WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN ALL-INCLUSIVE CHURCH?

In the wake of the United Methodist Church’s decision to forbid same-sex marriage, one LGBTQ supporter invoked a single passage – John 8:1-11 – to support the idea that Jesus received all. Therefore, so should Christians and especially the Church. This is the passage where a woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus for His judgment in the matter:

·       They said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him…And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:4-7 ESV)

Does this passage argue in favor of an all-inclusive church apart from any requirement to repent of sexual sins? First of all, it is not found in the earliest manuscripts. However, let’s just assume that it should be regarded as Scripture, as some contend. There are still many obstacles to using this passage in support of gay marriage.

Had Jesus recommended stoning the woman as the Mosaic Law required, such proceedings would have been a breach of justice. Jesus had not been designated and the judge, jury, and executioner. Besides, her accusers hadn’t brought the adulterer, a breach of protocol. For these reasons alone, Jesus couldn’t have answered that she should be stoned to death.

Besides, we cannot take Jesus’ response that only those without sin could judge. If this is to be taken literally, it would put the kibosh on the entire justice system. It would also mean that parents could not discipline or judge their children since they too sin. Employers couldn’t fire employees who were stealing from them. No one could judge, because no one is without sin – an absolutely absurdity. Instead, Jesus insisted that the Church had to judge (Matthew 18:15-18).

It is more likely that Jesus meant that no one who is without sin in this matter should throw the first stone. Perhaps they too were practicing some form of illegal sex, or perhaps Jesus was referring to their breach of protocol.

While Jesus invited everyone to follow Him, He certainly wasn’t all-inclusive. He imposed strict demands upon discipleship:

·       Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:37-39)

Even to this adulteress, Jesus instructed her to “go, and from now on, sin no more” (John 8:11). Instead of giving a green light to adultery, He was forbidding it! Likewise, instead of giving the okay to gay sex and marrying gays, He would have forbidden it.

Right after this account, Jesus warned:

·       “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

A follower had to swear off of all sin. This required a continue diet of repentance:

·       And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:2-5; 5:32)

According to Jesus, repentance was also necessary for salvation, as He had made explicit to His disciples after His resurrection:

·       …repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47; Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; 5:31)

Jesus had challenged the religious leadership to convict Him of sin. Had He been teaching a forgiveness of sin without repentance from sin, they could have easily brought Jesus up on charges for violating the Mosaic Law. Therefore, He would never have pleaded the case of the adulteress by claiming, “We are all sinners. Therefore, none of us can judge.” In fact, Jesus never spoke against the Mosaic Law, which He regarded as God’s Law (Matthew 5:16-19).

The Mosaic Law was consistently against homosexuality, and Jesus never said anything to weaken this judgment. If anything, He revealed how the Law was not merely against forbidden sexual acts but also sexual ideation:

·       “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28)

This also speaks against pornography. It also seems that, from Jesus’ estimation, it isn’t simply a matter of the sinfulness of gay sex, but also of gay ideation

I don’t mean to give anyone a guilt complex. We all are continually being bombarded by sinful temptations. Instead, I just want to encourage us all to seek Jesus as He truly is, without bending Him to justify our desires, so that we can experience His complete forgiveness and cleansing. This is what He died for.