It’s not often that the Christian church takes a stance more liberal than that of the secular world. And while Jesus’ teachings were liberal in their own sense, they always stood firmly within the boundaries of heaven and hell, goodness and sin.
So it was troubling to hear reports this week that a man who revels in his own sin – Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson – chided the church for “turning so many away” from God.
Robinson, the first and only openly active gay bishop in the ECUSA, compared Christ’s church to “an abusive spouse” that made “an awful lot of people” leave the presence of God, in reference to Christianity’s direct condemnation of homosexuality as a sexual sin.
Gene is right about one thing: the ECUSA does need to repent, for it has driven away numerous faithful parishioners in the past. However, statistics show that, contrary to Robinson’s claims, those who left the ECUSA did so because they were appalled by the church’s open acceptance and endorsement of sin. Indeed, masses left the ECUSA to form their own network of “confessing churches” to affirm the biblical mandate against the sexual sin of homosexuality.
In fact, the ECUSA’s counterparts all over the world consider the election and consecration of Robinson himself a scathing insult to the history of the Anglican Church, and over half of the Anglican Church members have already severed “brotherly” ties with the ECUSA, lest the American branch turn back from its ultra-liberal ways.
Robinson also charged the church for “politicizing” the debate on homosexuality, and said the biblical view of homosexuality was “archaic.” Additionally, he said the church is now “responsible to bring homosexuals back to Christ.”
True, the ECUSA, along with other denominations, must willingly open its doors to all peoples of all sexual orientations and all sins. However, after the door is opened, the radical teachings of Christ must beset them: If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Sin is sin, no matter what the time or context. Those wanting to enter the Kingdom of Heaven must wash their feet and clothes of their habits of sin, no matter how deeply those sins are rooted in their flesh.
Therefore, the longer Robinson holds onto the false belief that the word of God is “archaic” and “contextual,” the more he (and the ECUSA) will be alienated from their own congregants, international brethren and more importantly, God himself, for God is revealed through the scripture.
Since God despises sin, and refuses to bless unrepentant sinners who blindly follow the desires of the flesh, I urge Robinson and his allies to check what idol they are worshipping. If he is unrepentant of his sexual sin of homosexuality and encourages others to remain the same, he is not serving the Lord but rather gratifying the idols of his own sexual desires.
God and his church is not an “abusive spouse” that turns away homosexuals. Rather, He is the loving father who chides his rebellious sons in the hope that they will turn from their sinful ways. Anyone who goes against this living word of God and leads others to continue reveling in their sins is a murderer. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Repentance is needed in the ECUSA’s ranks. It is sin that drives both homosexuals heterosexuals away from God, and it is the word of God alone– no matter how deeply it may judge our sin– that can bring them back.
