I could barely stomach the news today of the Episcopal Church confirming Rev. V. Gene Robinson as its first openly gay bishop. I know we are living in the days of the apostate church and should not be surprised by these developments. But this morning I could not shake feelings of grief, sorrow and anger.
These professing ministers of the gospel profane the name of God in their arrogance and rebellion. Don't they fear God? How can they ignore His commandments? The warning against sodomy in Romans 1:26-27 is clear: "God gave them up to vile passions . . . the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due." Homosexuality is one of the sins mentioned in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that will keep an unrepentant person from entering the kingdom of God.
What makes this sin all the more grievous is that Robinson is using the platform of ministry to justify and flaunt his abhorrent behavior. When he was cleared of misconduct allegations before Tuesday's confirmation vote, he made the outrageous statement, "God has once again brought an Easter out of Good Friday." My jaw about hit the floor. To compare the election of a gay bishop to the death and resurrection of Yeshua is blasphemy. And it's wrong to use the name Easter for this observance. Easter is derived from Eostre, the pagan Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility. Yeshua – the Lamb of God – was sacrificed at Passover, buried on the Biblical Feast of Unleavened Bread and raised on the Feast of Firstfruits.
As I pondered today the whole issue of gay clergy – men defying God's law in the name of diversity and love – I found an answer in 1 Corinthians 2:11-14, which addresses spiritual wisdom. The apostle Paul says no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Believers can know the things of God because His Spirit resides in them. Verse 14 says the natural man – which in Greek means unregenerate man – does not understand things of the Spirit because they are foolishness to him. These corrupt ministers are natural men, unable to discern the gravity of their sin. Romans 1:28 also addresses their condition: "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting."
Posted by Jeff King at August 6, 2003 04:02 PMi like your storys you are a good writer
Posted by: kirsti at August 6, 2003 06:22 PMThanks Jeff, for speaking out about that. I'm glad someone's standing up and saying something about this. Also, as a more general comment, I'd like to say that your blogs have been very, very, very encouraging and edifying to both myself and, I'm sure, others as well. I always look forward to reading your stuff; thanks for keeping up the "good work"! :-)
Posted by: Patrick Chan at August 6, 2003 11:27 PMDear Jeff, spot on, we had a minister from the Anglican church in America preach that Sunday after the event, here in HK>
He did not beat about the bush, and said that it was sin and that the churches were to meet in October to discuss this issue. He also said the same as you and prayed that - sense would prevail and that it would not split the church - BUT i feel it must. The sifting of the chaff!
Thanks for your messages Jeff.
Posted by: tim at August 18, 2003 05:56 PM