Biblically speaking, apart from repentance and restoration, there is no way in which a local church may allow into fellowship and service those who are living a lifestyle which is in opposition to the most basic of Scripture’s moral requirements. To allow such to minister in the church without confrontation is also to do them a great disservice. We are in essence deceiving them into thinking that all is well with them and the Lord and the Lord’s Church. …
A church must remove practicing homosexuals who claim to be believers from their fellowship (1 Corinthians 5). Making them comfortable and providing them a safe environment within the church, as some are advocating, is to minimize the gravity of their sin and falsely assure them that all is well with them and the Lord. In addition, there is the danger of their attitude toward homosexuality infiltrating the thinking of other believers.
Gary E. Gilley, “Homosexuality: The Pressing Issue Facing the Church.” Personal Freedom Outreach’s, “The Quarterly Journal,” p.19, 21
8 comments:
I truly enjoy articles. Your whole site has been instrumental in dragging me and my family out of false doctrine. So I'm a fan.
That said, I'm not so sure 1 Cor 5 is really in the context you gave it. I was under the impression 1 Cor 5 was about an offshoot of incest. Son sleeping with mother in law or something bizarre like that.
Not saying you can't find Pauls writing on homosexuality. Just don't think that's it.
Incest was not the issue; it was an example. The issue was unconfessed and unrepentant sexual sin. The point is that anyone who is involved in open sin must be called to repentance or he is to be disassociated and treated like an unbeliever.
Churches that are or have been unwilling to call out all types of sin are going to have a hard time defending themselves if they only deal with one specific example.
The immediate context really isn't incest either. It's about a man taking his father's wife, which would be his stepmother or else Paul would have said "mother" instead of father's wife. So if she wasn't married to his father there would be no familial relationship.
The point is that there is sexual immorality in that assembly and Paul tells them the proper way to handle the sin. The implication is that this is the proper approach to church discipline for any sin of which is not repented.
This has historically been used by the Church for excommunication for any sinful conduct for which there is no repentance. I've seen it practiced for adultery, for fornication, and for abuse. I've been told by others that they've seen it used for drunkenness, for pornography use, etc.
Paul does not say this church discipline is only for sexual immorality. In fact we have a similar situation in Matthew 18 with someone who sins against you and refuses to repent: you first meet with him personally, then try again with 2 or 3 witnesses, then the last attempt is to bring the person before the assembly, and if he refuses to listen then he is to be excommunicated. Church discipline.
Matthew 18 begins with the individual offended, while 1 Cor. 5 can start with the Church knowing about the sin. For example, if it comes to the attention of the local assembly that one of the members is seeking the services of a prostitute, there is no one to bring Matthew 18 against him, so the leadership of the church can confront him with the sin under 1 Cor. 5.
The context of 1 Cor 5 is not limited to any particular sin, it's just that Paul was concerned about addressing a sin which was apparently well-known in that assembly. But homosexual behavior would also be handled in the same way.
Does that make sense?
Ralph,
Your comment came in just as I was finishing mine!
That's truly informative. I'm surprised there isn't a "general unrepentance" reference. Like a biblical version of an article 32 that the military uses. The catch all, conduct unbecoming.
The only reason I said anything, had I not known the quality of articles here I would of cast it out entirely. I looked at it and thought, that isn't in context at all. I can think of places where Paul goes so far to even say men should not act feminine. Since I have zero experience with a church that holds standards, of any kind. I wouldn't begin to know what the standard is.
I'm thinking I might not be the only one. Course I might be :)
Anonymous,
I think between Matthew 18 and 1 Cor 5 that they pretty much cover everything!
I've learned a lot of things over the years that I never before even thought about, so welcome to the club :oD
Thanks for your kind words about my blog and for you faithfulness in visiting.
I look forward to each post. Now that I've started I'll work on not being an anon for the next round. I was going to ask what denomination are you. Coming out of a charismatic church and prior to that never attending church I find myself thinking, "do you even ask those things?"
Then I read your profile for the first time ... I flew helicopters in the navy. Pretty sure we speak the same language.
Unknown,
I am not with any denomination. I currently attend a Baptist church which is associated with the Conservative Baptist Association. Take a look at "My Church Experience" under the label "About me."
Navy helicopters -- love them all.
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