This ought to be a very clear warning to the entire Evangelical Church how bad Mr. McLaren's theology is.
Brian McLaren 's statement / suggestion is an outright insult to the intellect of our LORD Jesus Christ, the Spirit of Holiness and Truth who inspired the writers of Scripture, and the Almighty, Holy, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who sent His Son into this world to deliver sinners - including homosexuals.
God has given and made His viewpoint on this issue very, very clear in His Word plenty of times. God is not confused about the sin of homosexuality. It appears Brian McLaren is. And if the Emerging Church leader [and so-called 'Theologian'] Brian McLaren is confused about the issue of homosexuality, no doubt the multitudes he leads will eventually be as well.
The following post was received in a Berean Call Daily E-Update
TBC: This is from pastor Brian McLaren, Leadership Columnist for Christianity Today.
"Frankly, many of us don't know what we should think about homosexuality. We've heard all sides, but no position has yet won our confidence so that we can say "it seems good to the Holy Spirit and us." ... If we think that there may actually be a legitimate context for some homosexual relationships, we know that the biblical arguments are nuanced and multilayered, and the pastoral ramifications are staggeringly complex."
"Perhaps we need a five-year moratorium on making pronouncements [about homosexuality]. In the meantime, we'll practice prayerful Christian dialogue, listening respectfully, disagreeing agreeably. When decisions need to be made, they'll be admittedly provisional. We'll keep our ears attuned to scholars in biblical studies, theology, ethics, psychology, genetics, sociology, and related fields. Then in five years, if we have clarity, we'll speak; if not, we'll set another five years for ongoing reflection. After all, many important issues in church history took centuries to figure out.
Maybe this moratorium would help us resist the "winds of doctrine" blowing furiously from the left and right, so we can patiently wait for the wind of the Spirit to set our course."
Read Brian McLaren's article on Homosexuality at Chrtistianity Today
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A Moratorium...5-10 years? Is not God's Revealed Word enough?
Brian McLaren's statement is in itself a challenge against the Word's of the Most High God of the Universe. It takes literally less than one minute to read the verses below that are directly from God's own Word. And Brian McLaren suggests that we need 5-10 years to make a decision.
This is blasphemous and is an absolute affront to Jesus Christ Himself, who declared that no fornicator would enter the Kingdom of God.
"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man" (Mark 7:21-23).
Jesus Christ knew full well what he was saying in this passage. This passage includes "fornications" - which were part of the homosexual activities of the surrounding culture of where Jesus spoke this statement.
Is not the Word of God very clear on this? Here are the references of the Bible about homosexuality.
'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.' (Leviticus 18:22)
'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood willbe on their own heads.' (Leviticus 20:13)
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.” (Romans 1:26-27)
“Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom-both young and old-surrounded the house. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them." (Genesis 19:4-5)
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
“…knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, …” (1 Timothy 1:9-10)
Jesus came to save sinners, and this includes homosexuals who can come to Christ, be forgiven of their sins, BE MADE NEW IN AND THROUGH CHRIST, and who can then live normal heterosexual lives.
It is time for Evangelicals to wake up to Brian McLaren's perverse challenges to God's Word. Satan himself challenged God's Word as we see in Genesis 3. Is this statement by Brian McLaren any less evil?
Read Brian McLaren's article on Homosexuality at Chrtistianity Today
Leader's Insight: No Cowardly Flip-FlopHow should pastors respond to "the Homosexual Question"?
by Brian McLaren, Leadership columnist
http://www.christianitytoday.com/leaders/newsletter/2006/cln60123.html
