When the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America lifted its ban on ordaining gays as clergy last month, it abandoned the truth of Scripture and embraced error and apostasy. The ELCA is no longer the “the pillar and ground of the truth” Paul called the church to be in 1 Timothy 3:15. Instead it has become the apostate warned about in Jude.

Jude warned the early church about apostates. “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4)

Scripture clearly and repeatedly condemns the practice of homosexuality. (1 Corinthians 6:9;1 Timothy 1:10) In accepting the practice, the ELCA has essentially denied the authority of Scripture as Truth. No matter what some supporters of lifting the ban may say, the ordination of homosexuals is not a dispute over the interpretation of Scripture, but rather a direct challenge to the teachings of Scripture and thus the Lordship of God over their church.

Jude urged the true believers to “contend earnestly for the faith” and many in the ELCA did that prior to the recent vote.  Now, however, the leadership has decided to reject Scripture and follow their own understanding. The duty of the true believer now is to separate himself from the apostate church.

As Paul told the Corinthians: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15)

Supporters of lifting the ban do not believe in the authority of Scripture and are thus unbelievers. Since they control the denomination, I urge all faithful Christians – Christians faithful to the teachings of Scripture – to follow the command of Paul to the Corinthians and separate themselves from the apostasy of the ELCA.