PCUSA Gay Ordination: Transformation, not Reformation

PCUSA Gay ordination: Transformation, not Reformation

The current on-going issue in the PCUSA concerns the biennial problem of ordaining gay people who are in active sexual relationships. As each year passes, the opposition to this is diminishing which denotes a change in culture as opposed to a change in Biblical standards. And this is where I have a problem with the PCUSA church and its Louisville leaders.

They are calling this a re-formation of the church which is false. Reformation is originally a military term that refers to soldiers in the battlefield. The order for reforming is meant to bring the scattered forces together again in the midst of the battle to a basic standard formation in order to consolidate the strength of the troops. When Luther, Calvin & Knox called for the Church to be reformed, they were asking Christians throughout Europe to get back to the basics of New Testament Christianity. They weren’t seeking to change the church; they were looking to have it return to its most basic biblical principles.

Ordaining gay people is not re-formation, it is transformation because the Church is being asked to radically change from its Biblical and New Testament beliefs. Those who call it reformation are wrong, because in order to reform the church would have to get back to its biblical basics.

Homosexuality has never been a practice that was acceptable in the original Christian church, so what we are being asked to do is to radically change who we are and what we believe is right. If we take this path to accept the ordination of practicing homosexuals then we are separating ourselves from the New Testament Church. We will have transformed into something else and into something other than New Testament Christianity. Our Western culture may demand this of our society, but our churches are meant to be separate from our culture in matters of doctrine, Biblical teaching, and Christ given truth.

In essence we have to ask ourselves this important question: are we Christ’s church in the world, or are we the Western World’s Church?

Church Devotions: Challenged and Changed

1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 

This is one of those verses that challenge all of us today, including me. We live in the most impurest of times and we are all tainted by some degree of sexual immorality. Rather than change our lives as Christians, we find it more and more convenient to change the rules and appease our consciences. Instead of submitting to Biblical authority, we subvert the Word of God, making it fit our worldly ways and self-centered civilization.

If we speak out against the brazenness and sickness of our society, Christians and preachers are called bigots and dinosaurs, hypocrites and schismatics. Then the teaching of the past is cast aside as a new one world vision is embraced and religious morality is abandoned. People can do what they want and when they want to, without meddling preachers spoiling the fun. God is now created in society’s image and people make Him the Almighty Approver of our world view.

But God did not call us to be impure; He called us to live holy lives. Unfortunately, we have all failed miserably and as our society continues to degenerate, holiness is replaced with haughtiness. The World challenges and chides the Church to change its ways, instead of the other way around.

For the sake of our salvation, we need to change our ways, but not because the World says so; we need to change our ways because we are called to live holy lives. Let us pray that it is not too late to do so. The future salvation of our children and their children depends upon what we decide and do now.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we have all fallen short of God’s glory, but instead of turning back to You and changing our lives, we give into the World’s demands and desecrate the holiness we once had. Forgive us for being arrogant and foolish, sexually immoral and wickedly brazen. Call us back to purity and holiness, faithfulness and prayer. In Your Holy Name, we humbly ask. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Scottish drawings. It depicts the Military Tattoo that takes place at Edinburgh castle, Scotland each year. If you would like to view a larger image of this print, please visit the following link:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5013/5391466563_b3f504a9b8_b.jpg