A Statement on Homosexuality
Signed by the delegates of the Western Hemisphere
Consultation on Theology in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, August 2003
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil”
(Isaiah 5:20).
Sin is the breaking of God’s laws revealed in the
Bible. All sexual sins are condemned by God, including heterosexual adultery,
homosexual sex, lesbianism, and
bestiality. All sex outside of monogamous,
heterosexual marriage is immoral.
The Bible claims that no one has a right to call himself a
Christian who chooses a lifestyle which includes these sins or any other sins
including murder, stealing, perjury etc.
To ordain men to the Christian ministry and place
them in leadership in God’s Church who deliberately and regularly commit such
sins as kidnapping, rape, theft, perjury, or any of the sexual sins mentioned
above would be an extreme foolishness that tramples on God’s commandments and
holds God and His honor in contempt.
The recent elevation of an unrepentant homosexual to
the holy office of Bishop is an aberration; it is both dishonoring to God and a
betrayal of the historic Faith of Christianity. The ordination of a practicing
homosexual to any church office contradicts the clear mandate of the first
Jerusalem council (Acts 15) led by the original leaders of the Church,
Christ’s Apostles. We urge the churches to remove from office, all practicing
homosexuals, to call them to repentance and then accompany them on the difficult
road of restoration.
The Bible declares that homosexuals must repent of and
forsake their homosexual practices and turn to Jesus in order to be saved. The
Bible describes the good news of Christ as the gift of His grace. He gives His
children the power to turn away from sin. As sinners we know that perfect
goodness is found only in Jesus Christ. We welcome as brothers and sisters all
who call on the name of Christ and repent of their sins and homosexual
practices. We are compelled by God’s love to extend an extra measure of
compassion to people wounded by any form of sexual addiction.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor
homosexuals…shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but
you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God” (I Corinthians 6:9-11).
Also history shows us that every Christian society of
the past has condemned the practice of homosexuality. Every state of the United
States of America outlawed sodomy until recently. The history of Greece and Rome
shows that the acceptance of homosexual practice is one of the last steps before
the collapse of civilized societies.
We exhort pastors to read from their pulpits, and
heads of families to discuss in their homes, this statement and the relevant
Bible passages. We exhort all mature Christians to show compassion toward the
sexually broken and actively demonstrate the love and compassion of our Redeemer
God.
The Bible, which is the Word of the Living
God, speaks clearly regarding homosexuality:
Romans 1:24-28; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; Jude 7; Exodus 18:20;
Leviticus
18:22-25; 20:13; 1 Kings 14:24
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