Wednesday 26 June 2013

Romans 1

There is an excellent article exploring Romans 1 and who exactly Paul was talking about in this passage often quoted to condemn all homosexual activity.

http://www.acceptingevangelicals.org/2011/10/bible-focus-part-4-romans-1/

God bless,

MM

Friday 21 June 2013

Jesus and the Law

The Old Testament has some challenging passages, there's no denying it.  My own minister has admitted he won't even preach on passages such as the warfare of Joshua, because they're too difficult to understand (and he is a traditionalist minister who believes in the "plain reading of scripture").

One challenge is knowing which Bible passages from the OT should we, as Christians, still follow?  How does a traditionalist wrestle with the Leviticus passages outlawing homosexual practice while equally outlawing tattoos, eating certain foods and wearing clothing of mixed fibres.

An article published by the Christian Institute explains one perspective: "It teaches that the moral element in the law, focused in the ten commandments, is of permanent application, while the ceremonial and civil elements were for the duration of the Old Testament economy only. The ceremonial was a shadow of Christ which became obsolete with his coming, and the civil a model of legal arrangements for any society, though not of such a status as to demand exact replication."

So, in a nutshell - passages relating to tattoos and foods etc. could be ceremonial, in that they distinguished God's people from the surrounding pagan worship practices.  Sexual relation restrictions, they would argue, are permanent moral law.

My problem with this, is that when we read about homosexual practices, they are almost entirely in the context of pagan temple worship and such activities, which could arguably put them into the category of ceremonial laws designed to distinguish God's people from the pagans around.

However, I have a greater problem with the division of laws into 3 categories.  It comes from these words of Jesus in Matthew 5:17-20:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."


It concerns me when I read these words but hear Christians happily ignore certain OT requirements, such as these: “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God." (Lev 19:9-10).  And yet, many who ignore these will jump on other passages such as the famous Leviticus 18:22, "Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable".

The division of Law into 3 types is, I believe, a valiant attempt to wrestle with Scripture.  However, when asked what the Greatest Commandment is, Jesus gave an answer that helps us better wrestle with the Old Testament.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matt 22:37-40).

I have always considered this passage to be a foundation of my faith.  I believe I am saved by faith in Jesus.  In my striving to live a holy life that is pleasing to God, I do not believe I have to follow every law of the Old Testament, but rather the principles outlined here by Jesus.  In so doing, I believe Christians keep right by the Law.  Of course, we slip, fall down and stumble, but not because of a failure to obey every letter of the Law, but rather our failure to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbours as ourselves.

Paul explains this concept in Romans 2:14-15

"Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them."

I don't believe Paul is saying that Gentiles accidentally follow all Old Testament laws by following their moral compass, but rather that when they follow the principles of Jesus of loving God with everything and loving our neighbour as our-self then in so  doing, we demonstrate that obedience to the law is in our hearts.

Part of my belief on this issue is shaped by my understanding of the story of the Old Testament.  I see it predominantly as a detailed account (in different form - history, poetry etc.) of the relationship between God and his people.  The laws of the OT were to help the people of the time keep their part of the covenant with God.  We now have a new covenant in Christ, and in keeping the Greatest Commandments through our faith in Christ, we keep the law of the old covenant.

So what do I do with the difficult passages on the OT?  I prayerfully try to discern how these laws were about investing in the covenant with God and look to the new covenant I have in Christ and seek to obey the Greatest Commandments in each and every situation.  I fail regularly, but the grace of God is sufficient for me and I have the Holy Spirit as guide and counsellor in my heart,  bearing witness, sometimes accusing and sometimes defending me.

So, did Jesus do away with the Law?  By no means.  He fulfilled the Law - but not just the ceremonial aspects.  He fulfilled it in its entirety, and in following the Greatest Commandments, we can meet all the requirements of the Law, in Christ.




Friday 14 June 2013

False teachers

I've noticed that a few opponents of same sex marriage or gay ministers often refer to passages of scripture referring to false teachers or heretics. Take for example the following passage from 2 Peter 2:

"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping".

If you sincerely believe that God is against all forms of homosexuality, then these kinds of passage are very appealing. However, if we don't understand the context, we can essentially hear "any teaching we don't like must be a heresy, and we must be prepared for one to materialise". Some passages refer to sexual immorality, which is we think refers to homosexuality, again backs up our view.

Unfortunately, this approach to the Bible is really one that is about finding what we want to hear and it's incredibly easy to do.

Take for example my finding of this verse which I read to oppose opponents of same sex marriage (1 Timothy 4):

"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."

I actually don't believe that most opponents of same sex marriage are false teachers. I think most are sincere, genuine believers who have a different understanding of the Scriptures from me. I love them as brothers and sisters, and I am convinced that Paul teaches me, inspired by the Holy Spirit, how to deal with these situations in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8.

What it teaches me is that I need to resist the temptation of throwing Bible verses at people I disagree with, but instead find a way of loving them and worshipping alongside them...

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Hope for unity?

I spoke with a friend recently, who has a traditionalist view on the issue of homosexuality.  He doesn't know my views, but I was interested to hear him say that he was not bothered as much with the conclusion that people came to, but rather the method by which they came to that conclusion.

In this context, he was meaning that he respected Christians who read and interpreted the Bible differently, whereas he wasn't very happy about those who felt the Bible didn't support their view and so they would ignore the Bible.

I must say, this gave me some hope for future understanding and unity...

Saturday 8 June 2013

A biblical rationale for same sex marriage?

I wonder how you responded to reading that title?

Were you enraged? Curious? Excited? Nonplussed?

Before going near addressing this issue, it is important to address the genuine concern that the Bible appears at first glance to have a negative message towards homosexuality.

If you read some of my previous posts, you'll see that I don't believe these verses hold up to much scrutiny if you view homosexuality as a natural orientation, in the same way that left handedness is a natural deviation from the norm of right handedness. The Bible passages then can be seen clearly not as a condemnation of all expressions of homosexuality, but rather all abusive expressions of homosexuality (prostitution, temple worship, orgies, child molestation, rape and the like). In Romans 1 we read that the temple context of same sex abuses is from people who do not acknowledge God (see Romans 1:21 and 28).

When a committed Christian prayerfully discerns how they are to live their life by guidance of the Holy Spirit, then we can start to discern fruit in their lives (my belief is that at the point of committing in faith to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes into our lives and God makes his home within us, as we read in John 14). It is through faith they are justified and they have to remain true to their own conscience as we read in Romans 14. It is worth mentioning that a believer's conscience is not entirely their own thinking, but they have an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, the great advocate and counsellor.

From this point (if you disagree with the view that homosexuality is like left handedness, but prefer instead to believe that it is like an addiction or is about a lustful lifestyle choice, then the conclusion I come to will make no sense to you, and in fact, you would be wrong to accept it if it takes you against your own conscience) the homosexual believer has some decisions to make. Sexual attraction of any kind is not right or wrong. In that way, it is like anger. It is a response to a stimulus. Paul says that in our anger we should not sin. Anger increases our likelihood of sinning because we think less rationally and more emotionally. However, if channelled correctly, anger can lead to great works (e.g. anger at injustice, poverty, abuse etc.). Likewise, sexual attraction or arousal is not in itself a sin, but it is what we do with that attraction that is important. We need some safeguards to ensure we do not follow every human instinct to its natural conclusion, which is usually the shortest route to gratification. This takes us to advice from Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:1-7:

"Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfil his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that."

To me, this is a passage about safeguarding. A quick aside here - some will be perplexed that Paul is referring only to heterosexuality in this context. That is of course true. However, we must remember that sexual orientation was not a concept understood for centuries to come. Sexual activity, yes, but orientation no. Studies of human sexuality have only recently helped us understand that orientation is not a choice (when did I choose to become heterosexual?) but something we are in all likelihood born with or at the very least develop through puberty (but we cannot and should not ever try to change someone's sexual orientation). So of course Paul is only talking within a frame of reference they will understand and no-one was asking about same sex marriage, so why would he address it?

So Paul teaches that like Jesus and his own life, singleness is a blessed gift. He explains later why he has this pastoral concern in verses 26-28.

"Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this."

Now, this is where our conclusion will depend significantly upon our starting point. Of course, a view that all sexuality that is not heterosexual must be sinful will have reached a dead end in terms of conversation a long time ago. However, if we are talking left handedness and something natural that is not a lifestyle choice, and if a believer is guided by the Holy Spirit and is justified through faith in Jesus and they feel a true and genuine love for someone (regardless of orientation) then if they feel led towards a lifelong commitment of faithfulness and love and they do not have Paul's gift (of an ability to live a full life of celibacy), then we need to ask ourselves what response can our Christian community offer to this couple?

My conclusion, that I understand not all will agree with, is that the Church should seriously consider offering Christian marriage. Currently, what most offer at the moment is quiet tolerance of cohabitation or passive acceptance of civil partnership or zero tolerance and demands that they repress their sexuality and discontinue any same sex relationship. What is missing is the support of a Christian community to help sustain a relationship and possible family, nurturing a couple in Christian love.

Certainly no minister who opposes homosexuality should ever be forced to conduct such a ceremony (there is already space for conscience in cases of divorce for example). However, I have moved from a view of thinking same sex relationship might not be all bad, but I wouldn't go as far as marriage, to embracing the concept of marriage where appropriate. The consequences of driving a natural sexual orientation underground is psychologically unhealthy and serves not to advance Christ's message of transformation and love but rather runs the risk of driving honest seekers away from the Bible, from Church and ultimately from Christ himself. I thank God that no lost sheep is ever disregarded, but do worry at times that it is Christians around the world who actively scatter the flock, usually with good intention.