Here We Stand Growing Christians That Will Endure

PLACE ? IS THERE A for HOMOSEXUALS

civility Part Two Sharing the same planet when we don’t share the same convictions

Convicted Civility “ People today who are civil often don’t have very strong convictions. And people who have strong convictions often are not very civil. What we need is convicted civility” Richard Mouw, President Fuller Theological Seminary

“ People today who are civil often don’t have very strong convictions. And people who have strong convictions often are not very civil. What we need is convicted civility”

Richard Mouw, President

Fuller Theological Seminary

We should lament all the pain we have caused the homosexual community

With gentleness, great sensitivity and compassion, the Church must say… Until the last 30 years, the Bible and almost all of Church history agree that homosexual acts manifest humanity’s rebellion against God Romans 1:18-32 and 1 Cor 6:9-11 1 Tim 1:10; Lev 18:22; 20:13 Genesis 1 and 2 make it clear that God’s order involves the creation of male and female and that God’s design for genital union finds its fulfillment only between persons of opposite gender and only within a marriage commitment of leaving and cleaving.

Until the last 30 years, the Bible and almost all of Church history agree that homosexual acts manifest humanity’s rebellion against God

Romans 1:18-32 and 1 Cor 6:9-11

1 Tim 1:10; Lev 18:22; 20:13

Genesis 1 and 2 make it clear that God’s order involves the creation of male and female and that God’s design for genital union finds its fulfillment only between persons of opposite gender and only within a marriage commitment of leaving and cleaving.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “ Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders [Rom 1:26] nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God…”

“ Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders [Rom 1:26] nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God…”

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 “ Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body .”

“ Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body .”

Behavior, Not Orientation Am I different? Same-sex attraction Homosexual orientation Homosexual identity & behavior

We should welcome homosexual persons to dwell with us in the grace and forgiveness of God

Love & Grace Take More Effort Am I different? Same-sex attraction Homosexual orientation Homosexual identity & behavior Love & Acceptance Love & Acceptance Love & Acceptance LOVE Acceptance and Affirmation Condemnation and Rejection EBCLA

What can the Church say to those who insist that they want a stable, permanent, same-gender love relationship that they can call a marriage?

What can the Church say to those who insist that they want a stable, permanent, same-gender love relationship that they can call a marriage?

Partners in the Journey of Abstinence Can only urge genital abstinence if we are also willing to be the best friend possible in supporting homosexual friends in that choice and combating some of the negative influences that make it difficult.

Can only urge genital abstinence if we are also willing to be the best friend possible in supporting homosexual friends in that choice and combating some of the negative influences that make it difficult.

Encouraging Sexual Restraint Our Christian community can encourage sexual restraint only: If we are all struggling together for restraint in ALL aspects of behavior If we are providing modeling of chastity and faithfulness If we are enfolding the community’s young people in all the kinds of love they need If we truly create a Faith Village where single people are enfolded into a close-knit and caring Faith Family

Our Christian community can encourage sexual restraint only:

If we are all struggling together for restraint in ALL aspects of behavior

If we are providing modeling of chastity and faithfulness

If we are enfolding the community’s young people in all the kinds of love they need

If we truly create a Faith Village where single people are enfolded into a close-knit and caring Faith Family

We’re all in this together! Romans 1-2:1 reminds us that ALL of us are rebels against God in various ways, so in the Christian community we don’t single out any particular behaviors as worthy of special condemnation. Instead, we help each other, in the deep family love of Christian friendship, to choose the alternative lifestyle of a biblical understanding of our sexuality, chastity, and fulfillment.

Romans 1-2:1 reminds us that ALL of us are rebels against God in various ways, so in the Christian community we don’t single out any particular behaviors as worthy of special condemnation.

Instead, we help each other, in the deep family love of Christian friendship, to choose the alternative lifestyle of a biblical understanding of our sexuality, chastity, and fulfillment.

Beyond welcoming and supporting any and all sinners Is it Christianly appropriate for Christians who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation to continue to participate in same-sex erotic activity?

Is it Christianly appropriate for Christians who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation to continue to participate in same-sex erotic activity?

Same Sex Unions Should the church sanction and bless homosexual unions?

Should the church sanction and bless homosexual unions?

Abstinence for ALL Singles Does this mean that persons of homosexual orientation are subject to a blanket imposition of celibacy in a way qualitatively different from persons of heterosexual orientation?

Does this mean that persons of homosexual orientation are subject to a blanket imposition of celibacy in a way qualitatively different from persons of heterosexual orientation?

A Difficult, Costly Obedience But if homosexual Christians cannot ever look forward to marriage, where does this leave them?

But if homosexual Christians cannot ever look forward to marriage, where does this leave them?

Don’t forget the promised joy! “ A life of obedience to God’s design is certainly ultimately more fulfilling than any sexual rebellion, whether we are homosexual or heterosexual…We who are God’s people invite our children not just to burdens and struggles, but to the bliss of sexual abstinence or faithfulness, chastity no matter what our situation, and fellowship with Christ and our friends in the family of Christian love.” Marva Dawn

“ A life of obedience to God’s design is certainly ultimately more fulfilling than any sexual rebellion, whether we are homosexual or heterosexual…We who are God’s people invite our children not just to burdens and struggles, but to the bliss of sexual abstinence or faithfulness, chastity no matter what our situation, and fellowship with Christ and our friends in the family of Christian love.”

Humble Convictions “ The Christian community must say that the issues are not yet resolved for all time; we can give no definitive answers to all the issues. As fallible human beings, because Scripture contains so little on the subject, because many homosexual persons claim that they experience grace in the midst of their committed relationships, the Church must always be ready to listen, to consider again, to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance afresh in the matter. Never, however, dare we let the sexual idolatry of our society pull us away from being the alternative people God called us to be .” Marva Dawn

“ The Christian community must say that the issues are not yet resolved for all time; we can give no definitive answers to all the issues. As fallible human beings, because Scripture contains so little on the subject, because many homosexual persons claim that they experience grace in the midst of their committed relationships, the Church must always be ready to listen, to consider again, to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance afresh in the matter. Never, however, dare we let the sexual idolatry of our society pull us away from being the alternative people God called us to be .”

Applying Convicted Civility All human sexuality is broken and Christians are those who look to Christ and His Body for restoration, mercy and understanding Even if the medical, psychological, and scientific communities believe that homosexuality is a normal option for human sexuality, one decidedly Christian response would still be that, theologically-speaking, it is still a consequence of our brokenness and thus, not what God had originally designed for us. Though constrained theologically from endorsing any form of broken sexuality as normative, Christian communities should nevertheless be loving and supportive places for those struggling to find a way to express and experience God’s creative intent.

All human sexuality is broken and Christians are those who look to Christ and His Body for restoration, mercy and understanding

Even if the medical, psychological, and scientific communities believe that homosexuality is a normal option for human sexuality, one decidedly Christian response would still be that, theologically-speaking, it is still a consequence of our brokenness and thus, not what God had originally designed for us.

Though constrained theologically from endorsing any form of broken sexuality as normative, Christian communities should nevertheless be loving and supportive places for those struggling to find a way to express and experience God’s creative intent.

With Gentleness & Respect 15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3

15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

1 Peter 3