ELCA to vote on whether to allow practicing homosexuals to clergy

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is meeting this week in Minneapolis this week for their annual churchwide assembly. On Friday, the assembly is expected to vote on whether to allow individuals who are involved in 'committed homosexual relationships' to be ordained as ELCA ministers.

What is at stake?

The Bible is clear in both the Old and New Testaments [for example, Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-27] that homosexual activity is against God's Law and the natural order that He has established. Once the authority of the Bible is ignored in defining sin, then the definition of sin becomes considered as a matter of human opinion. As people constantly excuse their own actions, without the biblical witness, virtually no one believes that the sins in which he or she is habitually involved are really that bad. Therefore, without the authority of the Bible to define sin, people do not see themselves as sinners- the Law loses its power to convict of sin- and thus people do not see their need for a Savior.

This is, therefore, not only a social issue, but a gospel issue.

Jesus died to provide atonement for sin, including the sin of homosexuality. Jesus lives to set people free from sin, including the sin of homosexuality. If the ELCA refuses to recognize this, then they are not being more loving towards people engaged in homosexuality, they are depriving them of a Savior.

I ask readers to be in prayer for the ELCA this week.

UPDATE: As most readers know, the ELCA did vote in favor of allowing persons in 'committed homosexual relationships' to b ordained as Lutheran ministers. Dr. Albert Mohler responds to the rationale of the ELCA HERE.