Rob Bell publicly confirmed what many concluded from his earlier statements: he affirms gay marriage. “Whether it’s a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man — and I think the ship has sailed and I think the church needs to just — this is the world we’re living in and we need to affirm people wherever they are,” he said. All of them deserve affirmation by the Church, he said. Rob stated that he came to this conclusion based upon events in our culture.
During recent years, Lesbian and Homosexual activists have increased their demands for unconditional approval and acceptance from the culture and every segment within it, including the Church. Bell stated that the Church has failed these people and believes that the Church needs to repent for its failure to affirm them.
Rob does not stand alone in his declaration. Religious leaders, including professing evangelicals like Bell, have made similar endorsements. Politicians stumble over each other in their race to announce their support for Lesbian and Homosexual marriage. Religious denominations increasingly elevate “gay” men and women to leadership positions, even pastors. The call to approve and accept their lifestyles reaches into every segment of our culture.
However, Rob’s statements present problems. They reveal the basis upon which he makes value judgments, the culture. He molds his judgments to the mores of society and denounces others who do not agree with him. In his prior works, he has espoused the belief that no culture can dictate truth claims and value judgments to another culture. However, he attempts to do that very thing in the present instance.
Given his frame of reference, then, will he call for the affirmation of adultery, rape, and pedophilia next? All of these practices abound in current culture. Today’s society flaunts sexual practices without restraints. While some segments of it respect these practices, others even recommend them as normal behavior and demand affirmation and assistance from citizens to support their lifestyles. So, since Bell relies upon society as the foundation for his value judgments, will he affirm these as well? Has this ship sailed, too?
Rob has no firm foundation upon which to base his value judgments. To form them upon culture begs for problems. As history has proven, cultures come and go. Mores change. Most often, the squeaky wheels in society get the oil. Dominant voices sway the weak. The foundation of sand called culture shifts and provides no firm foundation to those who unwisely build upon it.
In a convoluted way, Bell attempts to use the Bible to disprove itself. He commits the unpardonable sin of postmodernism (to which he subscribes). He grants himself infallibility to judge the Church and others for their failures to affirm Gay marriage.
I hereby assert that the Bible trumps culture. Society must conform to the Bible’s inerrant truths. One cannot exclude the undesirable demands of the Bible and replace them others more preferable to society. With explicit clarity, the Bible describes Lesbian and Homosexual behavior as wicked. (1) It makes marriage clearly between a man and a woman. (2)
At the same time, the Bible instructs Christ's followers to love their neighbors, even their enemies. To that extent, the Church and the children of God share culpability on those occasions when they fail to love others, including those living a Lesbian or Homosexual life style. In that regard, and in that regard only, the Church and those who claim Christianity must turn from those times when they have failed to love others as Christ commanded and love as Christ demands.
That does not equate to affirmation. The love that God demands for others does not require approval, support, and acceptance of another’s sinful lifestyle. In fact, true love attempts to correct those who deny and disobey the truths of God's word, just as loving parents correct their children when they err.
Those readers who practice a “gay” lifestyle, must conform their lives to the dictates of the Bible. God calls these practices wicked and requires those at fault to forsake them. God promises forgiveness to all who come to him through Jesus Christ, his provision for us sinners. He gives them his Holy Spirit who will guide them into the truth and grant them the power to overcome sinful desires.
If you find yourself trapped in this lifestyle, I pray that God will give you new life and bring you to trust Christ to free you from sin. Christ has promised to accept all who come to him and will not despise any. I urge you to come to him today.
I pray for Christ followers charmed by Rob Bell’s thinking and presentation turn from this unholy teaching and cling to the inerrant word of God.
1) See Genesis 18.16-19.29, Leviticus 20.13, and Romans 1.18-28. 2) See Genesis 2.18-24 and Matthew 19.3-12.
Thank you to Dr. William L. Brown, Dr. Ronald Mansdoerfer, and Diane Hill for assistance in research and preparation of this article.
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Personal Information: Tom began writing a newsletter in 1981for a small audience of friends. In 2008, he began to write a blog on his web site. Every month, thousands of visitors from all over the world come to his web site and view his blogs. In 2009, he published the book, Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s (Ebook), and his web site, www.masterministries.org. To invite Tom to speak at your college, church or group contact him at www.masterministries.org or at 616-855-5406.
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