J. Grant Swank, Jr.


Will the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America legitimize active homosexual clergy?


In other words, will the ELCA disobey God, thus bringing divine wrath down upon it similar to what happens now in the US Episcopal Church?


Will the grassroots adopt the pro-active homosexual proposal of a committee now prepared to present its apostate position to the upcoming denominational conclave?


If this Protestant denomination cuts through the Word of God, those maneuvering such evil will be disciplined severely by the God of the Bible.


The innocent likewise will suffer for the innocent often suffer because of the sinful decisions of the rebellious. Sadly that is the case in our spiritually damaged sphere.


However, the biblical believers in the ELCA are praying that the liberal proposal will be aggressively opposed by delegates. These biblical Christians believe that the committee offering this sin package does not have the mind of the majority of church members.


Today Satan is moving forthrightly within certain denominations in order to unravel the biblical ethic. The United Methodist Church has wrestled with this intrusion. Mennonites also have had their fair share of at-the-top liberalism trying to impose apostasy at the local level.


The United Church of Christ (Congregational) publicly has advertised itself as anti-Bible on a variety of moral issues, two being abortion and sodomy.


The Unitarian Society is so far left liberal that its official statement does not even mention the word “church” in its official title. The Society does not wish to be confined to Christendom.


The Presbyterian Church USA approves active homosexual clergy. That is at variance to The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) that holds to the biblical position.


Roman Catholicism is not exempt regarding this divisive issue. For instance: “Volunteers for the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) found that 45% of the websites of 211 major Catholic universities contained information about pro-homosexual clubs” per LifeSiteNews.com.


Where personal salvation is preached and taught, usually active homosexual positions never gain any attention, no power. Where the pulpit declares that Jesus can save the soul from sin, deliver the indwelling Holy Spirit, and equip the sincere believer via devotions in the Holy Scriptures, active homosexual lifestyles don’t stand a chance of acceptance.


Where the congregation holds that the Bible is the revealed divine writ providing the moral base for Christian living, there is no debate on the homosexual issue. The Bible’s position is received willingly without quarrel.


Where salvation by grace alone is muffled, and where the pulpit emphasizes more liturgy than biblical preaching on doctrinal truths, the active homosexual wedge can work for evil’s gain.


Where the denomination waffles on what the Bible is, what salvation means, who Jesus is, and what morals are absolute and what are relativistic, the active homosexual intrusion makes inroads. In other words, the people are left confused. There is no real allegiance to the biblical ethic.


Within the ELCA, the word “Evangelical” does not realistically apply for much in that group is not biblically evangelical, hence more confusion.


At present, the homosexual block is working ardently to undermine the biblical base of the ELCA. Time will tell whether they have the clout to unravel the biblical convictions of genuine Christians throughout the denomination.


FOOTNOTE: ANTI-HOMOSEXUAL PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE


Leviticus 18:22: "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."


Leviticus 20:13: "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them."


Romans 1:18-32: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. . .For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools. . .


"Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. . .


"For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire towards one another, men with men committed indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.


"God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice. . .without understanding. . . and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."


I Corinthians 6:9: "Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God."