When I say that “I’m learning a lot in seminary,” that’s a loaded statement. Shortly after the Lord delivered me from a gay lifestyle in 2010, I applied in person and was rejected from Moody Theological Seminary in Chicago. Had I watered down my testimony, I likely would have been accepted. But I told the truth about how deep in sin I had been and was penalized.
Considering I was on fire for the Lord at the time more than ever, many of us were shocked. The admissions rep encouraged me to re-apply after a year and said they wanted to see me walk out my faith a bit more. In other words, there is a high rate of recidivism among ex-gays. Understood… so my family and I accepted it as the Lord’s will.
As I grew in my faith, why the Lord may have allowed temporary rejection became increasingly clear. As my Dad had said from the outset, today’s seminarian must “be a Paul” going in… or else, he will be conformed to the image (not of Christ) but of today’s wayward church. In other words, he must be able to identify false teachings, be willing to stand alone and battle them back (Gal 3:1-6; 2 Cor 11:3-4). “Queer Hermeneutics” and “Feminist Hermeneutics” are actual fields of study today… no joke. We have been infiltrated.
Satan manipulated the Word of God and used it against Christ, as documented in Matthew chapter 4. Today Satan’s foot soldiers (Eph 2:2) operating within Christian academia go to great lengths to twist Scripture. Forcing the text to agree with their perversions, they “over”stand Scripture rather than submitting to the authority of God’s inspired, inerrant Word.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16
For more on the inerrancy of Scripture, see The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy below:
These days, I am doing seminary online. A class required that each of us critique an “academic journal” article written by an “expert” in a given field. I chose a “Queer Hermeneutics” article to critique.
The Scripture at hand:
“20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” Romans 1:20-32
Remember that there is a way out of a gay lifestyle / identity for those willing to repent (1 Cor 6:9-11). Praise the Lord!
Side Note: I recently visited a pastor’s son who is living a gay lifestyle. We read through the above passage. After getting through verses 29-32, I asked him, ‘Does this sound like the LGBT to you?’ He adamantly replied, ‘It doesn’t sound like… it is!’ It’s tough to convince those of us who have lived it that homosexuality is normal and healthy.
Summarized, journal article author Jeramy Townsley argues that the subjects of Romans 1:26-27 cannot be compared with the contemporary LGBT. Therefore, he claims that this passage does not condemn contemporary homosexuality as sin.
Below are two documents:
- My critique of Townsley’s journal article, addressing the subjects of Romans 1:23-28.
- Townsley’s journal article that seeks to justify homosexuality.
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