There’s the story of President Calvin Coolidge who was better known back in the 1920s when he was President of the United States (1923-1929), he was known as “Silent Cal” because he didn’t like to speak very often. This drove the reporters of that day up the wall. The story goes that he attended church there in Washington D.C. one Sunday morning and as he was coming out there was a reporter there who wanted to get a quote from the President. So, the reporter asked President Coolidge what the preacher spoke about that morning in church. Silent Cal, without batting an eye, said “Sin.” The reporter was taken aback by this but really wanted something to quote, some question that Silent Cal would have to answer at length. So, the reporter asked the President “Sin, huh? Well, what did the preacher have to say about sin?” Calvin Coolidge kept on walking and over his shoulder said to the reporter “He was against it.”
It’s a cute story but it does bring home a point; that we, most of us, anyway, are against sin. Whether you’re conservative in your outlook or liberal in the way you view the world, we don’t like sin and we’re against sin.
We don’t like it when people break our laws whether they’re God’s law or our government’s law. So, we all work hard to keep “the law.” Whether it’s going to jury duty or not littering, I love what we have here in Texas “Don’t mess with Texas” or obeying President Bush, as the commander in chief of the armed forces and going to Iraq for the 2nd and 3rd time whether you want to or not.
But there’s the law and there’s the spirit of the law. What’s behind a law. Why do we have this law? The scribes, the lawyers, the Pharisees never looked at the spirit of God’s love, only the words of the law itself. And so they missed the message of love and inclusion Jesus came to give us.
There’s a church over in Arlington that a few weeks ago refused to bury a gay man. At first the church officials said they would because, although this man wasn’t a member of the church, the church’s custodian was related to the dead man. Then they found out he was gay and decided not to have the funeral at the church. Since then there’s been a debate going on.
It’s a worthy debate. Just who can have funeral services in church? Do we as church members have a right, indeed an obligation to stop a sinner, or anyone for that matter, from being brought to a church one last time before burial?
That this man was gay and his family and friends were going to celebrate his life and mourn his passing in their own way seemed to be an impediment to this church and many Christians, followers of Christ, those who sometimes call themselves “In Christ.”
Are they confusing living to dying? That is, if living a life of sin will keep one from the Kingdom of Heaven, when we die, is that different?
It seemed to be to Jesus Christ. Paul wrote about what is a sin and homosexuality was just one of the many sins Paul listed. But listen to the list of sins. In First Corinthians, chapter 6 verse 9 Paul writes
Do you not know that wrongdoers ( or the wicked) will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, 10thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God.
That’s a long list…fornicators are those that have sex before being married. Anybody out there guilty?
Idolaters are those that worship something in addition to God, such as many, many people here in America and around the world who worship wealth, a big home, a fancy car, position and power over others. Many millions who call themselves Christians fall into this category. Anybody out there guilty?
Then Paul says adulterers…!....these are the people who have affairs while married, I’m not going to ask if anybody there is guilty of that!!!
like the former speaker of the house Newt Gingrich. Funny thing is, here’s the 2nd in line for the presidency should anything happen to the President and he was having his affair with his secretary while impeaching President Clinton for sexual misconduct!
Male prostitutes have to do with temple worship in the olden days believe it or not. Sodomites are homosexuals who have sex with other men. Thieves and robbers are self explanatory. Drunkards are those who drink to much of course. Many go to AA meetings but some fall off the wagon. And the greedy, oh yeah the greedy. Those with a lot who won’t share what they have. They feel they earned what they have, not that God has blessed them with worldly wealth but that they did it all by themselves. And Revilers are slanderers, those who gossip or lie about someone else. Anybody out there guilty of that?
When Jesus Christ was crucified, on that very day he took one of the two thieves who died with him, to heaven. Luke 23:39 says
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding£ him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah?£ Save yourself and us!” 40But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into£ your kingdom.” 43He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
That’s a long list that Paul wrote about. Add all men who are married to that list of being bad. Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians chapter 7 v 1
Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is well for a man not to marry. Then skipping down to v 7
I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind.
8To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain unmarried as I am. 9But if they are not practicing self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.
Paul talks about this
Here’s my question; are we to keep all of these wicked people, people who are guilty of having done these sins, are we to keep them from the church house funeral when they die? No? I don’t think so! Then why do we pick on homosexuals?
In his 2nd letter to the Corinthians, chapter 12, v 7 Paul writes
there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. 8Concerning this thing I besought the Lord three times, that it might depart from me. 9And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
What is this “thorn in the flesh” of Paul’s. Some have speculated that he was homosexual. There is no proof of that but then there is no proof of what that “thorn” exactly was.
Does Timothy 1:8-11 equate homosexuality with murder? Let’s examine the whole passage from Paul.
Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately.
Notice Paul says the law is good but only if the law is used legitimately. So, if someone, like the Republican Party wants to rile up the church with a hotbutton political issue, such as homosexuality then that is a misuse, or abuse of the law. The law is not being used legitimately.
Paul goes on to say
9This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers, 10fornicators, sodomites, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching 11that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
Paul said the law is not for the innocent…so tell me who among us is innocent since we all consider ourselves sinners and not even worthy to look upon the face of God. So the law is for all of us, not just murderers and homosexuals. Paul also lists liars and the like. So lying is also equated with murder. Never told a lie in your life? Wow, I’m impressed!
Jesus Christ tells us over and over, to “Love one another” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” and “Love your enemies.” Jesus Christ tells us to Love, not hate, to include, not exclude, to help, not hinder. That is the spirit of the law. To pick out just a few of these laws and make a point, especially a political point, goes against everything Jesus Christ said.
So, when we have a death in the family, how do we begin to exclude from the church house? Who do we exclude? Tatooed men? Women with beards? People who smoked? Those who played golf on Sundays instead of going to church? Those who gossiped, lied, cheated, were vain, put color of skin before content of character?
In the old Testament 2nd Samuel, chapter 22 v 31 says
Your way is perfect, Lord,
and your word is correct.
You are a shield for those
who run to you for help.
If the way of God is perfect as the Bible says then how can a homosexual, born that way by God’s love, be imperfect? Ask Vice President Dick Chaney and Mrs. Cheney, who’s daughter is a lesbian if she’s imperfect. If you had a child who was born a homosexual and that child died, would you or would you not want that child’s funeral held in church? Why do you as followers of Christ hurt people? That’s not God’s perfect way and that’s not Jesus Christ’s loving way.
As Pat and I drive around Fort Worth and Dallas I see, and it pains me to see this, but I see cemeteries with only white people and cemeteries for Jews and then there are cemeteries for black people and those for Hispanics. To me, it’s all nonsense. The ground, the dirt in which each is buried cares not for the color of skin, only that each one is dead. When we are beyond the mortal coil, as Shakesphere said, we should be beyond all prejudices. Today’s prejudice against homosexuals is just one more in a long line of sins against our neighbors, those neighbors that Jesus Christ told us to love.
You may think you have the right to exclude someone, but for me, I’ll follow Christ and look for ways to include everyone in the family of God. So the next time there’s a death in the family, let’s celebrate that life and mourn that loss with one last visit to the church house. It may be the 1st time the deceased was ever in church, but if we include all in the fellowship of Christ it won’t be the last time we’re in church.
Are you one of the modern day scribes and Pharisees that are beginning to be very hostile toward Jesus Christ and his message of love and inclusion and to cross-examine him about many things, 54lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say? Are you?
Because as Jesus Christ said in Matthew the 25th chapter
Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 4
