Righteous Anger

I think it’s called righteous anger, but a wave of emotion swept over me as I heard the voice of the Bishop of Oxford calling for the Church of England to accept same sex marriage.  I don’t write from a theoretical position, but from one of personal testimony.  Having been in a civil partnership with another woman for 16 years, I know what it feels like to centre my identity on my sexuality, and desire a lifetime union with the one I love.  I know what it feels like to experience hurt and rejection because of my sexuality and I fully understand the desire for equality in marriage.
 
Yet, I have also experienced the transforming love of Jesus.  I have also come to see that his ways and choices for my life are so much better than my own could ever be.  I have received so much joy and have experienced God’s character and love in ways I could never have imagined. And as I surrendered my choices for my life and walked in his better way, I have been set free from feelings of guilt and shame and given a new identity.

And that is why I write; because leaders in the Anglican Church, who are using their privileged position to promote a union that is contrary to the teaching of Scripture, need to hear an alternative message to the one the world is screaming in their ears.  A message that reminds them - God is able.  

As they bow to the pressures of this world to decree that God “has to” bless same sex marriage in order to show equity and fairness to all, they fail to recognise the true character of God.  If you have no belief or experience of the transforming love of Jesus, you have no place leading in a Christian context and should resign from your post. If you feel that God has to change his ways to suit a world that has been “given over to the sinful desires of their hearts,” you are in the wrong vocation, Christian leadership is not for you!

Titus 1:8-9 serves as a sombre reminder for all church leaders:

He (an elder) must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

There are no half measures in the gospel.  Contrary to what some may think or say, the Bible does not say that only some people need to live holy and upright lives, but others don’t.  The Bible does not pamper to our human sensibilities and say that we must not upset or hurt the feelings of those who cling to their sin as an identity that cannot be changed.  We are called to encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. An identity in Christ is undeniably the richest, and only identity a Christian needs to hold, do not think that by watering down this message you are doing anyone any favours.

The Bible is clear, we need to flee from sin and be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  That transformation is not onerous, nor hard to achieve, when you fully surrender to Jesus.  The truth is that our sacrifice releases in us the power and grace to live in joy and walk in freedom from our past.
 
My experience of God’s transformational power is not an isolated incident.  I have friendships with many others who have also experienced his life changing power, many of whom meet together online to study the Bible and worship every week.  These are overcomers from around the world who have received revelation of God’s amazing grace.  I am also a member of a number of online groups with people I’ve not yet met in person, who also have also experienced his transformational power.  And I read and watch testimony of still more who have received his powerful gift of new life through testimony from organisations such as the Freedom March, the Changed Movement, The Rev12 project, the Free to Change website and X-Outloud.

I think it’s fair to say that many of us who have left the LGBT community because of our love of God, have a righteous anger towards these Bishops, and other church leaders who are ignoring our voice in favour of the louder voice of the secular world.
 

• What message are you giving to us when you belittle our choice to remain faithful to traditional scriptural teaching?
  
  
• What message are you giving us when you imply that transformation is not possible?  Are you implying that we are liars, simply living out a sham life?  Try telling that to those who are now in heterosexual marriages or dating with plans to marry.  Are we simply blinded to the truth, or could it be that we are the ones walking in the light, in the truth of who God is and who he made us to be?
  
  
• What message are you giving to us and to the world when you constantly bow to the LGBT idol?  Perhaps you should revisit the Ten Commandments and consider who you see as your god.  Let’s not be naïve and believe that this is not a ploy of satan to both divide the Church and to draw souls away from the Kingdom of God.  By not only condoning sin, but celebrating sin, you are becoming the stumbling block spoken of in Luke 17:2.  Heed God’s words – “It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble”
  
  
• What message are you giving members of the LGBT community?  Perhaps you are perpetuating the lie that we don’t have to submit to the authority of Christ.  You may be doing this out of a misguided desire to show love.  Yet, we can love well without blessing what God has called sin.  There are ways to explain that as Christians we trust God’s word is right, without being offensive to those we share that message with.  Perpetuating the lie that God blesses same sex marriage is simply unhelpful and untrue. We don’t argue against others' rights to marry, we tell the truth that God cannot bless a union that is not what he has ordained.
  
  

If you’ve read the Bible, you will be aware that opposing the ways of the world will never make you popular.  You will also be aware of the myriad of warnings against false teachers and false prophets.  That time is now; these men and women are using their positions within the established church to drive a false message and false agenda.  If only more would stand firmly on God’s word and stop bowing to this ideology that God must bless our flawed and human choices.  Let’s refocus on who God is and ask him how we can partner with Him to share his transformational power, rather than continuing to partner with the prince of lies, accusation and darkness.

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) is entitled, “A Living Sacrifice”

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.