2014: Together in the Word (Genesis 3; Matthew 3; Ezra 3; Acts 3)

Re:  Genesis 1 and 2
Carson closed his commentary on Genesis 1 with this comment:  "God made us to "image" himself; he made us for his own glory.  For us to imagine ourselves autonomous is, far from being a measure of our maturity, the supreme mark of our rebellion, the flag of our suppression of the truth (Romans 1)."  This Romans 1 passage has been a hot topic on Facebook recently (because of the remarks of Phil Robertson (of Duck Dynasty) to GQ).  See Jerry's discussion here and here - be sure to read the comment sections that follow... great discussion!  

The idea of exchanging natural relations for unnatural relations are rooted in these first two Genesis readings (Genesis 1 and 2) that lay out God's design for human sexuality and marriage.  Genesis 1 declares the Image of God as being completed in male and female together. Genesis 2 shows this male-female togetherness to be God's design for marriage, and today we read about the Fall, where natural relations were exchanged for the first time with unnatural ones (Genesis 3).

I love how Carson describes the exchange:  Before the fall there was "nothing to be ashamed of.  This happy innocence meant openness, utter candour.  There was nothing to hide, whether it was from God or each other. How different after the fall.  The man and the woman hide from God, and blame others.  The candour has gone, the innocence has dissipated, the openness has closed... The immediate effects of the first sin."

This is one FB discussion that I was a part of in response to this Sun News Video (they also posted a follow-up video here) about the Phil Robertson controversy.  I`m not great with computers, so the resolution is poor (sorry)!

The discussion centers around the comments of GLAAD that state that it is hateful for Christians to believe that homosexual acts are  sinful (as well as some discussion on his comments regarding black people that he worked with in the past).  For the purposes of this article, I will comment only on the issues relating to Homosexuality and Christianity. 

Near the end of the conversation my friend Holly writes:
``were the comments pro-gay, and he were fired, the world would be raging that he shouldn't be fired over his views. It's a double standard.``

My friend Ryan responds:
``Holly, I'm a little perplexed by this double-standard argument. I'm pretty positive that if a gay person came out and made similar comments about straight people, they would be removed from their position in a similar fashion.   But there's no reason for a gay person to do this because they don't care who we're sleeping with.``

Ryan is right.  Homosexuals wouldn`t call out heterosexuals for their sexual behavior because they believe that any sexual behavior in the context of love is right.  But, the debate here is not between homosexuals and heterosexuals.  the Archbishop of Cantebury`s statement (made August 2013), I believe, can be applied to this situation:  he talks about how many young people ``see the church`s views on same-sex marriage as `wicked`and plain wrong...akin to racism and other forms of gross and atrocious injustice.```   I`ll talk more about how Christians should respond to this perception later, but for now, I will clarify that what GLAAD is taking issue with is not heterosexual beliefs, but with Christian beliefs. 

In an article in The Atlantic, Taunton quotes
Rick Warren:  ``Our culture has accepted two huge lies.  The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them.  The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do.  Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.``  Taunton goes on to comment: ``Tolerance is not the same thing as acceptance, and acceptance is not the same thing as an endorsement. The message A&E’s decision sends is that the network will not tolerate someone who conscientiously objects to homosexuality on religious grounds. The implication of that message is that 45 percent of Americans should, in principle, be prepared either to sacrifice their jobs or  recant their beliefs and endorse a lifestyle to which they are opposed, conscience be damned. To the extent that we embrace that implication, in television and in other American industries, we're also embracing an identity as a nation that forces conformity while calling it tolerance.``

Understanding the nature of the disagreement, there is a double standard here.  If homosexuals believe it is hate speech to call their behavior sinful, than when they say that Christian beliefs are wrong - sinful - they are also guilty of hate speech. 

I want to mention that the Christian perspective is (naturally) rooted in Christian belifes, and while I do hold them, I don`t expect one who does not hold those beliefs to agree with me in terms of what is right and what is wrong.  Also, I want to say that this is a very difficult discussion for both sides because it is intensly persoanl - one`s spirituality and one`s sexuality both have to do with what we feel are our identities.  (I believe this is what Holly is getting at in her comment - our beliefs are tied to our identity, and should be allowed to be expressed, too). Christians should feel especially sensitive to the injustice homosexual people have faced, because we, too, have faced injustice.  The call to follow Christ is a sacrificial call. For many, it is the call to die a martyr`s death - consider these recent events:  Slaughter in East Timor (Dec. 19, 2013); and 37 killed in Baghdad bomb blasts amid 'deliberate and senseless' targeting of Christians.
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To be disagreed with on these issues may feel hateful, and actions that are done in the name of these beliefs (on either side) can legitimately BE hateful, but simply expressing the belief isn`t. One homosexual shares a similar perspective here. 

Christians may see homosexual acts as sin (and they do), and homosexual people may see Christian beliefs as sin (and that has been expressed).  Both view something that is central to the other person`s identity as wrong.  That is guaranteed to be a difficult conversation.  But, I don`t think that means we should avoid talking with each other.

One of my leadership profs, Terry Fossen, talks about the Chinese character for crisis, which literally means both danger and opportunity.  I think that is exactlly what this difficult situation - this crisis - is:  dangerous (because we might miscommunicate, for instance, and make things worse), but it is also an opportunity (to show each other respect as we talk, build bridges, and love each other even though we disagree).  We are people.  All of us.  And the Bible says that God loves all people - sinful as we are.


Here is where I agree with Ryan.  He shows great concern for a minority that has been ridiculed and grossly mistreated by people of all kinds (bullying in schools is just one example).  When there`s a perceived imbalance of power (or imbalance of anything) people can respond in a few different ways.  They may try to bring balance by overcompensating for the under-represented, or they may try to walk the hard line of balance and truth (trying to state the truth for the under-represented while maintaining what is true about the over-represented).  This second approach is the one I try to take (though I do so imperfectly).  I think we need to be careful not to show favoritism to majorities, and I also think we need to remember that those who belong to a majority deserve a fair trial also, and that`s why I have tried to look at the situation from Phil`s perspective, too. 

I want to consider a variety of possible interpretations and the various perspectives involved.  I want to allow myself time to weigh them and dialogue about them before drawing conclusions.  The reality is that Phil`s comments were coarse, and I am glad that Phil has acknowledged this.  I hesitate to interpret his comments as hateful because each quote is just a small snippet of what obviously had more of a context. GQ doesn't necessarily have the goal of representing him accurately.  Since Phil and his family are open about their Christianity, I`m sure they knew exactly what his beliefs were prior to asking the questions (for instance, Phil has shared his story in the past here).  

The purpose of an article like this is to attract as many readers as possible (and they did attract a lot if attention to their article). I can't say GQ or A&E was trying to get him fired, but GQ was clearly trying to stir up controversy, and A&E could have lost a lot of viewers whatever decision they made. I think GQ's presentation is unfortunate and has caused a lot of people unnecessary pain. A lot of people. 

The reality is that there are people on both sides who jump to conclusions.  Some people think controversial topics like these aren`t worth exploring because they can cause further division, or because they think there are more important things that we could be doing instead of getting caught up in debate.  But, I think dialogue is important, too.

Any time we have the chance to talk openly with others there is present danger.  That is a reality. We may misunderstand each other.  We may misrepresent ourselves.  We may not agree with each other any more than we did before we talked.  But it is also a beautiful opportunity.  We can disagree with each other completely and choose to love each other deeply anyway.  That`s authentic, honest, true.  Jesus didn`t go out of his way to agree with everyone.  He spoke the truth as he knew it and let others come to their own conclusions.  I think we should take the same approach.

The reality is that homosexuals (like many minorities) have been grossly mistreated.  Whether someone`s lifestlye or choices or beliefs are seen as sinful, they deserve to be loved and shown respect.  I love the compassion that Ryan shows, and his desire to speak for an under-represented group.  Minorities do need people to speak for them. 

The reality is that some Christians have bullied homosexuals, and some have been guilty of hate-filled comments.  When this happens, we bear that sin as a community, and must work to cleanse the Christian attitude toward homosexual people. Homosexual acts are, by biblical definition, sinful, BUT, bullying is an un-Christian response to sinners.  It is sinful, too.  We must not forget our own sinfulness.  The reality is that Christians can`t say that others are sinful and we are not.  We are sinful, too. 

We don`t believe salvation comes to the perfect, or sinless.  The sinless person wouldn`t need salvation.  But,1 John says, `If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us (1:8-10).  

Our perspective on sin is rooted in God`s pre-fall, perfect creation, where he has created the heavens and the earth, separated the water, land, and sky, and inhabited them with a rich, beautiful, perfectly ordered diverse creation that functions in perfect balance according to his natural law.  It was created to reflect his glory - something that is reflected most perfectly in the male-female marriage (including sexual) relationship.  His glory is reflected in a more profound way in his design of marriage than in the creation of individual human beings.  Part of how we reflect his glory, and spread it throughout the created world is through being fruitful and increasing in number (Genesis 1:28) and by maintaining the natural order of the created earth,  caring for God`s creation, and tending to the earth (Genesis 2:15)).  

So there humanity was, in a perfectly balanced world, with all that we need for health, a joy-filled life, perfect community with God and each other.  We had complete freedom... save one stipulation.  Only one thing we were not to do. 

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die (Genesis 2:16-17).”

One tree we were not to eat from.  But, we did.  

That first act that broke the natural order was our first sin.  Adam and Eve exchanged what was natural for what was unnatural.  What resulted changed our nature - changed our desires forever to include the unnatural.  It changed how our nature functioned - rather than still possessing our created nature, our nature became fallen.  Ever since, we are inclined to serve our own will and desires over and above God`s.

Since then, every human has broken the natural order (sin), as it says in Romans 3:23, ``for all have sinned and fall short the glory of God.``  And Romans 6:23 reminds us that `the wages of sin is death.``

We all break God`s law.  Christians, just like all human beings, can choose to follow God`s law, or to break it.  Christians have been guilty of all kinds of wrong - lots of it done in the name of God, which God abhors.  Christians can never do enough right to undo their wrong.  We can`t change our sinful state any more than anyone else.  That`s why we need someone to save us - to restore us to our natural state.  We need a Savior.

That`s the beauty of the incarnation.  God loved his creation so much that he came to us in human form:

 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8)!

God himself became human.  Entered a world filled with pain.  Mistreatment.  Injustice.  And, dispite it all, did what not one of us could do.  He did not sin.  He gave up his divine rights.  He felt every temptation.  Broken desires.  Took on pain, suffering, and most profound injustice (there was no consequence of the fallen world that he deserved).  Even so, he willingly took on all of the sin in the world - onto himself.  Our sin.  My sin.  He took it onto himself and bore the punishment for each one.  The punishment that we deserve.  The punishment that I deserve.  Jesus died an unjust death - the greatest injustice there ever was, and yet he chose it to save me.  He chose it becuse of his love for us.

This sacrifice payed the price for sin once and for all.  This perfect sacrifice broke the power of sin and death once and for all. His love can take what is broken - unnatural - and restore his creation.  Restore us.  It can change our desires by the power of his Holy Spirit.  

We all have deep desires that are `natural` in the context of a world that isn`t operating according to God`s natural laws.  For Christians these desires don`t just go away.  Like Christ did, we endure in a broken world and we choose to hand over our desires to Christ, and we choose to follow his law, his natural order, his way of personal self-sacrifice, out of gratitude for his sacrfice.  Giving up personal, deep desires is hard.  Its a life-long struggle.  It can only be done in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, until our salvation is made complete in the end.  Until it is fulfilled we will struggle between choosing him and the way of the world.

As Christians, just as with non-Christians, we are always faced with the choice of following God or going about things our own way (sin).  That`s while you`ll see Christians sometimes treat others as subhuman (sin), destroying the balance of creation rather than restoring and upholing it (sin), chasing after wealth and forgetting the poor (sin), eating food gluttinously while others starve (sin), wearing clothes that are made in factories that exploit others (sin).  You see, we are all sinful.  We are all in need of a Savior.  So it is not wicked to call another person sinful. But it is wicked to hate another person.  Christians will be held to account for their sins, just like every other person, if they do not repent and turn from them. 

...Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, BUT the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:19-23, emphasis mine)

His sacrifice pays the price of death that WE owe - IF we repent and make make him Lord.

 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, AND all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (if we only receive him¨). God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:23-26, emphasis mine).

This righteous state that Christ gives us when we proclaim Jesus as Lord is a committment to living according to God`s design - according to his natural laws, as 1 John 1 explains:

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (verses 5-7).

 Consider, Christians, how we might love people, even when we disagree.  One lesbian`s perspective on how we can do that can be found here :)  and lets remember and celebrate the forgiveness that WE have received, as we have been guilty of sin, too!

AND, If you don`t have this forgiveness, this freedom, and you want to have it, Christ`s sacrifice offers it to you, too!

Love you all!!