#CHURCHTALK 27: Ravi Zacharias speaks on "Being a gay Christian"
Tides are changing in the world, and they're affecting church systems in ways that call into question certain biblical possibilities or impossiblilities.
In today's world, homosexuality has gone mainstream in the society. Men now love men openly, and women love their fellow women too. Various governments around the world have provided legal backing for such people to get married and to adopt babies as a couple. For them, who one chooses to love is a deeply personal issue which should not be interfered with under any circumstances.
The Islamic faith says a blatant "NO" to that line of thought, and some Islamic governments around the world even prescribe the death penalty for homosexual relations. Afghanistan, Brunei and Iran are examples of such Islamic countries. In Islam, the matter isn't even up for discussion at all.
On the other hand, while some Christians are welcoming towards homosexuality due to advancing liberal theology, and the very idea of being a homosexual Christian is going mainstream in some communities in mostly Christian nations, there are also a majority of Christians who completely reject the lifestyle, claiming that it is at variance with the teachings of the Bible.
Let's see what the Bible says about same-sex erotic relations:
Leviticus 18:22-23 [KJV]
22. Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
23. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
The New Living Translation (NLT) puts it this way:
22. “Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.
23. “A man must not defile himself by having sex with an animal. And a woman must not offer herself to a male animal to have intercourse with it. This is a perverse act.
Infact, God prescribed the death penalty for the act in the ancient Israeli Nation led by Moses who received the law from God (See Leviticus 20:13). And this teaching (aside the death penalty part) was later carried on by the apostles of Jesus Christ after He also spent time addressing the issue of sexuality during His earthly ministry. Jesus, during His earthly ministry, never endorsed the death penalty for any offense or sin, and neither did any of his apostles.
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| In loving memory of Dr. Ravi Zacharias, who spent 45 years touring the world, making a defense for the gospel of Jesus Christ. |
But, in order to properly understand and treat this issue, it is important to understand the full context and forms of what is known as homosexuality. See how the Apostle Paul talked about it in the book of Romans chapter 1.
Romans 1:25-28 [NLT]
25. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
26. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.
27. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
28. Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.
For better understanding, you might want to read the passage again, starting from verse 18 this time.
Many liberal-minded church people tend to argue that what the Bible condemns is the act of homosexuality itself, not the union. But, is it possible to be in a same-sex friendship/union without carrying out same-sex acts?
Others argue that sexual violence was the real reason why God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, not necessarily homosexuality. But, if that were to be so, how does it gell with the statements in Leviticus 18:22 and Ezekiel 16:49-50?
Ezekiel 16:49-50 [KJV]
49. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
50. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
Is it not instructive how the description of the society in Ezekiel 16:49-50 matches our present society?
Furthermore, there are those who argue that homosexuality is beyond just a sexual act or orientation, but also includes the principles of genuine love, affection and family between two people, values that are highly valued as fundamental doctrines of marriage and true Christian living. But, if this is so, why does Jesus meticulously omit an endorsement of it during His earthly ministry, but rather restates the first teaching that delegitimizes it?
Fact is that, everytime we hear of people in same-sex unions, what likely comes to mind first is sodomy and/or lesbian acts. But, the truth is that it is often more far-reaching than that. In many cases, it refers to two men or two women who actually feel deeply loved by each other in a way that a man and a woman could be in love with each other as well.
However, late Christian apologist and honorary doctor, Ravi Zacharias, argues that it is no different than a legally married man "falling in love" with another woman other than his own wife, or a single man loving a married woman, or a married man cheating on his wife simply because he feels erotic desires towards another lady.
The question he asks is: Does having certain tendencies or proclivities legitimize their consummation? And he answers by saying, "Having a disposition or proclivity does not justify expressing that disposition or proclivity. And that goes across board for all sexuality".
Another common argument amongst most liberal-leaning individuals who are mostly not of the Christian faith is that it smacks of a double standard for Christians to not support racism, and yet discriminate against homosexuals.
To this, Dr. Ravi responds by highlighting what he refers to as the obvious dichotomy between the logical reasoning put forward by the very question in itself.
Christians speak against racism because race is sacred and a person's race should never be violated.
In the same way, they also speak against homosexuality because sexuality is also sacred, and should never be violated too. He asks, "Why should we speak against one and not speak against the other?"
"Sex is a sacred gift from God", says Dr. Ravi. "I can no more justify an aberration of it in somebody else's life than I can justify my proclivities to go beyond my marital boundaries".
As earlier said, a disposition or a proclivity does not justify expressing that disposition or proclivity. Because a person finds the same sex attractive does not mean they ought to take that attraction any further, he implies. Neither should a Christian be bitter just because they have been offended. No. Rather, they should rid themselves of the offense or bitterness by the power of their salvation in Christ, else they make the word of God of non-effect in their lives.
If a Christian finds that he is lusting in his heart after a lady, he doesn't act further on that lust by dwelling on it or going ahead to make actual physical sexual advances (or commiting even the very act) with her. Rather, he rebukes his own inordinate lustful desires, for they are not of the righteousness of Christ which he possesses.
Hence, a Christian can no more identify as a homosexual than he can identify as a fornicator or a drunkard or a liar or with any other sin, using the excuse that he/she feels that way at that time or period. The word of God is the standard in Christianity, not individual feelings.
In fact, ANYONE, including a 'straight' man or woman, can find a person of the same sex to be attractive in a sexual manner at any given time. This is a factual possibility and reality with humans. Homosexual feelings can be felt by anyone and at anytime because the flesh can be influenced.
But, the hallmark of being a Christian is that, IN Christ, we have died to our own desires and proclivities. Therefore, any desire or proclivity we find in us at any time, which runs foul to the words of Christ, we reject in Christ's name (and for Christ's sake), and cast them down as evil imaginations that are trying to exalt themselves above what we know about God.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5
4. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
So, a Christian can no more identify as a homosexual as they can identify as a an adulterer. Evil thoughts and imaginations are to be brought to the obedience of Christ.
Just as the Christian man who has polygamic tendencies is not to act on them since they run foul to scriptural practice, so also the man or woman with homosexual tendencies is not to live in such practices which run foul to the ways that Jesus Christ and His apostles have endorsed. This is essentially the walk and fight of faith.
Dr. Ravi Zacharias was a Christian apologist, itinerant evangelist, and teacher of the word, whose ministry, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, toured the world, putting up a defense for the Christian faith on many a stage. He died in May, 2020 after being diagnosed earlier in March with a rare and malignant form of cancer in his spine.
Awesome piece. Jisieike.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written.
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