.
Our Heavenly Father gave them many chances to change and repent.
But they chose not to.
They went through three rebellions before God gave them over to a "REPROBATE MIND".
The quicker they are dispatched, the better off we'll be.

[HarleyD]

Many Christians are understandably confused.

Sorry but it's not understandable.

[HarleyD]

A homosexual is no worse a sinner than a fornicator, a liar, an addict, or a thief.

Actually, a careful study of scripture shows there are degrees of sin as people fall deeper and deeper into depravity. Homosexuality is just about at the end of the scale. So what we're seeing should alarm us. It's not that the sin of homosexuality is any worst than lying. But it's worst in the sense that we are falling farther away from God.

Lying is like taking a canary into a coal mine and it just sits there quietly. Homosexuality is like having the canary drop over dead. It should be a sign to us that things are not good and God's wrath isn't far behind.

[MayflowerMadam]

“Many Christians are understandably confused.”

Real Christians are not confused at ALL. “Small-c” christians might be, but real Christians are not.

[RegulatorCountry]

We’re all sinners, every last one of us. Those who have repented of their sin, believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and asked for forgiveness, are forgiven.

There is all manner of sin that is sexual in nature. Outside of marriage, between a man and a woman, you are committing sin by engaging in it. This includes homosexuality. Repent of it, do not engage in it, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and ask for forgiveness. You will be forgiven.

Repentance means a sincere ongoing attempt to avoid sin, and to strongly regret committing it. We are sinners by our very physical natures, since the fall of man. Therefore, we will experience failures on occasion. Repent of it, strongly regret it, lift yourself upright and keep going on a righteous path. It gets easier as you go along, eventually.

That’s how it works.

[Twinkie]

Right. In the Old Testament, it is declared a sin in the law. New Testament affirms it. Christ kept the whole law perfectly in order to qualify to shed grace on us; that means he also kept the law regarding homosexuality. - The error all these bleeding heart liberal “clergy” are making is in teaching that it is just OKAY to continue on, and even flaunt, homosexuality AFTER repentance and receiving Christ’s grace. - That’s like claiming that it’s just okay to continue murdering after a murderer’s repentance and receiving grace.

[CitizenUSA]

I agree homosexuality is pretty depraved, but I think all sorts of sin will abound as the world falls. We’re heading toward Sodom and Gomorrah where evil no longer hides. It walks proudly down the street in broad daylight. That’s how bad it’s ultimately going to get, because there is literally no evil that man won’t do without God.

That said, Christ’s forgiveness applies to repentent homosexuals as well as other sinners. All they have to do is accept Christ’s gift.

[CitizenUSA]

1 Corinthians 6: "...Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality , 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you.