A League of Sinners

The Church may be spoken of in two senses: Visible and Invisible. The visible Church is the current collection of people visibly gathered in Christian churches each Sunday, made up of both believers and unbelievers. The invisible Church is the collection of believers worldwide--those whose faith and hope are permanently affixed to Christ. In order to guard the purity and unity of the Church in each of these manifestations, Reformed Christians have often spoken of the "spirituality" of the Church. This refers to exclusively redemptive message of salvation from sin in Christ which belongs to the Church, as opposed to the social and political aims of the State. The last (incredibly long) entry was an attempt to promote the spirituality of the Church in the perpetual age of simultaneous advance and decline in a sinful world.

That said, my good friend at Calvin Seminary was very helpful in his response and I would like to interact with a few of his thoughts. First, I am thankful for his critique. In an age in which potential disagreements are swept under the rug in order to "dialogue," his clear and forthright response is refreshing. Second, all of his points are apropos and many indicate ways in which I could have been more clear in my writing, leaving only a small remainder in which there might actually be some disagreement.

With regard to agreeable points, let me list a few: We have both had friends who struggled with homosexuality, and several of them in college were mutual friends. The conduct of many "conservative" Christians toward people with this struggle has and continues to be morally repugnant. People who struggle with homosexuality are confused and ashamed, likely feeling the same type of disgust and stigmatization that pornography-addicts feel. They needs Christians in their lives who speak clearly and love abundantly. These people are often failed on both counts. The saddest case in recent memory is that of a recent graduate at Calvin College who at one point fought against his temptation, yet later capitulated because, I believe, he lacked people who spoke clearly and loved abundantly. This case still grieves me greatly, and provoked my sharp rebuke of those theological obscurantists in positions of power at Calvin. We should not be fighting for homosexuality or against homosexuals, but should fight with people who struggle in this regard against that which afflicts them.

I also join my good friend in expressing pride in a denomination that takes the time to deal with such an issue. There seems to be two dueling approaches amongst denominations of various stripes: either doctrinal clarity or social methodology. In my circles, doctrinal stances are clearly marked, but possibilities of engagement are often neglected. That is one of the reasons why I visited Mars Hill Church in Seattle, which does well at both. In other circles, particularly Mainline (PCUSA, United Methodist, etc.), engagement is refined into an art while being bereft of standards of truth. In engaging the issue and the people, the CRC is setting a fine precedent for other denominations. This courage and thoughtfulness also marks my friend's blog on the issue. Their ability to ask the tough question about a natural (though fallen) homosexual orientation is one that will require careful consideration in years to come.

Finally, my friend offered a sterling reminder to be careful in my remarks concerning the origin of sin. I incorporated the Romans 1 language of God giving sinners over to the consequences of their sin, but did not clearly remark that God is by no means the author of sin. This "giving over" is explicitly a just punishment and not an arbitrary afflicting--man rebelled against God by worshipping the created order, so God allowed for his sin to be revealed in all its perversity. God is the judge, not the author of sin.

Now by way of contrast and reaffirmation of my original point in this entry, the doctrine of the spirituality of the Church dictates that the Church remember its primary mission of proclaiming redemption from sin (always accompanied by pious acts) and its sole authority for faith and practice: the Holy Bible. That was my critique of certain sectors of the Church in my last entry--that in the most recent age of transitory values and scientific studies, the Church should resist establishing its center in anything but the Word. The abuse of this center has ruined several formerly prestigious denominations in the past century, and threatens to overwhelm many more. This warning is not only aimed at denominations that are perhaps accommodating too much to "progressive" values and norms, but also especially at the larger conservative evangelical movement which often roots its knee-jerk hostility toward people who struggle with homosexuality with an array of their own reports--biological and sociological (just go to the website of Family Research Council).

In my friend's last response, he asks if people may adopt the "homosexual" label as they do the "alcoholic" or "adulterer" label in order to more clearly identify the struggle and resists its many perils. That point has merit and is well-received. I would make what I believe to be a more helpful approach, however: that we all adopt the "sinner" label. Labels often have the power to establish one's inward and outward identity. They also play into the hands of those who love to stigmatize certain sins according to a self-revelatory hierarchy. When we all incorporate the label "sinner," we find ourselves on the same level ground at the foot of the cross.

The Church is a league of sinners--sinners who have been redeemed by the blood of the God-man. When the Church remembers the totality and pervasiveness of sin in all human hearts, she will again function as that subservient beacon of light to a world enshrouded by darkness. In that day, sinners will wince under the power of God's conviction as those who experience the pain of peroxide in a wound, rather than the salt normally administered by self-righteous individuals. In that day, sinners of all stripes will find healing in the wings of Christ's Church.

May God hasten the coming of the new heavens and earth, where the reign of sin and tears is replaced by the Kingdom of Christ. Until that day, may the Church remain faithful to her calling as Christ's body on earth and never forsake the very Word of God given her.