Ok, so it really shouldn’t be shocking to professing evangelical Protestant Christians; but I’m afraid for many it is. Oftentimes during a discussion concerning the sin (and yes, Dan Kimball it’s a sin) of practicing homosexuality one will inevitably hear this tired ol’ chestnut come emerging: But Jesus was silent on the issue of homosexuality. Well, nice try.

The Apostle John e.g. in his eyewitness deposition we call the Gospel of John records a few instances where Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God, claims to be the LORD God Almighty Himself in human flesh. Christ being simultaneously fully Man and fully God—the hypostatic union of theological description and all of that—which Emerging Church pastors like Doug Pagitt and Rob Bell will at least say they believe.

Well, if one does believe Jesus is God; if one does believe Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (see—Hebrews 13:8), and if one does believe all Scripture is theopnuestos—breathed of God—(see—2 Timothy 3:16), then all we have to do is look in the Bible and see if God ever spoke concerning the practice of homosexuality and we’ll see what Jesus has said on the subject:

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

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. (Leviticus 20:13, NASB)

For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 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 toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. (Romans 1:25-27, NASB)

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will 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, will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NASB)

Hmm, it really doesn’t sound like Jesus was silent on one of the critical issues of our time at all; does it? And it sure looks to me that if we say we love sinners, and then we aren’t at least honest enough to tell them the Truth, then we lie. But men and women, this is sin as well:

“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8, NASB)

See also:

BRIAN MCLAREN, THE EMERGING CHURCH, AND HOMOSEXUALITY: WHAT’S SO HARD ABOUT THAT?

ROB BELL SINGS THE SIREN SONG OF THE SELF