Back in 2001, I pastored a small rural United Methodist Church in western Kentucky. As part of the responsibilities of that position, I had to attend monthly meetings of the Methodist district. During one meeting, the district superintendent introduced the new marketing plan: “Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors”. At first, I was skeptical, but as he began explaining the purpose – to serve and reach what he called underserved populations, I became alarmed. Subjects such as preaching against premarital cohabitation, homosexuality, adultery, and the use of intoxicating and mind altering substances were no longer to be highlighted. Instead, a more loving gospel that God accepts people just as they are with the intent of avoiding any sermon that could offend or cause new converts to leave the church strongly discouraged. One of the older ministers asked how would the Holy Spirit work in the lives of new converts if sin were no longer taught and why would they even see the need to accept Christ if they did not know that they were living in sin and was told that it is not the job of the pastor to teach and instruct against sin, but to simply love people and bring them to Christ. While Jesus will accept us just as we are when we come to Him as our Lord and Savior, He tells us just as He did the woman at the well: And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more John (8:11b). Does it mean we are perfect? By no means, but it does mean that we are to turn from our sinful ways, whether it be homosexuality, adultery, overeating, or gambling, Christ calls us to leave it behind and follow Him. To boldly proclaim that you are a Christian and you are going to stay involved in what God has called sin is an affront to God.
The lost world demands that the Christian (and even some Christians demand this) that the church give recognition of the right of a person to choose homosexuality and that somehow we must accommodate their preference. Using their logic, society should open up the prisons and let every murderer out since that is the lifestyle they have chosen. If we condemn one sin, then all sin must be condemned; if we justify one sin, then all sins must be justified. Out of fear of being seen as uncaring, uncompassionate, and politically incorrect, many Christians will remain silent – and I am not just talking about homosexuality but about adultery, gluttony, gambling, and a whole other host of sins we choose to ignore – rather than to cross some invisible line. The reality is that it is not mankind’s “right” to reinterpret scripture and reclassify choices simply because we do not like what God calls them. In fact, God offers us this warning through the writings of the prophet Isaiah, Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20). And we stand amazed as the church seems to sink into obscurity within our society! We try to move the church’s foundation off the eternal Lord and God into the relativity and moral dispensations of man and demand that God blesses us for our “faithfulness” to Him. Again, God’s teachings have not changed, yet the church is swimming in dangerous currents. The results are not a diminished gospel of Jesus Christ, but Christians that are weak in their faith and no different from the lost world around them.
The truth is that both churches and Christians need to return to the Bible and live according to the standards that are God-set and God-centered. Only then will we see families strengthened, marriages restored, and the church experience true growth and empowerment. My salvation is not dependent upon anything I do; this was one of the most important realizations that I came to in 2006 was that it is not my plan of salvation to define, but it belongs to God. It is His plan that was offered to me; if I am to enjoy the richness of my faith and the blessings of His salvation, I must accept His plan in its entirety. I do not have the authority nor the ability to add or change what God calls sin nor to reject His teachings for the life He has called me to live. Realizing this, and since 2006, I have been actively changing my life to be closer to the Bible standard than trying to bend my interpretation of scripture to match what I want to do. I do this not because I have to, but because I want to make the Lord truly happy with my life. How you want to live out your life and faith is between you and the Lord Jesus Christ, but please remember He will not bless a life that is plagued in what He has called out as sin.
