A lady called the office a few years ago and demanded, “Does your church embrace homosexuals.” “Sure,” I replied, “If they need a hug.” She slammed the receiver down. I was immediately ashamed at being so glib with her, but my default key is sarcasm. The tone of voice, with which she asked her question was filled with such resentment and judgment that I responded impulsively, and not in love and patience. Upon reflection though, I believe that it is the correct answer.
I have studied and counseled with several gay men over the years. I put a lot of thought into just what to say to men who were thus oriented, and interested in being obedient to the Word. I came up with this line, which has always proved effective: “You are attracted to people God says you can’t have relations with – welcome to the human race – this is the human condition.” This comment emphasizes that we all deal with temptation – that the gay man with whom I’m speaking is not some freak or fluke, but a fellow traveler dealing with struggles of the same sort as the rest of us. It has always been received this way – often with tears of appreciation. It has always seemed to be a good line, the right thing to say. Upon reflection, I now realize that this line is glib.
The line is glib because the temptations I face are different in one very important way. I am married to the love of my life. I have a life partner besides whom all temptations wither away. A gay man, and a lesbian woman are denied this relationship by the Bible.
Let us be clear. Despite anything the Supreme Court says, or how badly some try to make the Bible to say otherwise, same gender sex is forbidden in scripture (Leviticus 18.22, 20.13; Romans 1.26-27, I Corinthians 6.9-11). In the two passages from Leviticus, the act itself is forbidden. The two New Testament passages are given in the context of idolatrous practices and the attendant prostitution and pederasty common in the Greco-Roman world. If we detect a note of disgust in either passage let us remember that Paul is not describing a gay electrician, a nurse, an engineer, a firefighter, or an accountant who wants to be married and faithful. Paul is describing boy-prostitutes and the men who visit them.
Some of those male prostitutes, and their clients became Christians – Paul says so in I Corinthians 6.9. I wonder how they came to know about Christ. Maybe they stumbled onto the Corinthian Church of Christ website. Or maybe Christians shared the gospel one on one.
The Bible prohibits a gay man, or a lesbian woman from marrying the love of his/her life. This is a fact. It is a fact that should make us compassionate towards gay men and lesbian women. Most of the folks who rejoiced at the recent Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage were not prostitutes, or drag-queens, or child molesters. Most were just work-a-day folks who wanted to marry the person they loved.
The Bible says they can’t. We can’t say otherwise. But we can be supportive, prayerful, understanding, and encouraging. If that is the definition of “embracing” homosexuals, then yes – it is what we must do. We are, all of us sinners. We are, all of us saved by grace or not at all. Let us never forget that. Is a hateful person morally superior to a gay person? Let each of us take care of the beam in our own eye before presuming to help our brother with the speck in his. Let us always be kind, and overcome evil with good.
