To Be Clear: When we say

“homosexual”…

Merely referring to homosexuals is far too imprecise. There are people who are same-sex attracted (SSA): but who are Christians and understand that acting on that attraction would be wrong. but, for whatever reason, are uncomfortable with that and struggle with it. Some may fail and feel terrible. Others may not fail but continue to experience the temptation. and see nothing wrong with that but are nevertheless (at least at the moment) celibate. and see nothing wrong with that, and are in a single, long-term relationship. and see nothing wrong with that and have multiple relationships and are actively engaged in a homosexual lifestyle and actively promote that lifestyle No doubt there are numerous other permutations as well. It becomes tedious having to add adjectives every time the word ‘homosexual’ is used. In line with the previous distinction between acts and orientation, please understand that where ‘homosexual’ is used it refers to those who are actively engaged in homosexual acts i.e. those who are commonly called “practising homosexuals”. Nothing in this document should be understood to condemn those who are celibate or even those who sometimes fail but then repent. I have the greatest respect for them. In other words, there is a distinction between those who are seeking to do what is right and those who are more defiant – who choose to indulge in homosexual acts irrespective of what anyone says. It is hard to say, but the reality is that some people choose sin and may be very vocal in justifying themselves. They may even believe their own rhetoric. In other words, they are deceived, truly believing that what God calls “sin” is really not. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. We don’t need to concern ourselves with the lawless one at this point but we should note the description of how Satan works. He deceives, using even signs and wonders to support his lies. Wickedness itself deceives those who are perishing. Wickedness says, “I am fun. I am harmless. I will make your life better.” Those entangled in it become resistant. They refuse to love the truth so as to be saved. When they make the choice to resist God’s truth, God confirms their delusions. They become more entrenched in delusion, believing the lie. All of this leads to the condemnation of those who have rejected truth and have delighted in wickedness. There is a sense in which God says, “OK, have it your way. If you choose sin, you will travel a path away from Me and into greater folly.” That is precisely the teaching of Romans 1. If people choose to reject God, He says “OK” and “gives them over to” sexual impurity. Their thinking becomes futile and their foolish hearts are darkened (v.21). Their minds become depraved (v.28). That is not to say that God doesn’t care. We know, from Jesus’ parable, that the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep in order to search for the one lost sheep and rejoices greatly when that sheep is found. We know from the same story (and the others in Luke 15) that there is rejoicing in heaven when a sinner repents. We know that God wants everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) and that He wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). But He will not force us to obey. People who choose sin run the risk of getting deeper and deeper into the delusion that justifies that sin and that leads to their condemnation. Jesus also talked about those who choose sin. John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. Whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life. Whoever. That includes those who have repented of homosexuality. Practising homosexuals are not excluded from the saving grace of God. God’s bias is not to condemn but to save. However, some will not believe and they stand condemned already. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world but those who do not believe in Him have no other way by which to be forgiven. When people love darkness, they hate the light that reveals their depravity. And so they avoid the light. They reject truth. They believe a lie. What about those who genuinely do not know that what they are doing is wrong? Those people are not defiant in the same way. They are simply unaware. It might be that the church has to take some responsibility for that. If people are genuinely ignorant, the church has failed to speak out the truth. It might also be that the responsibility lies with other homosexuals who have intentionally enticed them into the lifestyle. It is also questionable to what extent people can be genuinely unaware. It is well-known that Christians disagree with the homosexual lifestyle. Even within the homosexual community, the church is roundly condemned. One would assume therefore that people in that community know that some disagree with their lifestyle. But even beyond that, people have some inherent sense of what is right and what is wrong. Much of the angst that practising homosexuals experience arises from an innate sense that their lifestyle is wrong. So, to be clear, while ‘homosexual’ would correctly include those who are tempted but celibate, this document is concerned about those who are engaging in homosexual acts i.e. who are not celibate.