Mercy vs. Acceptance

17. "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

18. "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

19. "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others {to do} the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches {them,} he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20. "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses {that} of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

—Matthew 5 [New American Standard Version of 1995]

17. "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.

—Luke 16 [New American Standard Version of 1995]

It is time to ask the opposite question: Are the liberal theologians correct? Has the Law been done away with? Was the Law merely a set of guidelines? Do we focus just on love and tolerance and welcome everyone into the Church regardless of sinfulness? Should we allow gay marriage within the Church? How about gay priests?

As I write this, heaven and earth have yet to pass away; therefore, the Law is still in effect. Why would we need forgiveness if the laws were done away with? Why would Jesus say that it is better to cut off a variety of you body parts than it is to sin, if there is no more Law to violate?

As for tolerance and gay marriage, consider:

15. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

16. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

17. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

—Matthew 18

Here, we have a call to kick a sinner out of the church entirely! This goes beyond the practice of many of the most conservative religious leaders. Not only should the Church not marry homosexuals, it should expel homosexuals from the Church – unless they repent.

21. Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22. Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

—Matthew 18

3. Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

4. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

—Luke 17

If a Church member with homosexual tendencies slips up, other members of the Church should do something. If the member repents, then re-admittance should be granted. On the other hand, a gay couple that claims to be married is obviously not repentant on the subject of homosexuality. Such marriage is a statement through action that it is acceptable to perform acts that are emphatically condemned in the Bible. This is grounds for expulsion until there is a change of heart and action.

I am picking on homosexuals because this is the burning issue of the day. The same principle applies to heterosexuals who sleep around, mafia dons, business owners who operate on the Sabbath, doctors who perform abortions or employers who cheat their employees.

The Church is supposed to be for “perfecting the saints,” for encouraging better behavior [Ephesians 4:12]. It does not exist to make people feel good after sinning.

An instance of this principle in action can be found in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 5.

1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

2. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

3. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

4. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5. To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

12. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

13. But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

—1 Corinthians 5 [King James version for copyright reasons. I suggest you look at other translations as well]

Here, we have a concrete example of expelling a Church member because of a sexual sin, one listed in Leviticus 18:8, the same chapter that condemns homosexuality [Leviticus 18:22]. But do note the limit on the action called for by St. Paul: expelling the member suffices. There is no call for violence; no call for calling in the governmental authorities. Instead, in verse 13 he says to let God judge those who “are without.”

From this, I see no mandate for sodomy laws or freelance persecution of gays. Shunning suffices.

On the other hand, this does not compel Christians to go along with calls for the state to sanction gay marriage. There is a difference between not prosecuting and actively sanctioning a sinful activity. Furthermore, given the number of anti-discrimination and hate crime laws on the books, legal sanction of gay marriage is a very slippery slope towards making shunning illegal. Already, in some countries Christians are being arrested for reading in public the scriptures that condemn homosexuality. Christians are under no mandate to make Christian practice illegal!

I leave you with harsher words yet on the subject, from St. John. I am not certain here, but it seems like John is saying you don’t even have to pray for those committing death penalty offenses(!)

16. If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not {leading} to death, he shall ask and {God} will for him give life to those who commit sin not {leading} to death. There is a sin {leading} to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.

17. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not {leading} to death.

—1 John 5 [New American Standard 1995]

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