In the words of Martin Luther, we are simul justis et pecator — at the same time justified and sinners. Our sanctification will only be complete when Christ returns to take us home. However, to argue that gross and heinous sin is normative and acceptable in the Christian life makes a lie of the gospel. The Christian story is the story of men and women who were violent, drunk, godless, wicked, sexually immoral, and demon-possessed — but they were transformed by the grace of God.

During a recent meeting of Midwest Presbytery, a teaching elder stood up to speak against a proposed overture that would forbid the ordination of homosexuals who claim to be celibate. He argued that since many of us in the EPC are addicted to pornography, it would be wrong and hypocritical to deny ordination to those who struggle with same-sex attraction.

No one denied this statement. By our silence, we seemed to concede that it was true, or at least true enough to require no rebuttal. It was one of those moments when the words of Jesus (so often used in this debate), shame us into silence: “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone” (John 8:7).

No one is perfect. All of us are sinners. Who are we to judge? Why should we focus so narrowly on the sin of homosexuality while ignoring other sins? By condemning homosexuals, aren’t we being exactly like the man who saw the speck in his brother’s eye but not the log in his own?

By now, all of these arguments have become very familiar. Instead of dealing with the issue before us — the ordination of celibate homosexuals — they deflect blame back on their opponents, accusing them of being pharisees: harsh and hypocritical, eager to cast the first stone.

The real question, however, is whether we have given up on the gospel. If you have truly experienced the grace of God, it changes you. In Christ, we are no longer slaves of sin. In Christ, we are a new creation. In Christ, we have been washed clean and made new. In Christ, “God has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son he loves” (Colossians 1:13).

At one time, we too were foolish, disobedient, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior … (Titus 3:3-6)

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were.

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