Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Unconditional Love?
MMI links to a sotry abot a Methodist church in Texas reaching out to the LGBT community.
Does God love us "unconditionally"? Yes, but I would argue that he has a very different understanding of that word than we do. His love is unconditonal in the sense that it is unearned, but it is also infinite in that it wants what is really best for us, which means it will demand that we change because we are far from the best. This demand for change is something that we want to label a "conditon" because then we can avoid it, but it is not a condition it is a result.
Firstly it is important to point out that this distinction is true for all sin, that the sin of sexual practice is perhaps more obvious, but no different than the sin of gossip or the thief when it comes to the theological point I make here.
Secondly, I think this point helps to clearly define the lines we need to draw in our churches when it comes to LGBT people and behaviors. Such people are welcome members of our community, as are all sinners, but to allow them into positions of leadership is to step beyond the embrace into the enabling. "But other sinners enter into leadership," comes the counter contention. Indeed, but often their sins are unknown, and if known renounced. That latter clause is terribly important. I don't think an unrepentant sinner should be allowed in leadership regardless of the sin. The guy caught unrepentantly stealing from his clients in his business is no more eligible for leadership than the practicing homosexual. However, both are welcome provided they acknowledge their wrong and struggle to avoid it.
Thirdly, the church will always be tempted to classify the result as condition. If we demand the result of God's unconditional love from our congregants, many will not want the result and they will leave. Thus it is a sore temptation to love unconditionally, but never demand the result. If we do not produce the results of God's love can we truly be said to have passed it on? If the result is not witnessed is it even God's love at all?
Related Tags: homosexuality, church, Methodist, embrace, enable, condition, result, unconditional love
“We are excited about the exhibit, which cuts through the politics and gets to the issues of love, caring and connection that are so basic to all families,” said Paul Scott, executive director of Equality Texas Foundation, which is sponsoring the event.I am struck by how very thin the line between love and approval - embracing and enabling - really is.
Does God love us "unconditionally"? Yes, but I would argue that he has a very different understanding of that word than we do. His love is unconditonal in the sense that it is unearned, but it is also infinite in that it wants what is really best for us, which means it will demand that we change because we are far from the best. This demand for change is something that we want to label a "conditon" because then we can avoid it, but it is not a condition it is a result.
Firstly it is important to point out that this distinction is true for all sin, that the sin of sexual practice is perhaps more obvious, but no different than the sin of gossip or the thief when it comes to the theological point I make here.
Secondly, I think this point helps to clearly define the lines we need to draw in our churches when it comes to LGBT people and behaviors. Such people are welcome members of our community, as are all sinners, but to allow them into positions of leadership is to step beyond the embrace into the enabling. "But other sinners enter into leadership," comes the counter contention. Indeed, but often their sins are unknown, and if known renounced. That latter clause is terribly important. I don't think an unrepentant sinner should be allowed in leadership regardless of the sin. The guy caught unrepentantly stealing from his clients in his business is no more eligible for leadership than the practicing homosexual. However, both are welcome provided they acknowledge their wrong and struggle to avoid it.
Thirdly, the church will always be tempted to classify the result as condition. If we demand the result of God's unconditional love from our congregants, many will not want the result and they will leave. Thus it is a sore temptation to love unconditionally, but never demand the result. If we do not produce the results of God's love can we truly be said to have passed it on? If the result is not witnessed is it even God's love at all?
Related Tags: homosexuality, church, Methodist, embrace, enable, condition, result, unconditional love
