Provincial Archbishop reaffirms call for a Bishops to hold to historic biblical position or resign
Archbishop Robert Gosselin, General Secretary of the Continuing Evangelical Episcopal Communion (CEEC.CHURCH) condemned the recent actions of the General Synod of the Church of England to approve the blessing of same-sex unions and raised concerns about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s lack of biblical leadership in the matter.
“This represents a profound change in the Church of England’s position, and a crossing of the Rubicon. Deciding to definitively bless what God specifically curses is a departure to a point too far. The Church cannot bless what God calls an abomination.”
Abp Gosselin went on to say that leadership as a Bishop in the Church requires contending “earnestly for the faith entrusted once for all to the saints,” and as such demands that we do not abandon either the clear teaching of the Holy Scriptures or the historic interpretation that has been delivered by the Apostles through Christ’s faithful Bishops throughout Church history. There is no question that Christ’s Church has had a single position on this issue throughout the Church’s history, and only a recent militant minority has been deliberately pushing for change. But God’s Word makes His position clear; He loves sinners, hates sin and invites people to experience a Spirit-led change of heart that will lead to freedom and healing.
“Our Communion’s convergence-driven approach regarding this issue provides a biblical example of how the power of all three streams of the Historic Church is needed to bring total deliverance and healing.”
In the sacramental stream we find both the biblical legal pronouncements against the abomination of homosexual relationships and the sacramental means for judicial absolution from sin. In the Sacrament of Penance, we receive Christ’s pronouncement of forgiveness. In the Sacrament of the Eucharist we receive the real presence of Christ and the abiding with Him that produces the fruit of righteousness. The historicity of the Church is expressed in its sacramental stream, a plumb line that stretches back for two thousand years.
In the evangelical stream we are presented with the offer of divine grace – God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense – and the release from any and every sin that has controlled us. The gospel is God’s appeal to sinners – every sinner – regardless of the nature or amount of one’s sin; and offers a pathway from death to life, from darkness to light and from bondage to freedom. Every follower of Jesus was once trapped in sin. We were previously sexually immoral, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, drunkards and much worse. But we were freed and forgiven by the offer of grace revealed in Christ’s gospel. The message of the gospel offers absolute deliverance and total forgiveness.
In the pentecostal stream we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, filled with His power, and able to overcome sin. As we are transformed and conformed to His image, we experience the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. He enables us to walk in victory over the sin which once controlled us. This power is the very expression of conversion and the victory of light over darkness.
All these things the Church can offer to those who are dead in their trespasses and sin ONLY as we stand firmly and fully within the bounds of biblical purity and truth. The Church impacts the world by means of living in a manner that highlights the differences between light and darkness, life and death.
We cannot ignore what God identifies as sin. We cannot embrace what He abhors.
It has been said that those who want to win the world to Christ must have the courage to come into conflict with it. We need to stop giving earthly labels to spiritual problems and call sin for what it is – something that deceives, entraps, consumes and kills everything it controls.
The Church will either capitulate to the world or convert it. Our power has never been found in the approval of public opinion or social constructs. It has always been found in faithfulness to God and His word and actions empowered by His Holy Spirit.
It is time for every godly Bishop to stand up and proclaim that God has changed neither His mind nor His Word. The only path to victory over sin is rejecting it and repenting from it, not renaming it and accepting it. We do no favors to people trapped in a destructive lifestyle by “blessing” their sin and calling it good.
It is time for every godly Bishop, priest and deacon to preach a clear clarion call of grace-filled deliverance and victory in Christ.
It is time for every follower of Jesus to stand up and proclaim the truth that Christ set sinners free from their sins. He transforms their lives and even their inner desires by conforming them to His word.
It is time — far past time — for those who will speak biblical truth to be heard. Let the faithful speak now.
And moreover, let any Archbishop or Bishop who wants to stand with the world resign their episcopal office.