(I'm posting this here to make cutting & pasting easier - I'll know where to find it next time I'm looking for it!)
The OT contains 3 kinds of laws: the moral law which tells people what their duty is to God and other people; the ceremonial law which dictated the religious practices of the Israelites; and the civil law - the state law of the Israelites. The moral law is what God wrote upon the hearts of His people when He created them. Christians recognize the moral law as the 10 Commandments. God still expects us keep the moral law. Lutherans believe the 6th commandment (You shall not commit adultery) means we should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do. (See Luther’s Small Catechism #55-58)
Our sinful nature makes it impossible for us to keep His law perfectly. We all stand condemned under the law, regardless of our sexual orientation. God sent His Son to be our righteousness that we might have salvation by His Grace alone through faith in Christ alone. The law shows us our sin and leads us to repentance and by God’s Grace and Mercy we are forgiven for Christ’s sake, not because our own merits.
Remember the story of Jesus and the rich young man in Matthew chapter 19? The rich man won’t sell all his possessions and follow Jesus – he loves his things more than he loves the Lord. Whenever we have a sin that we won’t give up (won’t repent) we are just like the rich young man. We love our sin more than we love the Lord. For as long as we cling to our sin we have gone our own separate way and are not following the Lord.
The grievous error of the ELCA is to lead people into believing homosexuality is not a sin and turning people away from repentance and God’s gift of forgiveness. (If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:8-9). Tell me, should an unrepentant sinner (whatever the sin) serve as a pastor? Someone who does not have the Truth within them?
God can and will forgive all of your sins in the name of Jesus, of that there is no doubt. Put your faith and trust in Him and His Word and not in the words, feelings and logic of humankind.
