Leviticus: Gender, Marriage, and Sexuality

Well, good morning.

We're studying our way through the book of Leviticus.

If you remember the structure, we'll throw the structure up on the screen.

Remember the structure?

Last week we were in the pinnacle of the book, the Day of Atonement.

Chapters 1 through 15 are taking us to the Day of Atonement.

And then coming out of that today, we are entering chapters 17 through 20, which are known as the Holiness Code.

And as we open up chapter 18, as we get to chapter 18, we see God speaking to sexuality.

Don't have sex with this person and don't have sex with that person.

God speaks against incest, he speaks against affairs, and God speaks to the issue of homosexuality.

Now, about four times a year, I lead a new member's class for our church, and new people coming in.

They want to learn about the church.

And then all of a sudden, about every single time there was a question about homosexuality or transgender.

For years I answered by saying, we are welcoming but not affirming.

That's who we are.

That's our church's belief.

Welcoming to all, loving to all, but we cannot affirm everything.

Now, some of you, some of us have family or friends who are homosexuals or transgender.

Some of us may be homosexual or transgender.

Some of us want to love people and we're just not quite sure what to do with the Bible.

And some of us want to be so truth-filled that we forget to be loving.

But we want to be like Jesus, who was truth and grace.

And so the question that we want to ask when it comes to these issues is how can we be lavish in love and clear on truth?

So last year, our church leadership, a group of maybe 10 people, it was our elder board, it was our staff, it was men, it was women, it was the Women's Advisory Council, decided to write a paper and create a paper and edit a paper on gender, marriage, and sexuality.

And so we have printed copies for you of that paper on your way out.

So a lot of what I'm gonna say this morning is it's all from that paper, and it's probably more clear in the paper than what I'm gonna do verbally, and it's filled with Bible citations, and so we have printed out enough for like one per family unit or one per person if you're here by yourself.

And so please grab one at each door on the way out.

You don't have to worry about like taking notes today, like because that paper is filled with everything I'm gonna say, plus more.

So it's just not a normal Sunday.

I've actually not preached on this in like 25 years, so it's been a while.

Um, it actually doesn't come up in the Bible a lot, but when it does, it's clear.

Um, just not a normal, uh it's not gonna be entertaining.

Like I go and tell you, I'm gonna read a lot, I'm gonna read some.

And the goal on that is just to be really clear.

It's gonna be a lot of content, it's just not a normal Sunday for us or for me.

Now, here's what I emailed out this week.

Perhaps you got this email.

Here is what I said in the email.

I said, we realize people who belong to Redeemer will hold a variety of beliefs on these issues.

So while we love those who hold differing opinions, our hope is to be clear and truthful, to love copiously.

That means it's like love a whole lot and facilitate peace to reign amongst us.

Now, given the weight of these matters, it's our hope to graciously give clarity to the church's views while extending the utmost of grace and love to all who agree and disagree with the church's views.

So, in that we have a threefold purpose this morning.

Number one, to provide a biblical rationale for our position on these issues and clarity for what are the practical implications of that sort of position.

Number two, to call the church to a thoughtful, Christ-like engagement on these topics.

Sometimes you'll get people who have thought a lot about it, but they don't seem to be a lot like Jesus in their relationships on this.

And then number three, to give clarity on these important issues while not leaving our heart and calling to lovingly encourage one another in spite of differences of beliefs.

So let's take it issue by issue, the three issues: gender, marriage, and sexuality.

First, identity and gender, Genesis 1, 26 and 27.

Then God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish and the sea and over the birds and the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

So God created man in his own image.

In the image of God, he created him, male and female, he created them.

So as for gender, we believe that God wonderfully and immutably, which means unchangeably, creates each person as male or female.

God's design and intent in creation from the beginning is male or female in human sexuality.

We believe that identity is located in our creation, not in our conditions of our lives or experiences.

Now, we also know that we live in a broken world.

And we know this can be an incredibly emotionally complex issue.

So our church, we desire to relate in love and truth to all people, holding compassion to those who have had distressing struggles with gender issues.

Second issue, marriage.

The Bible displays covenantal unions between men and women as the normative means for sexual activity and committed romantic partnerships.

We see polygamy in the Bible.

I can't imagine.

But we see it.

We see it.

But it's not the biblical normative, healthy marriage that the Bible teaches.

From the beginning in Genesis, marriage is the uniting of a man and a woman in a single exclusive union.

And godly sexuality is limited to sex between a man and a woman who are married.

Okay, that was quick on gender, quick on marriage, a little bit longer this morning on the third issue: sexuality.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality, any form, including the use of pornography, adultery, fornication, sexual relations with the same gender, incest, and bestiality is sinful and offensive to God.

And we believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and repent of their sin, seeking his mercy and forgiveness through Jesus.

So we could say it this way: there is grace to all sexual brokenness, whether it is due to personal choice or woundedness.

Now, experientially, this grace may lead to varying levels of healing and restoration, or it may lead to the resources for living in this life faithfully and joyfully in the anticipation of the full restoration in heaven.

Now, there are only a handful of verses in the whole Bible that talk to same-sex activity.

But the Bible is consistent in those handful of verses.

Leviticus 18 is one of those.

So I knew even back last fall when I said, we're gonna preach through Leviticus.

I was like, oh, 18's coming.

It's coming for us.

We're gonna have this Sunday is coming for us.

We're gonna need to talk about it.

Leviticus 18, 22, you shall not lie with a male as with a woman.

It is an abomination.

And this is in the middle of chapter 18.

That's listening, all sorts of not having sex with this person and that person.

And then again in chapter 20, verse 13 if a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.

They shall surely be put to death.

Their blood is upon them.

Now that's the severity of ancient religious law.

Unfortunately, in Sally, that's led to a lot of hate, a lot of fear of homosexuals.

I grew up in a conservative town where there is a lot of fear of homosexuals.

It's coming from this ancient religious law, which is not our calling.

Our calling is Christian love and compassion.

Here's Paul in the New Testament, Romans 1, verses 20 through 27.

Romans 1:20–27

It's a bit of a read.

Just hang with me.

For his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.

So they are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened, claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Therefore God gave them up in their lust of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies amongst themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever.

Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions, for their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

So in Romans, Paul lists homosexualities amongst many other sins, and throughout that whole book.

I mean, Paul's point in the first few chapters of Romans is that we, myself, you, the other person, are all sinners.

That's our starting point.

Which means that even if you believe in a biologically determined inclination, even if you believe that, like homosexuality.

Even if you believe that, Paul says it does not excuse the behavior.

Because we're all sinners.

We have a shared experience of sin.

As to highlight our need of the grace of Jesus.

Okay, so we have seven practical questions, like implications.

Like, if you're gonna believe that as a church, welcoming to all, loving to all, but we can't affirm everything.

What does that mean for a church?

What does that look like?

What are these implications?

So, seven questions.

Are y'all excited?

You're really excited.

I told you, I told you, no entertaining stories.

Question number one: Can someone be both gay and Christian?

Yes.

Salvation is available to all who profess that Jesus is Lord and believe in his resurrection.

Sanctification is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, and we leave room, our hope, our hope is we leave room for God to work in people's hearts and lives.

Question number two.

Are Christians who affirm homosexuality invited to attend, receive communion, and become members at Redeemer?

Yes.

We want a church culture of hospitality and keeping in the Spirit of Jesus who sought and welcomed those who desired belonging.

So our communion table is open to all who call on the name of Jesus.

Now, membership in our church is for those who make a confession to be a Christian, have attended our membership class, understand and are in agreement with the church's beliefs, mission, and vision, and desire to be part of our church in peace.

So if you're a Christian and you affirm homosexuality, you can join if you can be at peace with our belief, or you cannot join and you can just belong to our church.

We welcome you to do either.

Number three, are Christians who affirm homosexuality, including practicing homosexuals or transgender, invited to participate in teaching roles at Redeemer?

No.

Because we would never ask you to affirm a teaching you don't believe.

It doesn't make sense to put you in a teaching role where eventually the question of gender or marriage or sexuality may come up, and you are going to be put in an immediate position of conflict.

Number four, will you perform marriage ceremonies for gay couples at Redeemer?

No.

All Americans are entitled to the pursuit of civil liberties.

But Redeemer will continue to uphold an orthodox understanding of marriage.

Number five, are practicing homosexuals, are transgender individuals able to attend and receive communion?

Yes.

Anybody who wants to be here in peace, we welcome you.

Those who call on Jesus as Savior and Lord, please take communion.

We welcome you to take communion.

Number six, are practicing homosexuals or transgender individuals able to serve at Redeemer?

Yes, but not in all service roles.

Any role of service that holds leadership over others, holds authority and influence over them, if you are a homosexual or transgender, that part of your life's in conflict with part of Redeemer's beliefs.

We would not ask you to serve in a role where eventually you're gonna be put in a position of conflict.

That does not make sense to put you in that position.

So, yes, you can serve, but not in all roles.

Last question.

Number seven, are practicing homosexuals or transgender individuals able to join Redeemer?

No.

No individual.

No individual.

And refusal of acknowledgement of a sinful lifestyle, say an affair, is able to join.

You may say, well, I don't think that's a sin.

And we would say, okay, we disagree here.

This is probably why you shouldn't join.

But we welcome you to be here.

You're welcome to belong.

You can belong and not join, or you can join and belong.

There's a story in Acts 15 where Jewish folks and non-Jewish folks, Gentiles, are in a new Christian church.

These are two very different groups of people.

Imagine you're a non-Jew Christian.

And finally you've heard, finally you've heard, you're fully accepted, and you're fully loved in Jesus.

And then the people in charge, the Jewish Christians, they say, oh, by the way, you actually need to do all these things, and they're like piling on all these Old Testament laws of like do this and do this, and then God will really love you.

Jesus loves you, but you really need to do this.

So a council formed in Jerusalem to settle this.

What do non-Jews need to do to be accepted in Jesus?

And the council met, and then they sent leaders out to the church with the conclusion.

Here's what we have in Acts 15, 27 through 29.

We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.

For it has seemed good till the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements, that you abstain from what you have been sacrificed to idols and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.

If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.

Fair well.

Now look at verse 28.

For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.

And the point here is that our heart is we want to seek the Holy Spirit's guidance and conversations with others, as we have conversations for gospel faithfulness and toward church unity.

That's what's going on in Acts 15.

Here's what we taught last year when we look at Acts 15.

We taught these five principles quickly.

Number one, we are rescued out of guilt and self-justification by God's grace to us in Jesus.

Amen.

That's a starting point.

Number two, we will have differences.

And we need to listen to each other with humility and compassion.

You have listened to me.

I am open to listening to you.

Number three, we take our differences to the scriptures asking the Holy Spirit for help.

Number four, we need to distinguish between the essential and the important.

What is the essential?

Jesus' deity, his death on the cross for our sins and his resurrection.

And then there are like a hundred important after that.

Number five.

The church can make a proclamation while individuals still differ.

We would just ask you to consider if perhaps the orthodox view could be true.

Now let me close by us thinking about Jesus.

There's a story in John 8.

And Jesus has upset the religious people.

So they want to catch him being soft on the law.

So they set a lady up.

An adultery, they catch her.

You bring her in front of Jesus in front of a crowd of people because they don't care about her at all.

They have no compassion.

And they say, hey Jesus, the law says we should stone her.

What do you say?

John 8, verse 6.

John 8:6

This they said to test him.

They might have some charge to bring against him.

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

And they continued to ask him.

He stood up and said to them, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.

And once more he bent down and he wrote on the ground.

But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones.

And Jesus was left alone with a woman standing before him.

Jesus stood up and said to her, Woman, where are they?

Has no one condemned you?

And she said, No one, Lord.

And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn you.

Go, and from now on, sin no more.

Can you imagine the shame of this woman?

She is exposed in front of everyone.

Now this isn't the same as homosexuality or transgender, but the point is Jesus.

See, Jesus oddly bends down and he starts to write in the dirt.

What an odd thing to do.

But we do know that all the focus would have turned from the woman to Jesus.

And that was quite a gift to her in that moment.

And then verse 7, Jesus speaks to the religious people who think they have it all together.

Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone.

And Jesus is saying, be aware of your own sin.

Don't come into any conversation about something that you think is a sin without thinking that you're not the sinner.

That's how we begin with compassion.

And then verse 10, Jesus speaks to the woman.

Where are they?

Has no one condemned you?

And then this, he says, Neither do I condemn you.

Go and from now on, sin no more.

So Jesus is lavish in love without affirming everything about her.

Affirmation is not required for love.

Jesus does not choose between truth and grace.

There's something much more profound that we can love someone.

We can welcome someone without condemnation while we do not agree with them.

Now it's possible that you hear all this or you read the paper and you have questions, or you have concerns, or you have feedback, or you're upset.

And after the service, I'll be down front.

I would love to talk to you.

And as well, I'd love to set up a time to talk to you.

You're welcome to reach out to us through our website, at the email on the website, and we will get back to you.

We would love to talk.

Let's pray together.

Heavenly Father, we thank you that you know us and love us.

Continue to increase our heart for what is true, what is lovely, and increase in our heart a compassion that is required when we have relationships with anybody.

Have mercy on us that we might grow more lavish in love and more clear on truth.

And may you guide us as a church and guide us as individuals and families to be like Jesus.

Amen.