Response to Hal Porter’s “Straight or Gay” Viewpoint

Dear Rev. Porter,

Perhaps you would agree that on the day Jesus looked out over Jerusalem there were hypocrites and slave owners and zealot revolutionaries and adulterers and bigots present in the city? And perhaps you would also agree that Jesus disapproved (and disapproves) of hypocrisy, slavery, armed insurrection, adultery and bigotry? If so, we can conclude that Jesus loved those in the city even while he disapproved of some of their behavior, and that therefore disapproval does not necessarily indicate a lack of love; disapproval of self destructive and/or other destructive behavior (i.e. sin) can be and often is a direct expression of love. Who would block such love?

As someone who has been called and privileged to work in youth ministry for almost twenty years now, I have often had the opportunity to counsel youth who have been engaged in varying degrees of self-destructive behavior, everything from drug and alcohol abuse to promiscuous sex. Many times I have had to confront a young person with their destructive behavior. On occasion I have held them back from youth group leadership because they wouldn't or couldn't set a good example, even though they had leadership gifts. I did this because I love them. Who would block such love?

I don't know if you have children, but I bet that if you had a thirteen year old daughter who was using drugs and sleeping around you'd be praying that someone who she'd listen to would tell her the truth in love about what she was doing to herself, and also, perhaps, that the father who she perceives as harsh and judgmental loves her very much. I also bet that like most parents you'd be willing to suffer the consequences of her self-abusive behavior if by doing so she'd somehow be free to live life healthy and whole. I hope no one would ever confuse your grief at her sin with being unloving toward her. And I certainly hope that whoever the person was who confronted her with what she was doing to herself and who told her of your love would never be accused of acting outside your will.

Hal, the God who loves sinners like you and me says no to our sin because he loves us. God set forth in his Word the boundaries outside of which human sexual expression is self and other destructive. This boundary setting is an expression of the love which you celebrate in your commentary on Matthew 23. Who would block such love?

Sincerely,