Jonathan Jenkins, We Can't 'Honor Each Other's Consciences'

The December issue of The Lutheran suggests that we "agree to disagree" on homosexuality. "We need to find ways to honor each other's consciences." "Honoring each other's consciences" is sweet-sounding language and flattering. Aren't we all well-intentioned folk who seek what is best for the church? "Conscience," as used here, means "sincerity" - one's inner sense of right and wrong. Sadly, the fact that we're all well-meaning is the problem, not the solution.

The division of the ELCA is a division in conscience. Unlike the individual quoted in The Lutheran, Lutheran theology reminds us that, as sinners, our consciences are corrupt precisely in our good intentions. Sinners are saved only when our inner sense of right and wrong is submitted to the Word of Holy Scripture. Luther memorably declared the essential point in his moment of truth: "My conscience is bound to the Word of God." At the end of the day, we are forced to a distasteful conclusion: the consciences of our opponents are not bound to the Word of God.

The apostle instructs us, as well as Timothy: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). Our opponents wrongly explain the truth of God with the same persistence as Paul's opponents. "They are upsetting the faith of some. But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: ?The Lord knows those who are his,' and ?Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness'" (2:18b-19).

"Wickedness" sounds disagreeably harsh, but what our opponents advocate is wickedness. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth" (Romans 1:18). Our opponents suppress the truth by wrongly explaining Romans 1 in an attempt to justify the error of homosexual behavior. How can we honor our fellow "workers" when the wrath of God is against them? The teaching of error is as wicked as the error itself.

There are three reasons why we must shame the consciences of those not bound to God's Word:

1) A church that okays homosexual behavior encourages people to "degrade their

bodies" (1:24, 26) and "commit shameless acts."

2) A church that okays homosexual behavior promotes idolatry.

"Because they exchanged the truth about God (who created us "male and female") for a lie and worshiped and served the creature (by serving "the lusts of their hearts") rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen!"

3) A church that okays homosexual behavior exposes people to the wrath of God.

The wrath of God (1:18) is revealed from heaven against "all ungodliness and wickedness" (including, but not limited to, homosexual behavior - 1:28-31). In his wrath, God gives us what we want! God "gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity? God gave them up to degrading passions?" (1:24-27). The punishment for idolatry is being allowed to do what we desire. "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, and malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless." No one would "honor the conscience" of one who advocated any of these evils. Those who celebrate homosexual behaviors consign people to the wrath of God, even though they know better: "They know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die - yet they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them" (1:28-32).

We can hardly applaud the sincerity of our opponents. We can only urge them to repent. Their reasoning has reached the point that it fits the description of false teachers: "Their very minds and consciences are corrupt" (Titus 1:15b). We have followed the apostle's direction and make every effort to be "correcting our opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth" (2 Timothy 2:25). We pray for them, conscious of the fact that we, too, are sinners who will only "escape the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 2:20). For their sake, as well as our own, we are unable to "disagree without being disagreeable." Not in good conscience. They make themselves judges over Scripture and not servants who depend on God's every word.

The anti-Scriptural Gospel of our opponents condemns everyone who believes it to degradation, idolatry, and the wrath of God. "They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption; for people are slaves to whatever masters them" (2 Peter 3:19) "- especially those who indulge their flesh in depraved lust, and who despise authority" (2:10). This is an accurate assessment of the situation, not divisive rhetoric. The church is united when our consciences are bound to the Word of God: the ELCA is divided because our consciences are divided by the Word. May God spare us the further humiliation of "finding ways to honor each other's consciences."