Reflections

by Rev. Al Mulder

Statement Against Heterosexual Marriages Only

Statement

The following consists of notes on what Rev. Mulder states in his video:

1. We must always be Reformed and reforming.
2. Belgic Confession states that we know God through his Word and through studying the universe. From that, “. . . we can conclude that LGBTQ orientations are not birth defects or personal disorders but creational variances.” (at the 2:52 position).
3. All bear God’s image. Because LGBTQ are creational variances, we must accept them.  
4. Sexual prohibitions prohibit primarily, if not exclusively, exploitive behaviors (4:40). The Bible gives no indication of condemning either same-sex attraction or same-sex loving, monogamous relationships.
5. Love never fails, I Cor. 13 (5:37). This subject is a matter on which we can agree to disagree.
6. Biblical love celebrates LGBTQ+ people. Unity in Christ is foundational.

Response

There are three main items that need to be considered in the above. The first is in point #2 when it is stated that LGBTQ orientations are not defects or disorders, but creational variances. This claim has been made by a number of people. The questions is, where is the scientific or theological evidence of this? I’ve not been able to find a supporting case for this position.

Rev. Len Vander Zee made the following statement:

“It looks to me like same-sex attraction has been around for a long, long time.

And if so, couldn’t same sex orientation be a part of the natural processes of creation [supposedly evolution] that God put in motion and continually sustains?

Some people ARE in fact “made that way”

It’s not related to the Fall [of Man]”

This isn’t a case made in support of a position. It is conjecture.

The second main point is contained in #4 above and is the statement that the Bible does not condemn same-sex, loving relationships. To the best of my knowledge there is yet to be found a case showing that Leviticus 18:22 does not cover all same-sex erotic acts and that it is not still relevant in the New Testament age. Concerning Romans 1, the Human Sexuality Report (the document this video is in response to) makes the statement that the wording of verse 27 is reflexive, indicating the men mentioned there mutually enjoyed the acts they were engaged in. And Romans condemns those acts. I Corinthians 6:9-10 in the original Greek uses two terms to refer to those who actively and passively engage in same-sex relationships. Therefore, the passage does not only condemn exploitative behaviors, but also condemns those who passively engage in the act. That passage states that these people will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

In point #5 above, Rev. Mulder refers to same-sex erotic acts as one of the matters upon which we can agree to disagree. To say it is a matter of indifference, is equivalent to saying it is not a salvation matter. However, when I Corinthians 6 informs us that those who engage in those acts will not inherit the Kingdom of God, that makes it a matter of salvation. It is not a matter of indifference. What does Rev. Mulder base his statement on that it is a matter of indifference?

The above three responses to the video are very serious in nature. If no additional information comes forward to correct what is claimed in this response, these three points are sufficient to dismiss this video as an invalid objection to the Human Sexuality Report.