Chris Rosebrough from Fighting for the Faith recently tackled Hillsong’s statement of beliefs in light of the Broadway couple controversy.
Chris Rosebrough writes,
Questions for Hillsong’s Leadership RE: Repentance & Homosexuality
I have questions regarding Hillsong’s doctrinal statement and how it relates to recent statements made by Hillsong’s leadership as it pertains to homosexual sins.
The Hillsong Church’s Statement of Beliefs (online source) clearly states:
We believe that in order to receive forgiveness and the ‘new birth’ we must repent of our sins, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and submit to His will for our lives.
Hillsong believes that a person (regardless of their sins) can receive forgiveness of their sins and the new birth through repentance and belief in Jesus Christ. This repentance then is demonstrated through a person’s submission to God’s revealed will, i.e. abandoning their sin and bearing fruit in keeping with their repentance.
That being the case, Hillsong’s Statement of Beliefs conversely teach that an impenitent sinner (regardless of their sins) does not receive forgiveness of their sins and the new birth. One of the sure signs of impenitence would then logically have to be an openly sinful lifestyle that is marked by open rebellion to God’s revealed will for our lives.
Since scripture is explicitly clear that homosexuality is sinful in both thought (Rom 1:24–27, Jude 1:7) and deed (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, 1 Cor 6:9–10, Jude 1:7), a person who claims to be a Christian who is openly and proudly participating in a same-sex relationship is, by definition, impenitent and should not be considered a Christian, yet alone a “devout Christian”.
Therefore, how can it possibly be loving to homosexuals (since dying in impenitence results in spending eternity in Hell), faithful to the scriptures and in obedience to Christ and His Word, for Hillsong to not boldly and publicly proclaim that homosexuality is a sin and call homosexuals to repent and receive Christ’s forgiveness and the new birth and then submit to God’s will for their lives, as their Statement of Beliefs so clearly says is necessary for salvation?
Is Hillsong’s Statement of Beliefs a sham? What’s the point of having a Statement of Beliefs if you don’t publicly preach and practice in accordance with what it says?
χάρις ἔλεος εἰρήνη σοι,
Source: By Chris Rosebrough, Questions for Hillsong’s Leadership RE: Repentance & Homosexuality, Fighting for the Faith,http://www.fightingforthefaith.com/2015/08/questions-for-hillsongs-leadership-re-repentance-and-homosexuality.html, Accessed 19/08/2015.
