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 The author writes that it's fine for Christians to take certain biblical condemnations seriously while ignoring others.
May 21st, 2012
10:00 AM ET
My Take: The Bible condemns a lot, but here's why we focus on homosexuality
By R. Albert Mohler Jr., Special to CNN Are conservative Christians hypocritical and selective when it comes to the Bible’s condemnation of homosexuality? With all that the Bible condemns, why the focus on gay sex and same-sex marriage? Given the heated nature of our current debates, it’s a question conservative Christians have learned to expect. “Look,” we are told, “the Bible condemns eating shellfish, wearing mixed fabrics and any number of other things. Why do you ignore those things and insist that the Bible must be obeyed when it comes to sex?” On its face, it’s a fair question. But it can be posed in two very different ways. First, the question can be asked to suggest that the Bible’s clear condemnation of sexual sins can simply be set aside. The other way of posing the question represents a genuine attempt to understand how the Bible is to be rightly applied to life today. In truth, those asking the question the first way really don’t want an answer. CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories An honest consideration of the Bible reveals that most of the biblical laws people point to in asking this question, such as laws against eating shellfish or wearing mixed fabrics, are part of the holiness code assigned to Israel in the Old Testament. That code was to set Israel, God’s covenant people, apart from all other nations on everything from morality to diet. As the Book of Acts makes clear, Christians are not obligated to follow this holiness code. This is made clear in Peter’s vision in Acts 10:15. Peter is told, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” In other words, there is no kosher code for Christians. Christians are not concerned with eating kosher foods and avoiding all others. That part of the law is no longer binding, and Christians can enjoy shrimp and pork with no injury to conscience. The Bible’s commands on sexual behavior, on the other hand, are continued in the New Testament. When it comes to homosexuality, the Bible’s teaching is consistent, pervasive, uniform and set within a larger context of law and Gospel. My Take: The Christian case for gay marriage The Old Testament clearly condemns male homosexuality along with adultery, bestiality, incest and any sex outside the covenant of marriage. The New Testament does not lessen this concern but amplifies it. The New Testament condemns both male and female homosexual behavior. The Apostle Paul, for example, points specifically to homosexuality as evidence of human sinfulness. His point is not merely that homosexuals are sinners but that all humanity has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The New Testament condemns a full range of sexual sins, and homosexuality is specified among these sins. In Romans, Paul refers to homosexuality in terms of “dishonorable passions,” “contrary to nature” and “shameless.” As New Testament scholar Robert Gagnon has stated, the Bible’s indictment “encompasses every and any form of homosexual behavior.” Your Take: Rethinking the Bible on homosexuality? Some people then ask, “What about slavery and polygamy?” In the first place, the New Testament never commands slavery, and it prizes freedom and human dignity. For this reason, the abolitionist movement was largely led by Christians, armed with Christian conviction. The Old Testament did allow for polygamy, though it normalizes heterosexual monogamy. In the New Testament, Jesus made clear that marriage was always meant to be one man and one woman. “Have you not read that He who created them made them male and female?” Jesus asked in Matthew. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” For this reason, Christians have opposed polygamy on biblical grounds. Why are Christians so concerned with homosexuality? In the first place, that question is answered by the simple fact that it is the most pressing moral question of our times. Christians must be concerned about adultery, pornography, injustice, dishonesty and everything the Bible names as sin. But when my phone rings with a call from a reporter these days, the question I am asked is never adultery or pornography. It is about homosexuality. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter Christians who are seriously committed to the authority of the Bible have no choice but to affirm all that the Bible teaches, including its condemnation of homosexuality. At the same time, our confidence is that God condemns those things that will bring his human creatures harm and commands those things that will lead to true human happiness and flourishing. In other words, we understand that the Bible condemns all forms of sin because our Creator knows what is best for us. The Bible names sins specifically so that each of us will recognize our own sinfulness and look to Christ for salvation and the forgiveness of our sins. Christian love requires that we believe and teach what the Bible teaches and that we do so with both strong conviction and humble hearts. The Church must repent of our failures in both of these tasks, but we must not be silent where the Bible speaks. Are Christians hypocrites in insisting that homosexual behavior is sin? We, too, are sinners, and hypocrisy and inconsistency are perpetual dangers. The church failed miserably in the face of the challenge of divorce. This requires an honest admission and strong corrective. At the same time, this painful failure must remind us that we must not fail to answer rightly when asked what the Bible teaches about homosexuality. Love requires us to tell the truth. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of R. Albert Mohler Jr. soundoff (7,995 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112
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Editor's Note: R. Albert Mohler Jr. is president of the 
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Pure sophistry! Dr. Mohler is creating distinctions without difference. His bold new concept of the "holiness code" is pharisaical and made out of whole cloth. The unadulturated truth is that he is picking and choosing which of the Biblical laws that he believes should still apply today.
The gubmint usurped the insti*tution of marriage, thanks to the modern day pharisees coupled with godless socialism.
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When tragedy strikes everyone wants to blame God. Any other time, we want to kick him out of every corner of the world. Sounds consistent...
Uncouth Swain says this decision has nothing to do with god. Are you saying otherwise?
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All, whether you are Christian or Atheist, conservative or liberal, please read the following article and be sure to follow the links: http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/11/07/phillip-gunn-sbts-al-mohler-legal-rightmoral-right/
It is time for people to know who Al Mohler truly is.
Nicholas – I really don't care who he "really"is. The message is sound regardless of the messenger.
Cam thanks for shiarng that! This was a very good point and something that I think trips a lot of us up! All or nothing is not usually a good plan. I came to the same conclusion as you leaving a day or two buffer and it has worked very well for me too. Can't wait to hear your insight from your study!
Robin,It all goes back to origins rlaely. If one believes that God created the world and everything in it from nothing, then there is Some One that we as creatures have to be accountable to for our actions or non actions as the case may be. If however one believes that all happened by random chance, with multiple miraculous violations of second law of thermodynamics, that there is not at the very least an Intelligent Designer, then men and women can be their own gods. All then is profitable, everyone does what is right in their own eyes, there is no absolute Truth because my truth may not be your truth. I highly recommend Nancy Pearcy's book Total Truth.
Thanks for revealing your ideas. I might also like to say that video games have been altcauly evolving. Modern tools and enhancements have aided create reasonable and active games. These entertainment video games were not that sensible when the concept was first of all being tried. Just like other styles of technologies, video games as well have had to advance by way of many decades. This itself is testimony towards fast growth and development of video games.
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You recognize therefore significantly in the case of this subject, made me personally believe it from numerous varied angles. Its like women and men don't seem to be fascinated until it is one thing to accomplish with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs nice. At all times deal with it up!
Christ came to release us from the bgonade of the law. However, once released, and reconciled to God, we are expected to obey the spirit of the law in order to prepare us to be guided by the Spirit of God. And here is my argument (and we can agree to disagree), that once we accept Christ, in out attempt to do as He did and live as He lived, we are already obeying the spirit of the law . We do not have to have a set of rules upon rules to know what God expects from us, we just imitate Christ. And it is the Holy Spirit that nudges us in the right direction, in the footsteps of our Lord, but of course we still have free will, to listen to the Spirit or listen to do what the flesh wants.In other words: Christ already obeyed the Spirit of the law in fact, He IS the Spirit of the law, therefore by obeying the teachings of Christ, we are already obeying the law. I agree that the legalism and traditions of the Church are dangerous, but lets not throw the baby out with the bathwater, for lack of a better analogy. From Romans, to Coriththians to Colossians to Galatians Paul talks about this, and i think this is what Muslims are missing: they are trying so hard to keep up with the letter of the law AND Sharia law that they are missing not only the reconcilation with God but the fellowship with God as well.
Bless you Amydeanne and thank you for this July desktop cadnaler and this verse reminding us that God has a purpose and yes, He is in control. I wrote a more personal comment at your blog 160 acre woods on your I am saddened by your news and rough week. I will keep praying and believing you are COMFORTED in God's grace, strength and tender love for you and your family. Hope gramma is doing much better! Take good care. And May God watch over you and shine His face and light as you DO shine yours. Amen to your sweet prayer! Love and HUG, Peggy
I was so excited about your book that I dolaownded for my Kindle. Your stories will resonate with readers! I'm only on chapter 2 and already encouraged to fidn my strength in God instead of my own efforts. Looking forward to being on your Street Team!