Ministering to Homosexuals and Addressing Sin Biblically

Ministers are called by God, qualified by Him, and commissioned by Christ to preach the gospel ^[5]. Their role involves ministering the gospel of God, so that the offering up of people might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit ^[1]. This includes addressing sin biblically and ministering to all individuals with sincerity and love ^[2].

The Bible describes ministers with various titles, such as ambassadors for Christ, angels of the Church, apostles, bishops, deacons, elders, evangelists, and fishers of men ^[6]. They are entrusted with the gospel and are to be examples of sincerity in their conduct and preaching ^{[2, 5]}. Their authority is for edification, not destruction ^[5].

Addressing sin is a core aspect of a minister's duty. Sin is understood as having various effects, including spiritual blindness ^[4]. The concept of a "sin offering" in the Old Testament, which was made for sins of ignorance and at various consecrations, highlights the ancient recognition of the need for atonement ^[3]. In the New Testament, the blood of Christ alone is presented as purifying the conscience from sin ^[7]. Ministers are to preach the truths and duties of the gospel, which include avoiding sin and living righteously ^[14].

When ministering to individuals, including those who identify as homosexual, the approach should be rooted in biblical principles. Ministers are to warn and admonish, but with the "bowels of a father," distinguishing between the person and their sin, and aiming for reformation rather than reproach ^[13]. The goal is to bring the good news of pardon to distressed minds ^[10].

The concept of confession is also relevant. While venial sins do not necessarily require confession to a priest for forgiveness, as they do not separate a person from God or the sacraments, confession to a layman can still be sacramental ^[8]. John Calvin notes that in well-ordered churches, ministers lead a common confession of iniquity and supplicate pardon from the Lord, opening a door of prayer for all ^[12]. Augustine taught that God has given the Holy Spirit to the Church so that whoever forgives sins in the Spirit, they should be forgiven. However, those who resist this gift through impenitence make their sin unpardonable, not due to a specific sin, but due to contempt for the remission of sins itself ^[11].

Ministers must ensure that in seeking justification by Christ, they do not inadvertently make Christ a "minister of sin" by suggesting that His righteousness is imperfect or needs to be supplemented by human works ^{[9, 15]}. The focus remains on Christ's complete work for justification.

Sources

Romans “Romans 15:16 (Webster) — That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sincerity — Christ was an example of -- 1Pe 2:22. Ministers should be examples of -- Tit 2:7. Opposed to fleshly wisdom -- 2Co 1:12. Should characterise Our love to God. -- 2Co 8:8,24. Our love to Christ. -- Eph 6:24. Our service to God. -- Jos 24:14; Joh 4:23,24. Our faith. -- 1Ti 1:5. Our love to one another. -- Ro 12:9; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jo 3:18. Our whole conduct. -- 2Co 1:12. The preaching of the gospel. -- 2Co 2:17; 1Th 2:3-5. A characteristic of the doctrines of the gospel -- 1Pe 2:2. The gospel sometimes preached without -- Php 1:16. The wicked devoid of -- Ps 5:9; ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sin Offering — Probable origin of -- Ge 4:4,7. Was offered For sins of ignorance. -- Le 4:2,13,22,27. At the consecration of priests. -- Ex 29:10,14; Le 8:14. At the consecration of Levites. -- Nu 8:8. At the expiration of a Nazarite's vow. -- Nu 6:14. On the day of atonement. -- Le 16:3,9. Was a most holy sacrifice -- Le 6:25,29. Consisted of A young bullock for priests. -- Le 4:3; 9:2,8; 16:3,6. A young bullock or he-goat for the congregation. -- Le 4:14; 16:9; 2Ch 29:23. A male kid for a ruler. -- Le 4:23. A female kid or female lamb for a private person. -- Le 4:”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Blindness, Spiritual — Explained -- Joh 1:5; 1Co 2:14. The effect of sin -- Isa 29:10; Mt 6:23; Joh 3:19,20. Unbelief, the effect of -- Ro 11:8; 2Co 4:3,4. Uncharitableness, a proof of -- 1Jo 2:9,11. A work of the devil -- 2Co 4:4. Leads to all evil -- Eph 4:17-19. Is consistent with communion with God -- 1Jo 1:6,7. Of ministers, fatal to themselves and to the people -- Mt 15:14. The wicked are in -- Ps 82:5; Jer 5:21. The self-righteous are in -- Mt 23:19,26; Re 3:17. The wicked wilfully guilty of -- Isa 26:11; Ro 1:19-21. Judicially inflicted -- Ps 69:23; Isa 29:10”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Ministers — Called by God -- Ex 28:1; Heb 5:4. Qualified by God -- Isa 6:5-7; 2Co 3:5,6. Commissioned by Christ -- Mt 28:19. Sent by the Holy Spirit -- Ac 13:2,4. Have authority from God -- 2Co 10:8; 13:10. Authority of, is for edification -- 2Co 10:8; 13:10. Separated to the gospel -- Ro 1:1. Entrusted with the gospel -- 1Th 2:4. Described as Ambassadors for Christ. -- 2Co 5:20. Ministers of Christ. -- 1Co 4:1. Stewards of the mysteries of God. -- 1Co 4:1. Defenders of the faith. -- Php 1:7. The servants of Christ's people. -- 2Co 4:5. Specially protected by God -- ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Titles and Names of Ministers — Ambassadors for Christ -- 2Co 5:20. Angels of the Church -- Re 1:20; 2:1. Apostles -- Lu 6:13; Eph 4:11; Re 18:20. Apostles of Jesus Christ -- Tit 1:1. Bishops -- Php 1:1; 1Ti 3:1; Tit 1:7. Deacons -- Ac 6:1; 1Ti 3:8; Php 1:1. Elders -- 1Ti 5:17; 1Pe 5:1. Evangelists -- Eph 4:11; 2Ti 4:5. Fishers of men -- Mt 4:19; Mr 1:17. Labourers -- Mt 9:38; Phm 1:1; 1Th 2:2. Messengers of the church -- 2Co 8:2,3. Messengers of the Lord of hosts -- Mal 2:7. Ministers of God -- 2Co 6:4. Ministers of the Lord -- Joe 1:17. Ministers of Christ -- Ro 15”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Conscience — Witnesses in man -- Pr 20:27; Ro 2:15. Accuses of sin -- Ge 42:21; 2Sa 24:10; Mt 27:3; Ac 2:37. We should have the approval of -- Job 27:6; Ac 24:16; Ro 9:1; 14:22. The blood of Christ alone can purify -- Heb 9:14; 10:2-10,22. Keep the faith in purity of -- 1Ti 1:19; 3:9. Of saints, pure and good -- Heb 13:18; 1Pe 3:16,21. Submit to authority for -- Ro 13:5. Suffer patiently for -- 1Pe 2:19. Testimony of, a source of joy -- 2Co 1:12; 1Jo 3:21. Of others, not to be offended -- Ro 14:21; 1Co 10:28-32. Ministers should commend themselves to that of their pe”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of the Minister of Confession, Art. 3: Article: Whether, outside a case of necessity, anyone who is not a priest may hear the confession of venial sins? I answer that, By venial sin man is separated neither from God nor from the sacraments of the Church: wherefore he does not need to receive any further grace for the forgiveness of such a sin, nor does he need to be reconciled to the Church. Consequently a man does not need to confess his venial sins to a priest. And since confession made to a layman is a sacramental, although it is not a p”
Galatians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Galatians 2:17: Greek, "But if, seeking to be justified IN (that is, in believing union with) Christ (who has in the Gospel theory fulfilled the law for us), we (you and I) ourselves also were found (in your and my former communion with Gentiles) sinners (such as from the Jewish standpoint that now we resume, we should be regarded, since we have cast aside the law, thus having put ourselves in the same category as the Gentiles, who, being without the law, are, in the Jewish view, "sinners," Gal 2:15), is therefore Christ, the minister of sin?" (Are we to admit the ”
Zechariah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Zechariah 3:4: And he answered, and spake,.... That is, the Angel of the Lord, before whom Joshua stood, answered to the accusations of Satan, and the entreaties of Joshua: and spake unto those that stood before him; not the fellows that sat before Joshua, Zac 3:8 for the priests, who were Joshua's fellows, could not take away sin; nor indeed can ministers of the Gospel, only ministerially or declaratively, as instruments, in bringing the good news of pardon to the comfort of distressed minds; whom the ministering angels may here represent, that stood before Christ the Archangel”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST." (part 33): should turn from his way and live,"(6) hath given the Holy Spirit to His Church, that whosoever forgiveth sins in the Spirit, they should be forgiven. But whoso stands out as an enemy to this gift, so as not in repentance to seek it, but by impenitence to gainsay it, his sin becomes unpardonable; not sin of any one specific kind, but the contempt, or even opposing of the remission of sins itself. And so a word is spoken against the Holy Spirit, when men never come from the dispersion to the congregation whic”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 59: Law, yet the thing itself belongs in some respect to us also. And, indeed, in all well ordered churches, in observance of an useful custom, the minister, each Lord’s day, frames a formula of confession in his own name and that of the people, in which he makes a common confession of iniquity, and supplicates pardon from the Lord. In short, by this key a door of prayer is opened privately for each, and publicly for all. 12. Two other forms of private confession are approved by Scripture. The one is made on our own account, and to it ”
1 Corinthians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 4:14: Here Paul challenges their regard to him as their father. He tells them, 1. That what he had written was not for their reproach, but admonition; not with the gall of an enemy, but the bowels of a father (Co1 4:14): I write not to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. Note, In reproving for sin, we should have a tender regard to the reputation, as well as the reformation, of the sinner. We should aim to distinguish between them and their sins, and take care not to discover any spite against them ourselves, nor expose them to contempt and reproach”
Titus (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Titus 2:15: The apostle closes the chapter (as he began it) with a summary direction to Titus upon the whole, in which we have the matter and manner of ministers' teaching, and a special instruction to Titus in reference to himself. I. The matter of ministers' teaching: These thing, namely, those before mentioned: not Jewish fables and traditions, but the truths and duties of the gospel, of avoiding sin, and living soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Observe, Ministers in their preaching must keep close to the word of God. If any man speak, let him speak as”
Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 2:17: But if while we seek to be justified by Christ,.... As they did, and not only sought for, but obtained what they sought for, because they sought for it at the hands of Christ, and not as it were by works, but by faith, even a justifying righteousness in him. We ourselves also are found sinners; that is, either we should be so, were we not to rest here, but seek to join our own works with Christ's righteousness for our justification, and so make Christ the minister of sin, of an imperfect righteousness, which cannot justify, which God forbid should ever be done by”

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