Last weekend, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) installed its first openly transgender bishop, Rev. Megan Rohrer, at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, California.
President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Al Mohler condemned the ELCA’s actions and called the move “a new religion.”
Mohler, interviewed by Fox News, said:
“The entire transgender revolution is a revolt against the order of God in creation and God’s intention for humanity.”
A revolt against the order of God. Isn’t this sin?
In church don’t we hear that sin is rebellion against God?
Aren’t we all sinners, saved by grace?
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and are justified freely by His grace.
- Romans 3:23
and
By grace you are saved. And this not of your selves, so no one can boast. Nothing you do. It is the gift of God.
- Ephesians 2:8-9
Isn’t every single Christian, including every Christian leader, a sinner, until we put our faith in Christ when His blood cleansed us, once for all, and made us perfect, righteous and holy.
For you have been made perfect by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ once for all.
- Hebrews 10:10
Being holy, pure, sanctified, is nothing we do.
Christ sanctified us, on the cross.
To say we can contribute towards our salvation is self-righteous.
We cannot make ourselves holy.
No matter how much we try to lead better lives, be better people, we will always fall short of the glory of God.
The true beauty of the Christian gospel is this:
Because of Christ’s work on the cross we stand holy, righteous, perfect before God.
Nothing you do, as Paul says.
Nothing we do.
Nothing.
Christ did it all – on the cross.
There is absolutely nothing we can do that can make God love us more. And there is nothing we can do to make God love us less. His love for us doesn’t depend on us but on Him. It doesn’t depend on our actions but on His action, on the cross.
Sure, God wants us to live better lives – for us! Not for Him! Jesus already lived a perfect life because He is a perfect God. His love for us is perfect. He loves us no matter what.
Isn’t that amazing?!
Sure, improving ourselves, living well, being good people, are all great things and admirable things – but they don’t save us. This is a ‘good works’ gospel.
Our good works are a shining light so people may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven, and come to know Christ.
Yet, isn’t it reassuring to know that if we fail, ever, we are secure, that our place in Heaven is because of what Jesus did, not because of what we do.
It is Christ who makes us perfect. Who makes us holy.
By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who have been made holy.
- Hebrews 10:14
and
He is our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
- 1 Cor 1:30
So, while Al Rohrer fights Bishop Megan, who overseas 200 congregations, I hope he remembers that he, also, without Christ, rebels against God.
If Bishop Megan is not ‘fit’ to be a leader, then no one is – because without Christ we are all the same – sinners rebelling against God.
But because of His love for us, we are saved and perfectly loved.
Because of Him. Not because of us.
(Breathes a deep sigh of relief.)
It is by grace we are saved. Nothing we do.
And so, also, to Al Rohrer who is attacking Bishop Megan, it is by grace you are saved – nothing you do.
So…as Jesus said (John 8:6):
Let her who is without sin cast the first stone.
What do you think? Should transgender people be allowed to be leaders in the church?
Amazed by Grace 