MINNEAPOLIS – A Lutheran pastor in Minneapolis who opposes homosexuals being allowed to lead congregations said Monday he is attracted to men, but that he's not a hypocrite because he never acted on his urges.
The Rev. Tom Brock told The Associated Press he has known for years he is sexually attracted to men, but doesn't consider himself gay because he never acted on it.
In June, the Minnesota gay magazine Lavender reported that Brock was a member of a support group for Christians who struggle with same-sex attraction. Brock's church, the Hope Lutheran Church, placed him on leave while a task force looked into the matter. The Rev. Tom Parrish, the church's executive pastor, said the investigation determined Brock's story checked out.
This reporter from Lavender magazine tried to create a scandal. Likely angry that this pastor opposes gay marriage, gays pastoring churches, and homosexual activity, he has attempted to expose the 'hypocrisy' of a pastor whom he considers to be gay himself.
But this pastor is not gay. He admits to struggling with same sex attractions, but a homosexual struggle does not a gay identity make. Feelings and attractions make up what we as Christians once were. But as Christians our identity is now with Christ.
If the world understood that the Church is where people who have acted out in sexual immorality and/or struggle with the temptation to do so exist, then the fact that there is a man who struggles with same-sex attractions pastoring a congregation would not be a story to them. If the Church understood its true make-up- that it is filled with forgiven sinners- then this would not be a big deal to us, either.
And, Church, this man is you, this man is I. This man represents all of us- for such were we!
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor the idolators, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. BUT YOU WERE WASHED, YOU WERE SANCTIFIED, YOU WERE JUSTIFIED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (emphasis mine)
If this pastor were indeed acting out on his same sex attractions that would be a problem. But, apparently, he's not. Apparently, he's living the life of any Christian- forgiven and justified, though still of the flesh. still tempted and weak, he, like all of us, remains completely dependent on Christ for salvation, repentance, and holiness.
That this Lutheran pastor struggles with the temptation to sin is not the scandal the Church should be fascinated with. What Christian hasn't 'made the list' mentioned in the above passage? What Christian hasn't sinned and, like Paul talks about in Romans 7:7-25, still gets tempted to sin? Instead, our fixation should be on the the scandal of the Cross.
God looked forward to the filth and destruction that Adam's sin would cause and placed His one and only Holy Son right into the middle of it. Condemned man was and condemned we should have remained. But Christ came to save us, and in doing so, placed the wrath of His Father that was upon us and put it on Himself. He was beaten, scorned, tortured, and killed for our transgression. God demanded atonement for man's sin- and then atoned for man's sin Himself. THAT is a scandal! (John 3:17, Ephesians 2:1-10, Hebrews 2:17, Romans 3:21-26, Isaiah 53)
In atoning for this pastor's sins, Christ restored this man's relationship with the Father, and made this pastor a chosen son of God (John 1:12, Ephesians 1:3-8), made him his friend (John 15:15), made him a member of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), and in Christ this pastor is complete (Colossians 2:9-10). Because of Christ's work, this pastor is a new creation; the old is gone and the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17). Because of Christ's work this pastor "[does] not have a high priest who is not unable to sympathize with [his] weakness, but one who in every respect has been tempted as [he is], yet without sin". Therefore, this pastor can "with confidence can draw near to the throne of grace, that [he] may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:15-16)
This pastor is not gay. This pastor is a Christian. There is a difference- for as a new creation, he does not identify with his sin or with his sinful temptations. He identifies with Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment