INCREDIBLE  INCONSISTENCY
(Baptists and Homosexuals)

The article in today's Star-Telegram (Oct. 16, 2007) incredibly shows the inconsistency of some who profess to be Christians.  I refer to "Acceptance of Gays is at Center of Dispute," the article about three homosexual couples who want to be included in the directory of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth.

Southern Baptists claim to be a Bible-believing denomination.  They profess to follow Jesus and His teachings.  But the current issue shows an incredible inconsistency in this.  The article stated that Brett Younger, the pastor, said that "the church has had gay members for decades."  Is this really following the holy, pure, and sinless Christ of the Bible?

Consider this with me.  The Bible clearly says that homosexuality is "unrighteousness" and that no one who lives in sodomy or homosexuality can inherit the Kingdom of God (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).  Those who did come to Christ repented of this sin and were "washed," "sanctified," and "justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (v. 11).  They repented of their homosexuality, fornication, and adultery, that was part of their pre-salvation, pre-Christian, sinful lifestyle.  Throughout Scripture, homosexuality and other sexual sin is condemned and will prevent one from entering heaven (Romans 1:26-27; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-7; Revelation 21:8).

Then, in 1 Corinthians 5:11, the apostle Paul says that faithful Christians are "not to associate with" a so-called brother who is a practicing "immoral person."  The Greek term here is porneia, which refers to "illicit sexual intercourse" (Vine's Expository Dictionary).  Standard Greek dictionaries or lexicons uniformly define the word as sexual immorality, unlawful sexual activity, or fornication.  In other words, those who continue to practice sexual immorality (including homosexuality, adultery, unmarried sex, child abuse, etc.), and who refuse to repent and forsake this sin, are not to be in Christian fellowship.  Paul even says "not even to eat with such a one" (verse 11).

What is the inconsistency in Broadway’s practice?  If those who follow the teachings of Christ and the apostles are not to have fellowship with homosexuals and not to eat with them, how can they be members?  Apart from a church directory, how can they even belong to a church that professes to be Christian?

This is not Christianity.  This is religious compromise and Biblical unfaithfulness!  I would say that “Broadway” is on the “broad way” that leads to destruction rather than the “narrow way” that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14).

Richard Hollerman

(Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

  The edited version that was carried:

BROADWAY BAPTISTS AND HOMOSEXUALS

A Nov. 16 news story about three homosexual couples who want to be included in the directory of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth showed the inconsistency of some who profess to be Christians.

Southern Baptists claim to be a Bible-believing denomination and profess to follow Jesus and his teachings. But this issue demonstrates an incredible inconsistency.

Pastor Brett Younger was quoted as saying that the church has had gay members for decades. Is this following the holy, pure and sinless Christ of the Bible?

The Bible clearly says that homosexuality is "unrighteousness" and that no one who lives in sodomy or homosexuality can inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Throughout Scripture, homosexuality and other sexual sins are condemned and will prevent one from entering heaven.

In 1 Corinthians 5:11, the apostle Paul says that faithful Christians are "not to keep company" with a so-called brother who is a practicing "immoral person."

The Greek term is porneia, which refers to "illicit sexual intercourse."

In other words, those who continue to practice sexual immorality (homosexuality, adultery, unmarried sex, child abuse, etc.) and who refuse to repent and forsake this sin are not to be in Christian fellowship.

If those who follow the teachings of Christ and the apostles are not to have fellowship with homosexuals, how can homosexuals be members of a church that professes to be Christian?

Broadway Baptist is on the "broad way" that leads to destruction rather than the "narrow way" that leads to life.

Richard Hollerman