Presumptive Perfectionism and Homosexual Sin

“I grew up in a Southern Baptist church, and I am eternally grateful for what I learned there — the truth that I learned and the biblical foundation that I have,” Chambers said. “But there was no way that I was ever going to tell anybody in my church growing up that I struggled with these things. I am very thankful to say that that has changed [in that church]…. But we’ve still all got to do better.” -Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International

One of the most pervasive errors in Christianity is one of presumptive perfectionism; The false presumption that everyone in the Church has no issues to deal with; That we are all “just fine”, usually said with a cheesy grin and a false bravado. Should we not rather be honest about what we struggle with and be willing to admit to brokenness, instead? Because, if you are not broken I question your relationship with Jesus; The closer I get to Jesus the more broken I become!

Bob Stith, the Southern Baptist Convention’s national strategist for gender issues and the representative of the convention’s Task Force on Ministry to Homosexuals, said,  the Church, “should at least acknowledge that we have not responded well”, especially in hearing from those “still struggling” with their sin. Last I heard, Bob, everyone “struggles” or they aren’t Christian. The very fact you continue in the struggle over sin demonstrates Whose you are.

Is anyone better today than Paul the Apostle?

Didn’t Paul have “struggles”, even calling one so heinous as to be a thorn in his flesh? Didn’t Peter, Mr. Cockadoodledoo? How about Paul and Barnabas sinning in their anger, struggling over John Mark being worthy of trust?

We have much too much to work toward to be now living in the DELUSION that we have, in ANY way, attained perfection ahead of so great a Disciple as Paul the Apostle (Phil 3:12); Paul never claimed to have ‘arrived’ at being sinless.

In Hebrews 13:5 God describes how we must live free of “covetousness” in our “conversation”, being grateful for what we have, in contentment, because Jesus will never leave or forsake us. The idea we should then be even concerned with reaching a specific group over any other, as if their particular struggles are in need of special attentions, some even excusing their sin as merely “struggling”, in order to reach them, is absurd and sinful in itself. Yes, we must reach the LGBTQ sinners, but so must we reach adulterers and fornicators!

We all “struggle”, as Bob should know. We have a requirement in how we manage ourselves, and why, from our Father Himself:

1Corinthians 11:31,32
“For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged. But when we are judged, we are punished by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”
Considering this Discipline, we continue to look to ourselves as we tend to another, in the Love of Christ, holding fast to the Truth. But in no way should we separate one sin over another in our love for each other. So, all that being said, we must acknowledge something is indeed different about certain “struggles”, as Bob calls Sin.
Do some struggle with lust? Those who have overcome a particular lust of the flesh are to minister to those still in that sin to help achieve Victory; Those who have overcome sexual deviance, by Christ’s Power, minister to those who have that same “struggle” too. But there is little difference in approaching fornicators or homosexuals, except that homosexual deviance has a special characteristic, and so a special consideration, among Believers, for the sake of the congregation. And Bob should know why…

Homosexual sin, and Lesbianism as well, by the way, is a special sin, in that this sin is a specific curse from God for a very specific reason: Idolatry. If Bob knows this, and should if not, then, as Believing men, we have to protect our families from the results of such Curses.

ALL sin is a result of lust; Lust is the root of it all, as God says. We all want in error and manifest that evil desire in the different sins defined by God. But deviant sexual sin is different, because of the origination of that sin, where it comes from. In every single instance I can find deviant sexual sin is a direct curse from God for consummate idolatry, passing the curse on to many generations, if there are any, something God gives over a society to for rejecting His reign over them. [See to what Paul refers in God “giving them over”, in Romans and Corinthians, and why He did.] And whenever a people, or even an individual, persists in that rejecting of God, rejecting His Authority over them, those have been given over to all manner of “unnatural affections.” God’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah shows a very specific response to those people, from God, in that they were so wicked Yahweh eventually destroyed them from the face of the earth. But their deviance was God trying to REACH them through brokenness. Though these verses following may not be specific to this particular sin, the heart of God is plainly seen in them and you see the point:

Psalm 106:43
Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.

1 Cor 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

“…that I might make them desolate, in order that they might know that I am YHWH.” from Eze 20:26

Romans 6:21
What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!

And in that death of self, under the thumb of the Law of God, in our brokenness, we can see and understand what Mercy God offers us…

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” 1Cor 10:13

But today, again, as in Biblical times, we have a culture that seeks to side with Sodom and Gomorrah, saying God was wrong to them, that they are, instead, to be protected by ‘civil’ society, worthy of special consideration, reparations, and honor, instead of God’s Wrath! How far what is deemed as civil has fallen! We, as a civilization, are again worthy of the destruction of Sodom, doomed to be destroyed as those in Noah’s day.

So, knowing society’s fate, shall the Church also claim the sexually deviant are as the the world says, someone other than cursed by God? Again, why are they cursed? What is God’s purpose for their particular curse, any curse? Homosexuality is a curse from God, meant to cause those being cursed to repent, to be broken in their despair, utterly spent from their works to be good, surrendered to Jesus over their inability to resist their particular depravity; That they will not just RUN to Jesus but remain His, forever protected!

Homosexual sin is one of God’s LAST DITCH EFFORTS to break a very hard heart.

And, just like Job was judged by God for his self-righteousness, these are being Judged that some of them, at least, will then surrender. Job was considered right by God and yet look how harshly God had to deal with Job’s self-righteousness. So, when those who “struggle” with this curse from God Himself desire fellowship with Believers it gives us pause, and for good reason. These “gays”, “lesbians” and anything else that falls under what God defines as sexual deviance, are under a curse that is designed to BREAK them by God. They will not all repent, but SOME WILL, and that is God’s MERCY to those saved! Shall we then make it easier for them to not break? Shall we enable sexual deviates to remain cursed? Is that the loving, Christian thing to do to them?

Should Christians be making Homosexual sin easier to remain under?
Shall we let “gays” be unbroken?

The answer should be obvious, but it appears some are so caught up in the emotions of these issues, in trying to appear compassionate in dealing with sexual deviance, they have lost sight of reality. Without repentance, an utter surrender to Jesus, there is no Salvation, especially for those in deviance.

I remember, decades ago, reading a very accurate Baptist flyer that showed how sinners attempt to use their sadness, in struggling with their Sins, to try and get you to feel sorry for them, to get you to offer them “another”, easier way, but their required death of self on the Cross.

BUT there is no other Way; We must all SURRENDER to Jesus, and die to self, or die in our Sins, un-acquitted…

And what does that surrender look like in someone who is under the curse of sexual deviance? A COMPLETE and UTTER rejection of all mannerisms, thoughts and deeds of that Sin. Any lingering evidence shows a lack of surrender; Shows more still need to be broken of. Remember, even effeminacy is sin.

So, considering this battle they face, the next time you feel the need to coddle someone who claims to “be gay.” Give them the Law, the Ten Commandments, instead and make room for the Hand of God to do His Work in them, lest you be found guilty of trying to hinder the Will of God for them!

I am not guilty of homosexuality, but I also had to learn “the hard way” over other sins. I am SO grateful the people that God used to reach me didn’t try and get in God’s Way for me, in desiring to make my life easier, didn’t make it, instead, easier to remain in my Sins. No, my friends gave me The Truth, and then let the Holy Spirit cut my dependency from me, to deliver me from the addictions to the particular lust I was inclined to, blow by blow.

Everyone can be delivered, anyone can be rescued, if they want to be, some just have to lose a lot more flesh to get there. You cannot be half-hearted about your Sin, you must love the Truth more than your own life. So, Love them enough to let it hurt as much as God requires – or don’t claim to be a Christian.

Put on the New Self
…For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.…

For more on how to reach those in homosexual sin effectively, without fear or confrontation, go to www.AudacityMovie.com

Patrick Burwell
OnlyJesusSaves.org Ministries