This is the second article in this series on The Homosexual Compromise. You can see the first article on Revoice here.
Beth Moore is a well-known Bible teacher. She wrote her position on homosexuality in her book Praying God’s Word, which she later became convinced went beyond the Scripture. When the book was reprinted, she deleted nearly six pages of material, amounting to half the chapter, including the following words from page 279.
“Before we proceed to our Scripture-prayers for overcoming sexual strongholds, we are wise to address another deadly sexual assault of the evil one in our society: homosexuality. I have wonderful news for anyone who has struggled with homosexual sin. God indeed can deliver you and anxiously awaits your full cooperation. Do not let Satan shame you into not seeking forgiveness, fullness, and complete restoration in Jesus Christ. I know complete transformation is possible not only because God’s Word says so, but because I have witnessed it with my own eyes. I know plenty of believers who have been set free from homosexuality.”[1]
She explained why she removed that section in a tweet on July 4, 2019. She said, “After taking 3 years to pray and to test the fruit, it became clear to me that my words in this section, words that exceeded Scripture, were stopping many from God’s words which follow. It wasn’t a doctrinal shift. When our words keep people from God’s words, we’ve over spoken.”[2] On July 5, 2019, she tweeted, “I made people feel demonized. I overshot the Scripture by a mile.”[3]
Finally, after two and a half weeks of criticizing the women bloggers and Bible teachers who had asked her to clarify her position on homosexuality, she wrote a blog on July 6, saying, “I hold firmly to a traditional Christian sexual ethic and continue to believe the Bible sets apart marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman. But I also believe that Scripture clearly teaches that all sex outside of marriage is contrary to God’s will.”[4]
While that is a strong statement, it, at least, raises the question of why she felt a statement explaining her view of marriage better addressed the questions she was explicitly asked. The questions she was asked are: Do you believe homosexuality is inherently sinful? Do you believe that the practice of the homosexual lifestyle is compatible with holy Christian living? Do you believe a person who dies as a practicing homosexual but professes to be a Christian will inherit eternal life? [5] While the third question could require a little explanation regarding a person’s position (time of profession the thief on the cross had he denounced homosexuality and once or more fell back into the sin either in thought or act and other possible nuances), the first two seem like clear yes or no questions.
Consequently, her response leaves me with two questions. First, why not just answer yes or no, at least to the first two if you are unequivocal in your belief that homosexuality is a sin as the Bible unmistakably and ubiquitously proclaims. Second, why express your view about marriage when the questions were specifically about the sinfulness and compatibility of homosexuality with Christianity. At best, her answer is only an implicit answer. That is, we are left to infer her position regarding the sinfulness of homosexual desires, identifying as a gay Christian, can a person be faithful to God while not repenting of homosexual desires, and is homosexuality the result of an orientation or an early on and persisting sinful temptation. It seems to me that her answer was more akin to something some politicians might say than a broker of God’s truth should say.
In her July 6 blogpost, she characterized the words she removed from her book by saying she had “exceeded Scripture and singled out same-sex sin as particularly satanic.”[6] But when you read the section she refers to, she actually said, “we are wise to address another deadly sexual assault.” This comment is a very biblical statement, as are the rest of her deleted comments on homosexuality in this section. Unfortunately, her indirect answer leaves people concerned and perplexed. Because of her ambiguity, I cannot say that she holds a biblical position regarding the sinfulness of homosexuality, which is not something about which the Bible is unclear (Rom 1:26-28; 1 Cor 6:9-11). Only Beth Moore can clarify what she believes. I pray she does, and she once again unabashedly affirms the biblical sinfulness of all aspects of homosexuality. I will gladly amend this article.
It is critical to remember that the homosexual community and those who desire a place as a practicing homosexual in Christianity have made all their advances in society and the church incrementally. That, in part, is why such ambiguity by God’s teachers is so exceedingly dangerous. We must be compassionate, but our compassion must be enveloped in clarity and courage.
[1] From Beth Moore’s book, Praying God’s Word, 279. A snapshot of page 279 can be found on Michelle Lesley’s timeline, Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019, https://michellelesley.com/2019/07/08/an-open-letter-to-beth-moore-timeline-of-events/, accessed 3/19/20.
[2]
[4] Michelle Lesley’s timeline, Saturday, July 6th, 2019, https://michellelesley.com/2019/07/08/an-open-letter-to-beth-moore-timeline-of-events/, accessed 3/19/20.
[5] The three questions posed to Beth Moore can be found here: https://michellelesley.com/2014/08/14/updated-five-reasons-its-time-to-start-exercising-moore-discernment/, accessed 10/31/19.
[6] Michelle Lesley’s timeline Saturday July 6th, 2019, https://michellelesley.com/2019/07/08/an-open-letter-to-beth-moore-timeline-of-events/, accessed 3/21/20.
