by Teri Ong
In his April 7 column in the Greeley Tribune, “Re-thinking Bible and Same-sex Relationships,” Jeff Cook states that his purpose is to get evangelical Christians to “reconsider what we believe about monogamous same sex relationships.” He argues that Bible scholars misunderstand how the New Testament writers taught ethics, but he, as an “ethicist” understands it better than the Bible scholars. I agree with him that Jesus’ teaching of virtue is not “focused on rule-following,” but Cook fails to understand that Jesus’ teaching sets a higher standard than the rules, not a lower standard. For example, turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, not looking at a woman in lust, not calling someone a fool, as He taught in the Sermon on the Mount, all go beyond the letter of the law. (Matt. 5-7)
Cook also uses Paul’s summary of the law to defend the idea that loving humans, including giving romantic love where it may not belong, is the highest virtue. But we should remember there are two tablets of the Law – the God-ward side and the man-ward side. Jesus said that the God-ward side is the law of first rank, and the man-ward side is like it, but is second. (Matt. 22:37-40) How do we love God? By doing what He wants in our relationship to Him firstly, and part of that is doing what He wants in our relations to humans.
Cook switches from talking about Jesus’ words to Paul’s words when it suits his argument so that he can focus on the man-ward side to the exclusion of considering the requirements God has given. Paul, however, includes the God-ward side, if we read a verse or two further in the context of Romans 13:8-13 or Galatians 5:13-21. In both of these passages, God puts boundaries around virtuous behavior by saying we are not to indulge our sinful flesh in any way, including through debauchery, orgies, sexual immorality, sensuality, and a host of other sinful behaviors. Indeed, against virtue there is no law, as Cook quotes from the Galatians passage, but Paul does a good job of defining and listing the behaviors that are not virtuous, and which are against God’s law.
The Apostle Paul was not shy about naming names when under inspiration he wrote: …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. (1 Cor. 6:9-10) The good news is that none of these kinds of sinners are beyond the reach of God’s grace.
Paul continues: “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 Cor. 6:11) Notice the phrase, “…such WERE some of you.” People who are truly justified in the name of the Lord Jesus do NOT continue in any of the lifestyles that Paul has just listed. Every true Christian is a sinner who has repented and has changed their ways. Then why do we know so many “Christians” who persist in sinful lifestyles? We need to acknowledge the existence of cultural “Christians” who have not truly been changed by the work of Jesus on the cross.
Jesus told us, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” (Matt. 7:21) We cannot truly be loving God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength if we are habitually and consciously choosing to disobey His commands, especially if we call disobedience a personal “lifestyle choice.”
Cook writes, “Apparently virtue has nothing to do with “who” we commit our romantic heart to.” He implies that romantic (sexual?) love is one form of loving your neighbor, which makes it automatically virtuous. However, bestowing romantic love on a forbidden partner of your choice is not the same as loving God and fellow humans in a godly way. God makes it clear that certain partners are forbidden for a variety of reasons. God forbids relationships that cause fornication, adultery, incest, bestiality, and homosexual sex acts. Apparently, Christian virtue does have something to do with whom we choose for romance.
There is a great danger in elevating romantic/sexual love in any form to a height that exceeds a love for God that would cause us to choose obedience to Him over any other human choice. C. S. Lewis warned readers, “We may give our human loves the unconditional allegiance we owe only to God. Then they [our human loves] become gods: then they become demons. Then they will destroy us, and also destroy themselves.” [in The Four Loves]
Many categories of sinners are “patient, hope-filled, courageous, joy overflowing, love giving” in many areas of life, but struggle with sinful choices in some other area. However, we cannot balance out some evil with some good. Jesus came to save sinners because we are not graded on a curve in the end. Jesus has to wash us, justify us, and sanctify us entirely, as Paul said.
The only category beyond God’s mercy is those who don’t want to repent and change. Jesus said people with this attitude think they are spiritually healthy and don’t need His healing. He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.” (Matt. 9:12) Jesus was gentle and merciful with sinners who were willing to admit they were in need of repentance and salvation. He had no time for those who did not think they were in sin.
Most people who try to Biblically justify same-sex relations don’t argue for the “virtue” of fornication, adultery, or incest, but all forms of sexual sin are listed together, along with other non-sexual categories. Why are we trying to give only one form of sin a pass? When we do, we are doing a great disservice– indeed, we are being unloving as well as untruthful because we may be hindering a whole group of people from seeing their need by telling them their chosen “lifestyle” is not sinful.
The most loving thing we can do for any of our neighbors is show them with compassion how Jesus can save them from any sinful lifestyle, and change them through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Reference:
Lewis, C. S. The Inspirational Writings of C. S. Lewis. “The Four Loves.” New York: Inspirational Press, 1986. p. 2
