Ask a Pastor Column

Q: Does the Bible mention anything about the LGBTQ movement? It must not, or churches would agree on that subject.

A: It would be great if all churches who claim to be Christian agreed to live by what is clearly taught in the Bible. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. The Bible predicted that both individuals and churches would sometimes walk away from the truth (I Timothy 4:1-2; II Timothy 3:1-5; Revelation 3:1-5; etc.). An important part of the Christian journey is learning to identify those who do so and avoid following their example.

The Bible’s teaching is extremely clear on the subjects of gender (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4), marriage (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6), and homosexuality (Leviticus 20:13; Hebrews 13:4; I Corinthians 6:9-10; etc.). Christians have upheld biblical standards of morality based upon these verses for thousands of years. The fact that some modern churches and denominations are stepping away from these standards is not because of any change in Scripture, rather it reflects a decision on their part to prioritize cultural acceptance over obedience to God.

Churches and denominations face the same moral responsibilities as individuals and nations (Revelation 2:5, 21-23; etc.). God lays out His standard and calls us to walk in His way. Those who truly love and believe God will heed His instructions and base their lives upon them (John 14:23; I John 2:5; etc.). This does not mean that Christians never sin or that churches never make wrong choices; it’s about what standard we live by and who we are living to please. Any individual or church who departs from right morals can expect to reap the natural consequences of their sin and face God’s judgment in His perfect timing (Galatians 6:7-8; Revelation 3:15-16; etc.).

This leads us to an important question: what should a faithful Christian do if they are part of a church or denomination that has embraced wrong morals? If individual choices have become a persistent pattern, and there is no response to repeated biblical counsel and appeals for repentance, then it may become necessary for committed believers to separate and look for a new body of believers to fellowship with (I Timothy 5:22; I Corinthians 5:4-8; 6:17-18; Hebrews 13:13-14).

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