The progressive wing of evangelicalism seems to be ramping up its demand that Bible-believing churches accept homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle. An example is a recent video from Nadia Bolz-Weber titled "I Am the Church." The video parades young men and women who briefly state why they come to church, identify themselves with one of the LGBTQ nomenclatures, and insist that they be accepted as Christians. The basic message is, "I am a homosexual Christian and I am not an issue." Of course, the whole point of the video is to make their sexuality an issue and demand acceptance from Christians whose consciences forbid it. The highlight comes at the end, when Bolz-Weber reads from Ephesians 2:14-15 as sealing the issue: "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility."
Before giving reasons why this kind of presentation is not persuasive to Christians who disagree, let me say that I am personally touched by all sincere professions of faith in the grace of Jesus Christ. The first man in the video speaks of receiving grace and forgiveness in the gospel, and I do not look on him only as a "queer," as he put it, but as a sinner who like me has a wide range of spiritual needs that are met in Jesus Christ. I praise the Lord for that. A woman named Kathleen rejoices that "I don't have to do anything that makes me worthy or deserving." Sinners of all varieties rejoice in the same mercy as we come to God in Christ. As much as I know that these men and women are being spotlighted to advocate a single issue, I know they are people whose identity far transcends the matter of their sexuality and that Jesus truly is the Savior for all who come to him in faith.
Yet there are vital concerns that I cannot brush aside, given my obligation as a Christian to be faithful to Christ and as a pastor to uphold the Word of God. Let me therefore respond to the video with three critiques. They are: 1) Not all divisons are the same; 2) the gospel includes life transformation in a holy direction; and 3) being the Body of Christ involves moral obligations.... Read more
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