The Gospel frees you from homosexuality
Image via WikipediaThe San Francisco Human Rights Commission (with the unanimous endorsement of the Mayor and Board of Supervisors) hosted a televised hearing: The “Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Transgender, and Questioning Youth Summit.” Over four hours of testimony was given by self-proclaimed homosexual teens for the purposes of seeing whether new legislation was necessary to support “our gay youth” in the city. Demands included: additional health and medical services, free condom distribution, free needle exchanges, and more gay/lesbian counseling services at the junior high and high school levels. Even worse, many so-called churches support homosexual causes—even sanctioning same-sex marital unions.
“I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church …” states the Nicene Creed. The divinely-appointed redemptive agency for the recovery of those struggling with sins is the church. It is the covenant institution—the family of God—which best cares for sinners and saints: for sinners by warning them to flee from the wrath to come, and forbidding them entrance into the kingdom of God while unrepentant; and for saints by providing the comfort of the Gospel of sins forgiven and protection against the Enemy. Most assuredly this institution sets the overall context for counseling those struggling with homosexuality.
Image via WikipediaOne way sinners are able to sustain a life of unbelief is by surrounding themselves with relationships that will affirm their rebellion. So when ministering to the homosexual inquirer, we’ve found that they must cut off all relations with their old community; they must re-constitute by faith into the family of God. In order to forsake such wickedness, as the Apostle exhorts, one must at times flee the city like Lot of old; not because of an impending brimstone shower, but because the seduction is so wickedly powerful. He needs a remodeled family where he can pattern new life and conduct; a place where God’s man is a man, and God’s woman really is a woman; where husbands act like husbands, and wives act like wives. It’s not simply a matter of role reversal, or replacing one role with another as if play acting. It’s that only the godly, structured atmosphere, found in the Church of Jesus Christ, offers real hope and remedy for the enslaved sinner.In ministering to the homosexual interested in change, we carry presuppositions based exclusively on the Word of God. The prime directive we have from Scripture is: Do not compromise the biblical message of sin and grace for the sake of winning a sympathetic hearing. Unless homosexuality be understood fundamentally as a transgression of God’s Law, no further deliverance and recovery can be made. And not only must the Law of God be pressed upon the conscience, but God’s forgiveness must also be offered. The repenting homosexual’s only hope—his eternal security—is in the uncompromised message of the Scriptures.
More specifically, he needs 1.) reinforcement from the Word of G
Image via Wikipediaod on what God says about homosexuality, grace, forgiveness, and judgment; 2.) regular monitored accountability meetings with the elders and attendance of gatherings with the congregation at large; 3.) reminders that the continual faith-struggle with temptation is part of the sanctification process—It’s when he stops struggling that he’s got problems; 4.) reassurance that he’s not alone in this battle for victory over sin—every member struggles like he does; 5.) to be careful about putting himself in temptation’s way, including a warning against close association with someone else who struggles with the same sexual sin; and 6.) to know that in Christ there is no homosexual or lesbian label on them, despite temptations and feelings. Paul said “… such were some of you …” (1 Cor. 6:11).The Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to “flee youthful lusts … wit
Image via Wikipediah those calling upon the Lord …” (2 Tim. 2:22). In other words, the exhortation to flee lust is in the context of the covenant community—along with others struggling against sin. The agency of the church has no hope for unrepentant homosexuals—only God’s sure wrath. The church has no authority from her Lord and Head to offer any hope apart from the grace of conversion. But for repenting sinners, all the resources of the eternal God are freely offered, for “… my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).As a pastor, I have the greatest weapon to free sinners from the bondage of sin: the preaching of the Gospel. The ultimate counseling session occurs in public affirmation of the Gospel and the corresponding confutation of unbelief. The full extent of the divinely-appointed ordinances of the Lord are necessary to destroy every high thing and thought exalted against the Lord (2 Cor. 10:5).
Whether the inquiring homosexual decides to stay in or leave San Francisco, they must find sanctuary in the Church of Jesus Christ. That is where the Scriptures teach that sin is to be conquered. The wisdom of the world says the battle surrounding homosexuality is to be fought in the voting booth or the classroom, but the truth is that it’s fought and won in the church.
