Committing the Church to Biblical Standards

Exactly a year ago, the United Methodist Church reaffirmed its commitment to biblical standards by upholding several statements prohibiting the ministry of active homosexuals. Those resolutions are warmly and cautiously worded to show both the church’s openness to gays and lesbians and the denomination’s austerity toward sin.

But last month, those resolutions were set aside as the church’s appellate court ruled in favor of a self-avowed lesbian minister who had earlier been stripped of her ministerial credentials for violating church law.

In a confusing and unmerited decision, the appellate committee found the minister innocent by default – they cited two minor legal errors in the trial court’s proceedings – and offered to reinstate her.

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The case is now in the hands of the denomination’s highest court, the Judicial Council, which will likely rule on the issue sometime in October.

The Council should take this chance to support Biblical standards and uphold its own laws by keeping the prohibition in place.

The Council should also have the wisdom to view the minister’s case as something bigger than just one person and one instance – it represents the historical battle between man’s desire to sin and God’s desire to save.

A nation that ignores its own laws is bound to fail. Furthermore, a church that ignores the laws of God is doomed to fall.

If the church views its resolutions as inspired by the word of God, it should support it not only in writing but also in action and decision.