Dear Editor,
In the Calvin Chimes article that came out on Dec. 4, 2015, it talked about being more open-minded toward gay Christians. I feel compelled to ask a few questions.
Throughout the Bible we are reminded that homosexuality and fornication are a sin. You may reference such texts as Gen. 19:1-13, Lev. 18:22, Rom. 1:26-27 and 1 Cor. 6:9. Homosexuality was defined as a sin for the first 20 centuries by every Christian church. So, what has changed? What was revealed in the last few years that proved the prophets, the apostles and all Christian denominations until recently wrong? What new piece of information did humanity obtain? What great revelation occurred? You think a 2,000-year-old faith that professes timeless Truths should “keep up” with the whims of modernity, but why? What do we know in our time that the Church didn’t know — that God himself didn’t know — up to now?
In the article, one of men interviewed says, “I’m allowed to be the Christian with all my life.” I have a couple of issues with that statement. First, it makes one believe that just because the Supreme Court made it legal now, God should allow this sin as well. It is like you were excluded from the love of God before the ruling.
But here is the other problem with that statement. We are all allowed to be Christians. Every part of our sinful existence should not be excluded from God. That’s what being a Christian is all about. God wants everyone to follow him. I’m tired of hearing this “inclusive” stuff. Yes, of course the faith is made for homosexual people. It’s made for all people. It’s not a cult or a club. There’s no entrance exam or membership fee. Christianity is for everyone.
When you ask for a sinful lifestyle to be included in Christianity, you ask for a Christianity that, rather than calling you to serve it, bends down and serves you. You’re asking to be included in the faith on your own terms. That’s just not how this works. As Christians, we have no authority to include them in that way. They must include themselves.
We go out into the world and proclaim the Gospel. We offer an invitation. We extend a greeting. We fight to win souls. But the souls must come of their own accord and must accept the Truth of Christ willingly and in its fullness. You must enter into the Truth. You must be the one who accepts it. You must be the one who “includes” the Truth in your life. Your lifestyle must change to accommodate the Truth, not the other way around.
When people came to follow Jesus in Scripture, he told them to first leave their earthly pleasures behind and then continue along the road (Luke 18:22). He made it very clear that there is in fact a correct lifestyle, a correct way to live, and that way is narrow. Matthew 7:13 tells us the broad and “inclusive” road is the one that leads to damnation. You must choose, then, to walk through the right path, the narrow path, but it will be difficult and demanding, and it will not and cannot be widened to include a sinful lifestyle.
We all struggle with sin. But struggle is the keyword. Struggle. Fight back. Plead with God in agony to help you defeat these demons. Go to Christ begging that he help you overcome your temptations and live with chastity and temperance. Don’t demand that your sin be allowed to accompany you into heaven. It can’t. We can accompany our sins into hell, or ditch the whole ugly package on the side of the road and come home.
The point is, Christianity includes us, Christ includes us, but he will not include our sin. We have to choose to shed our sin, pick up our cross and follow him. That’s what it means to be included. They say that’s what they want, but do they? Do they want to leave their earthly pleasures behind, cut off whatever parts of their lives that are causing them to sin (Matthew 5:30), and die with Christ?
Tim Bakelaar, Building Services Supervisor