Pastor Andy Stanley raised more than a few eyebrows 11 years ago when he shared a story about a couple in his church who got a divorce after the husband began a sexual relationship with another man.
I addressed the issue in a 2012 CP op-ed, and Dr. Albert Mohler Jr. described the incident this way: “Stanley clearly and repeatedly stressed the sin of adultery, but then left the reality of the homosexual relationship between the two men unaddressed as sin. To the contrary, he seemed to normalize their relationship.”
And then five years ago lightning struck once again when Andy argued that the Christian faith must be “unhitched” from the Old Testament. Sadly, those who downplay and dismiss the Word of God are terribly misguided and spiritually adrift.
Andy continued his assault on Scripture last year when he said, “I know 1 Corinthians 6, and I know Leviticus, and I know Romans 1, so interesting to talk about all that stuff. But just, oh my goodness, a gay man or woman who wants to worship their Heavenly Father, who did not answer the cry of their heart when they were 12 and 13 and 14 and 15. God said, ’No,’ and they still love God.”
So just to be clear. Andy seems to think that some adults today experience same-sex attraction because God supposedly told them “No” when they begged him as teenagers to remove this unwanted desire from their life.
This complete misunderstanding of man’s sinful nature led Andy to have “two married gay men” speak at a conference held recently at his church. Andy said these men are “Christ-followers” who have spoken at previous North Point Community Church gatherings. The intended purpose of the conference was to assist parents who have children with same-sex attraction.
The correct way to have assisted those families would have been to tell them what the Bible actually teaches about our sinful nature and God’s grace, rather than arrogantly blame God for our tenacious unholy affections.
The Apostle Paul wrote: “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature” (Romans 7:18).
Every Christian has what I call the “basement” within their soul, and nothing good dwells in that “sinful nature” (see Romans 7:14-25). Your basement is not your heart or mind, and no child of God is required to spend time down there. Thankfully, we are free in Christ to resist the urge to engage in ungodly thoughts and sinful behavior.
Andy Stanley, like you and I, would benefit immensely by understanding and embracing the following two facts:
1. God does not remove depraved desires and unholy attractions from our sinful nature. Instead, 2. The Lord gives believers the grace to stay out of the basement.
Pause for a moment. Reflect upon what you just read. And then please read those two life-changing statements again.
Scripture declares: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ’No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12).
So don’t ever bother trying to convert or change your basement proclivities and attractions. It won’t work. The biblical approach for a believer is to say “No” to those dark desires, which in turn helps foster godly thinking within your heart and mind.
Paul wrote: “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness” (2 Timothy 2:19).
Andy Stanley is responsible before God to teach people that unholy attractions and sinful temptations must be resisted. This includes pride, greed, jealousy, a judgmental spirit, worry, resentment, and fear; as well as a burning desire to engage in pornography, fornication, adultery, or a gay sexual relationship.
