Healthy plants have deep roots and strong pillars have solid foundations. If we are to be Christians who are deeply rooted in Christ and built on the solid Rock, then we need more than mere sound bites. One means that the Lord has used throughout church history to strengthen His people’s faith and witness is reading good books. This book review series is identifying books that can serve as shovels that help you dig deeper in your Christian life.
Book: Surviving Religion 101 – Letters to a Christian Student on Keeping the Faith in College - Michael J. Kruger
While you are attending classes, engaged in intramurals, and socializing at college, you will meet lots of different people, some of whom will identify as gay. They might be frustrated with you because they feel like you don’t really love and accept them unless you approve of their behavior. You might begin to wonder if Christians could be wrong about such a personal subject.
As you struggle with this, you are going to run into a lot of arguments for why you should accept homosexuality – most of which are emotionally powerful. As you sift through these arguments it’s important that you trust biblical reasoning and not your feelings. In chapter 5 of Surviving Religion 101, Michael Kruger responds to six of the most common arguments.
Argument 1: Homosexuals are kind, caring, wonderful people.
As you relate to those who identify as homosexual, it might seem that they are kinder than some of your Christian friends. This may lead you to ask, “If it’s such a bad thing, then how could such wonderful people be doing it?”
Response: This argument is built on the premise that something is wrong only if the people doing it are mean-spirited and unpleased. It assumes that the morality of an act is somehow connected to the character (or likeability) of those who perform it. However, Christians don’t claim that something is wrong only if “really awful” people do it. We argue that something is wrong if it conflicts with God’s character, which is reflected in His commandments.
The biblical explanation for how nice people can engage in wrong behavior is the truth that all people are made in the image of God and have His law written on their conscience. This means all humans (including homosexuals) have the potential to be very kind. At the same time, due to our fallen, sinful nature, we are capable of awful sins. Human beings are a “mix” of virtue and vice.
Finally, if Christians change their view because they discover homosexuals are nice people, then it reveals something embarrassing about their previous assumption – they had assumed that homosexuals must be awful people. This form of prejudice is an anti-Christian way of thinking. Our objection to homosexuality is based not on our experience with homosexuals but on the principles revealed in God’s Word.
Argument 2: Homosexuals are just looking for love and companionship.
Why should they not be allowed to be with the ones they love?
Response: This is an emotional appeal that isn’t an actual argument. In essence, homosexuals are arguing that people should be able to be with whomever they love. But are they willing to follow that logic to where it leads? What if a father fell in love with his daughter; could they be together? What if a brother and sister fell in love; could they be together? What if a married woman fell in love with her coworker; should she leave her husband so they could be together? Common decency (not to mention the Bible) says no.
Here’s the point: the logic used to justify homosexual behavior could be used to justify virtually any sexual behavior. Most people would admit there have to be some boundaries. Sometimes doing the right thing means a person just can’t be with the one he or she claims to love – even if it leaves a person single and alone.
Argument 3: Homosexuality is genetically determined.
If someone is hardwired this way, then it must be alright, because there’s no resisting who you really are. Just be yourself.
Response: Behaviors are not right simply because we are inclined to engage in them. Alcoholics might have a disposition towards drink and pedophiles might have a sexual disposition towards children, but this doesn’t make either behavior right. Sometimes it is right to resist a behavior that we are inherently drawn to.
Imagine you were told, “The only behaviors that are really immoral are the ones you feel little inclination to follow.” You know that is nonsensical. Just because a behavior is difficult for someone to avoid is not grounds for declaring they should stop their efforts to resist it – and it is certainly no basis for declaring it to be good!
The reason our culture buys this argument is it has no concept of original sin. We are told “be yourself” because we are thought to be inherently good. The Bible has a very different message. Our true self, apart from Christ, is not good. We are born corrupted and inclined toward evil. The gospel reminds us that we are not the solution; we are the problem. Its message is “Deny yourself” – turn away from our sin and follow Christ. We need a new self. We need to be born again (John 3:3).
Argument 4: Homosexuality is not really condemned by the Bible.
Response: The church has unanimously interpreted the clear biblical teaching through the centuries. First, the bible speaks extensively about marriage, which is always limited to a man and a woman. This is clear from the beginning of the bible (Gen 2:24-25) and from Christ’s affirmation (Mt 19:4-6). The descriptions of biblical characters with multiple wives are not endorsements and that practice was expressly condemned (1 Kings 11:2).
Second, homosexual acts are routinely condemned in both testaments (Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Rom 1:26-27; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Tim 1:8-10) and the reason is that it is contrary to God’s design and to “nature” (Rom 1:26).
Third, homosexuality is judged by God (Gen. 19; Judg. 19; Jude 7).
Argument 5: Homosexuality (even if it’s a sin) is not a big deal.
All sin is equal in God’s sight. Christians should stop talking about this sin until they are willing to talk about gluttony, gossip, or other “acceptable” sins.
Response: While it is true that any sin is enough to separate us from God and warrant His judgement, the Bible does not teach that all sin is equal. When Paul is looking for an example of how God has “turned over” men to the lusts of their hearts, the example he picks is homosexuality (Rom 1:26-27). Leviticus 20:13 refers to it as an abomination. This is because homosexuality overturns God’s design for marriage, a foundational institution that is core to human flourishing (Gen 2:24-25) and designed to reflect the relationship between Christ and His church (Eph. 5:31-32).
This does not mean there is no hope for those caught in homosexuality. What makes the gospel such good news is that no matter how big the sin, there is always forgiveness for everyone who repents and trusts in Jesus for salvation (1 Cor. 6:9-11). We have a great gospel to embrace and share!
Argument 6: Homosexuals have been mistreated by the church.
Response: As Christians, we are deeply saddened wherever people are not treated with the dignity and respect of an image-bearer of God. Even if there are deep disagreements over moral issues, we are still called to be kind and loving. Sadly, that has not always been the case.
That said, it is unfair to characterize the entire Christian movement by the isolated practices of some. Further, Christians are often (wrongly) labeled as “cruel” or “hateful” simple because we affirm the historical Christian position on sexuality. Finally, even if some Christians have not loved homosexuals as they ought that is not a valid argument for why we should accept homosexuality as morally good. Many Christians (rightly) feel bad about the way some homosexuals have been treated but they (wrongly) conclude that the best solution is to fully accept the goodness of homosexuality.
Conclusion: Work hard to treat all people with dignity and respect without compromising what God has revealed about sex in the Scriptures. We can really love people – we can be kind, generous, respectful – and also believe they are caught in serious sin. Jesus modelled this beautifully with the rich young ruler, whom He loved (Mark 10:21). And then, in the next breath, He confronted the man’s idolatry. Love and truth. It is not one or the other. It’s both!
For next time: “The concept of Hell seems barbaric and cruel. Wouldn’t a loving God save everyone?”
Surviving Religion 101 – Letters to a Christian Student on Keeping the Faith in College by Michael J. Kruger. Published by Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2021. Softcover, 262 pages.