In a recent blog post, Julie Rodgers indicates her predictable movement from believing that Christians can call themselves gay and still be Christians to plainly approving of same-sex romantic relationships. She writes, "I've become increasingly troubled by the unintended consequences of messages that insist all LGBT people commit to lifelong celibacy."
In Rodgers's mind, there appear to be only two possible ways of proceeding for the "gay Christian": either you commit to lifelong celibacy (the option insisted on by gay-harming Conservatives) or you give yourself to a same-sex "marriage." But are these really the only two options?
In Rodgers's mind, there appear to be only two possible ways of proceeding for the "gay Christian": either you commit to lifelong celibacy (the option insisted on by gay-harming Conservatives) or you give yourself to a same-sex "marriage." But are these really the only two options?
I'm willing to grant that insisting that all homosexuals commit to lifelong celibacy is harmful.
No one should be requiring homosexuals to live lives of lifelong celibacy. The Bible clearly warns us against those who "forbid marriage" as a spiritual principle (1 Timothy 4:1–5). No, homosexual sinners shouldn't indiscriminately be called to celibacy, but to live lives of sexual purity, just like every other follower of Jesus Christ. And the denial of self required in pursuing godly sexual purity is a high price to pay for anyone who would take up their cross and follow Jesus:
The womanizer must deny himself, take up his cross, and commit himself to being a one-woman man.
The woman in bondage to pornography must lay aside her sin and devote herself to her husband.
The single man who desires to be married must find his contentment in God and restrain himself.
The engaged couple who burn in passion toward one another should get married.
The homosexual must lay aside his sinful desires and pursue godly sexual purity.
All of these things require a radical change in desires which can only be enacted by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let's stop singling out homosexuals and treating them as if their sin is somehow beyond the transformative power of God's Spirit. Sure, this may mean that God calls them to a life of celibacy; but God's grace will be sufficient for the righteous individual who is born of the Spirit. But it may just as well mean that God calls a woman tempted by same-sex intimacy to enjoy a marriage with a man; God's grace is sufficient for this transformation.
No one should be requiring homosexuals to live lives of lifelong celibacy. The Bible clearly warns us against those who "forbid marriage" as a spiritual principle (1 Timothy 4:1–5). No, homosexual sinners shouldn't indiscriminately be called to celibacy, but to live lives of sexual purity, just like every other follower of Jesus Christ. And the denial of self required in pursuing godly sexual purity is a high price to pay for anyone who would take up their cross and follow Jesus:
The womanizer must deny himself, take up his cross, and commit himself to being a one-woman man.
The woman in bondage to pornography must lay aside her sin and devote herself to her husband.
The single man who desires to be married must find his contentment in God and restrain himself.
The engaged couple who burn in passion toward one another should get married.
The homosexual must lay aside his sinful desires and pursue godly sexual purity.
All of these things require a radical change in desires which can only be enacted by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let's stop singling out homosexuals and treating them as if their sin is somehow beyond the transformative power of God's Spirit. Sure, this may mean that God calls them to a life of celibacy; but God's grace will be sufficient for the righteous individual who is born of the Spirit. But it may just as well mean that God calls a woman tempted by same-sex intimacy to enjoy a marriage with a man; God's grace is sufficient for this transformation.
Let's offer homosexuals the same hope of the Gospel which has always been offered to sexual sinners:
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9–11)
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