By Teri Ong
Jeff Cook has done it again. A few weeks ago he set up a false tension between so-called social justice and freedom. This time he has set up a false dichotomy between the nasty Bible-thumpers who approve of “flaying terrorists” and sweet-tempered LGBT’s. He writes, with seeming sadness, that people who come up with Scripture verses to condemn same-sex marriage, can’t seem to think of a single verse to condemn torture. [See Greeley Tribune, Sunday, April 7, 2019, “Re-thinking Bible and Same-sex Relationships,” page B8]
I think he has set up some “straw” people to support his view. Most of my Bible-believing friends could take on both topics astutely. But I admit that many American cultural Christians, who are often poorly trained in true Biblical knowledge and are often “Christian in name only,” generally can’t support particular view points on most topics with contextually applicable Scripture. That doesn’t alter the fact, however, the God has clearly communicated His views in the Bible He inspired and has preserved.
Cook presents a contrast between mean-spirited, hypocritical traditionalists, and kindly- spirited people who either have or who affirm “alternate” sexual attractions. But in reality, his two groups represent two varieties of the same thing – sinners. C. S. Lewis wrote about the two broad categories of sinners represented in the pages of Scripture: some people are more attracted to sins of the flesh, and some are more attracted to the diabolical sins of the spirit. The sins of the flesh include drunkenness, gluttony, all forms of immoral sexual gratification, laziness. The sins of the spirit include pride, schism, back-biting, unforgiveness, rebellion. The first batch relates to our animal-like creatureliness. The second batch is straight from the Devil himself.
Some people err by only spotting and condemning the sins of the flesh. Such people are often called “legalists” or “pharisees” by those who would like to justify a more flesh-centered lifestyle. But it is also possible to err by condemning only the sins of the spirit. For such people, hypocrisy is the only sin worth denouncing. However, hypocrites abound on both sides of the sin problem. When fleshly sinners focus on condemning pharisaic pride and hypocrisy, they demonstrate their own kind of pride by justifying their chosen sins on the backs of others.
Cook implies in his opinion piece that “rules” went out the window when Jesus came; the only thing that matters now is some form of Jesus-like niceness. However, the New Testament contains numerous “lists” of examples of good behavior and bad behavior. (Col. 3:5-10, 1 Thes. 4:2-8) Jesus, Himself, gave a list. (Mark 7:20-23) Every list contains both sins of the flesh and sins of the spirit. No category is better off than the others in terms of God’s justice and our need of Jesus as our Redeemer. In fact, the lists are there to show us just that.
Jesus-like niceness is not enough: it is not a sufficient covering or excuse for sinful behavior in even one area of life. When the rich, young ruler came to Jesus, he told Jesus he had kept all of the Law. Jesus told him that he still lacked one thing. Rather than submit that one area of life to Jesus, the young man chose to go away sad. (Mark 10:17-22) Many people make the same unhappy choice today when confronted with the need to give up some form of selfish gratification of the flesh or spirit in order to obey the Savior.
Jesus clearly communicated that God had a perfect plan in creation. He created male and female, and He intended for one male and one female to cleave together in marriage, to bear and raise Godly children, and to picture the perfect covenant union of Christ and His church. Jesus also let us know that God knew we would not cooperate because of our sinful, hard hearts. The hardness of our hearts is expressed in all the many ways we overthrow His perfect plan. (Matt. 19:3-12, Eph. 4:17-19)
In truth, there is a connection between sins involving sexual perversion and pride. The Apostle Paul wrote that those who reject God as the Creator and refuse to give Him thanks as the giver of life, breath, and all things, have rejected truth. They set themselves up as their own gods, worshiping the creature rather than the Creator. In pride they pursue whatever self-gratification they choose. Because they have rejected God’s truth and graciousness to them, He gives them over to degrading passions and abuse of their bodies. (Rom. 1:18-32) The list at the end of this passage shows that all types of sins of the flesh and the spirit are the result of self-worship.
Christians who are not Christians in name only should understand that there is no disconnect between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The perfection of God’s plan for one woman/one man marriage stands for all time. There is no positive example in the Bible of any sexual perversion being “blessed” because it was “loving.” Here are a few diverse examples: the incest of Lot (Gen. 19:30-38), the sodomy, abuse, and murder by the Benjamites (Judges 19, 20), the sexual addiction of Solomon (1 Kings 11:3-4) beastiality (Ex. 22:19). For a definitive list of the practices God detests see Leviticus 18:6-28. Sex is an arena in which people express selfish pride by thinking they deserve to be gratified in any way they choose and at any time they choose. This was never God’s intention and it never will be.
It does not matter to God if we are gratifying self inside or outside of a socially acceptable boundary, especially if that boundary is a man-made norm. Selfishness is selfishness. Christian love, like the example of Christ Himself, is self-sacrificing. Even in marriage, righteous sex is about giving yourself to the other person, not about gratifying yourself. True Christian marriage culminates in the wife being willing to give her body to a potential child, and in a man giving his very life to protect and provide for them both. (1 Cor. 7:1-4, Eph. 5:28-29) The rejection of that God-given standard has led to many of the social problems we are currently experiencing.
Jesus’ summary of the Law of God as loving God with everything we are and loving our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31), does not negate any of God’s rules for how to accomplish those overarching goals. Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-20. These “rules” are for the church age. God knew that we would need to know what loving Him with our whole heart, soul, and mind looks like. How do I know this? These are the last words of Jesus recorded in Scripture by the Apostle John.
12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Rev 22:12-16 (NASU)
To say that all of this is not so is a lie of the most wicked kind. I do not want to find myself in that category when Jesus returns. Come quickly, Lord Jesus
Jeff Cook [“Re-thinking Bible and Same-sex Relationships,” April 7 Faith column] misses the point that throughout the Bible, and yes, even in the New Testament, God says that certain choices we make in life are sinful. The Christian life is not about keeping rules, but it is about loving God more than we love certain sins. God has graciously spelled out what behaviors are sins. Every person who is a true Christian has repented of sinful choices and has chosen to follow Jesus. Different people struggle with attractions to different kinds of sins, but humans do not have the right to take particular sins off God’s list for any reason, especially for personal, cultural or political expediency.
