with the issue of women in the ministry, some are having trouble accepting
the Church’s considered opinion and may be “walking away” – literally or
figuratively.
Obviously in 1964 there was no need to include teachings about
homosexuality as “hard sayings.” The doctrine is clear – both in the Word and
the Writings – and was generally accepted. Gay marriage was neither a term
nor a consideration in that culture.
Times have changed – but doctrine has not.
In this issue are two articles on the subject: What the Word Says About
Homosexuality, by the Rev. Willard Heinrichs (page 179), and The Christian
Case for Traditional Marriage, by the Rev. Kurt Nemitz (page 185).
Mr. Heinrichs notes: “Nowhere in Scripture is there any indication, not
even a whisper, that it is permissible for two of the same sex to try to become
one flesh.” And he adds the warning: “If we choose to allow and affirm such
relationships we need to be honest with ourselves that we are going aside from
all the indications of God’s Word in the Old and New Testaments and are being
guided by other not very reliable things, such as human reason, experience
and tradition.”
Mr. Nemitz says of marriage: “For Jesus, marriage was sacrosanct. In
truth, it was – it is – heaven.” And he adds a note of mercy: “The Lord, who is
goodness itself, condemns no one who has homosexual inclinations. It is those
who willfully act upon such inclinations who condemn themselves by fleeing
from heaven and the Lord – ‘because the Lord cannot be in anything except
good.’”
Our culture today certainly is much more accepting and tolerant of
homosexuality and gay marriage. In many ways this is progress from much
harsher, more judgmental times.
The recent and highly acclaimed movie, The Imitation Game, tells the
story of Alan Turing, a brilliant mathematician who led the effort to break
the Germans' Enigma code in World War II. He is credited with shortening
the war by a year or two and saving thousands of lives. He was a real hero.
But Turing was also a homosexual at a time when this was illegal and he was
cruelly persecuted. It took 50 years before he was posthumously pardoned
by the queen. Such persecution and legal judgment would not happen today
and we are rightly appalled at the attitudes prevailing then. But that still
doesn’t change doctrinal teachings about homosexuality, which are clear and
immutable.
However, just as clear and immutable are teachings that the Lord loves
everyone equally and unconditionally, that everyone is born for heaven,
and that He is doing everything He can to raise everyone into heaven who
genuinely loves and wants to be there. The Lord also commands all of us to be
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