No gray areas in God's Word

By Mark K. Slinkard

I feel compelled to reply to the article by Richard Ostling of the Associated Press, "Gay's place in the Bible," and to address the sadly inadequate reporting on your Religion page.

Ostling sates that the Episcopal Church "agonized over the confirmation" of Gene Robinson as its first openly gay bishop. It is clear to see why Episcopalians would agonize. They have chosen to ignore most parts of the Scripture concerning the qualifications of ministers.

Ministers must be above reproach (I Timothy 3:2). By the very fact that he is gay and divorced, Robinson should have disqualified himself. Instead, he chose to create dissension within his own church.

Ministers are to be the husband of one wife and respectable (I Timothy 3:2). Since he is divorced and proclaimed himself to be an abomination (Leviticus 18:22), he cannot be a minister.

Ministers are not to be quarrelsome (I Timothy 3:3). By making himself the subject of debate, Robinson has not only proved quarrelsome, but has created a quarrel within his own denomination.

Ministers must have a good reputation with outsiders (I Timothy 3:7). By his own actions, Robinson has ruined his reputation within the church and created questions in the minds of outsiders as well.

In his article, Ostling quoted Romans 1:26-27, but he should also have included Romans 1:24-25. Robinson has traded the truth for a lie simply to achieve his own agenda.

II John 9 states, "Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God." Since he has chosen to ignore those Scriptures that concern him, Robinson cannot be a minister. You either believe all of the Bible, or you believe none of it. There are no gray areas.

Unless and until Robinson chooses to repent of his sins and ask forgiveness of Christ Jesus, he cannot be a Christian. Therefore, he cannot be a minister of any Christian denomination.

The Bible's message, God's Word, is truly love. But love must also include correction whenever they is an error. Robinson has committed an error as well as a sin and needs to understand that this rebuke if from my heart, because I do love him.

The Rev. Kendall Harmon was correct in his statement that there is no equivocation.

I am not judging Robinson or any other gay person. I am merely judging their actions and attitudes.

Jewish laws (Leviticus 17 and 18) and the reinforcement of those laws in Romans 1, I Timothy 1 and other places are not subject to our interpretation of whom they apply to. They apply to everyone who seeks to follow Jesus.

Neither are the laws mentioned in the Bible subject to our interpretation as to how they apply. The "communal love ethic" does indeed exemplify Jesus' command, but it does not eliminated the need for reproof, rebuke and correction as stated in other Scripture.

I love all my brothers and sisters, and that is why I seek to inform them what it says in God's Word.

If I can convince one person that a politically correct or watered-down version of Scripture is no scripture at all, then that one person may come to know Jesus as their personal savior, and then God's kingdom will be glorified.

The pressure these people feel is not from the moral majority, the conservative movement in any church, the pope, their pastor nor any other minister. It is conviction of their sins, and that comes from God through the Holy Spirit.

One final word. II Thessalonians 3:14-15: "If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother."

Here is your warning. God's Word is God's Word. It has not changed. It will not change. We cannot adapt it to suit our lives but must change our lives to suit it.

I pray that by writing this I have convinced one person to examine God's Word as it applies to his or her own life. If you think I am wrong, tell me so, and we can search the Scripture together to find an answer.

Mark K. Slinkard of Cape Girardeau is a Southern Baptist lay minister.