David Bahn – Reflections

Romans 1:26-31

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Not too long ago a post appeared on Facebook showing a tattooed and pierced individual with an overlay of words stating: “Some of the most loving, accepting, and kind people I’ve met have been covered with tattoos and piercings. Some of the most judgmental and mean-spirited people I’ve met go to church every Sunday.” Perhaps it was an overstatement, but it should be so untrue of Christian people that it would cause us all to laugh. Sadly it doesn’t.

One church has such a strong stand against homosexuality that their members are seen as hate mongers and homophobic. Another church has such an open stance toward the issue that they are seen as standing for nothing. Arguments fly back and forth about gay rights and gay marriage, dividing families and churches alike. Even at the Winter Olympics at Sochi Russia the question became a front and center issue in the face of Russian President Putin’s strong anti-gay policies and stance. 

So how do we speak to the issue of sexual identity and practice in a manner that upholds truth and holds out grace? Here we have the clear expression of the truth. There is little grace in these words. There is little expression of kindness or mercy. But be careful not to fall too far into the trap of self-righteous indignation against those who are sexually immoral – by any definition.

Look more closely, however, at the list of ills that Paul offers here! The list includes the likely suspects, railing against envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. Still other pretty bad ones: slanderers, haters of God, boastful, inventors of evil. But then there are some more supposedly innocuous sins: gossips, insolent, haughty, boastful, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless. What about these? Why would anyone put forward a particular sin when any one of these others make the list here, and Paul says of these as well, “…those who practice such things deserve to die?”

Sadly the unintelligent chaos of human sinfulness bleeds out all over the place. We need never apologize for calling sin sin. We need not become politically correct in an effort to please the world (We are to please God after all!). But if we are going to call homosexual behavior the product of a debased mind, we better be ready to call covetousness, gossip, disobedience to parents, and foolishness what they are as well: things deserving God’s judgment.

Lord have mercy on us all! For that is our only hope and salvation. May we be ever humble before God and one another as we acknowledge every sin and repent and believe the Good News of Jesus!