May 8, 1996 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - The United Church of Christ was formed in 1957 through the merger of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Churches. The first of these had itself been formed by a merger in 1931 of Congregational Churches, the Christian Church, the Evangelical Synod, and the Reformed Church. The United Church of Christ has been on the cutting edge of ecumenical/modernistic weirdness from its inception. Consider, for example, its attitude toward homosexuality--a sin which the Bible labels an abomination before the Lord. The homosexual can be saved through repentance and faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, but if he is saved he will be a new creature in Christ and will no longer continue in his sinful homosexual ways (2 Cor. 5:17). The same is true for an adulterer or a drunkard or for any other type of sinner (1 Cor. 6:9-11). All sin can be forgiven through Christ's atonement. From the first century until now many homosexuals have been saved by the grace of God and have been changed to the glory of Jesus Christ. The problem today is that some are claiming that homosexuality is not a sin, that it is a natural condition, that the homosexual can serve Jesus Christ even while continuing to practice his homosexuality. This is an incredible last-days error. (We have refuted this error in our article on "sodomy" in the Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity.) And it is an error which the United Church of Christ has promoted vigorously. Consider the facts as they were published by the UCC's Office of Communication, March 1, 1996:

1969--The UCC's Council for Christian Social Action declared opposition to all laws criminalizing private homosexual relations between adults; also opposed the exclusion of homosexuals from the military.

1972--William Johnson became the first openly homosexual person to be ordained by a mainline denomination. He was ordained by the Golden Gate Association in Northern California.

1973--The UCC Executive Council recommended that sexual orientation should not bar candidates from ordination. The General Synod also gave official standing to the UCC Gay Caucus.

1977--In Virginia, Anne Holmes became the first openly lesbian woman ordained in the UCC.

1983--The UCC General Synod passed a resolution recommending that sexual orientation should not be grounds for denying ordination.

1984--Diane Darling became the first openly lesbian woman to pastor a UCC congregation, the College Avenue United Church of Christ, Modesto, California.

1987--The UCC General Synod declared opposition to all sodomy laws.

1991--The UCC General Synod "boldly affirms, celebrates and embraces the gifts of ministry of lesbian, gay and bisexual persons."

1993--The UCC General Synod voted by a wide margin to denounce the ban on homosexuals in the military.

1994--UCC leaders, including its president, Paul Sherry, joined the "March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Equal Rights and Liberation."

1996--It was reported that more than 180 UCC congregations affirm homosexuality. There are three which are predominately lesbian and gay: Liberation United Church of Christ in Cleveland, Spirit of the Lakes United Church of Christ in Minneapolis and Phoenix United Church of Christ in Kalamazoo, Mich.

The United Church of Christ, as is the case with most mainline denominations today, glories in its "unity in diversity." This means there is a great variety of doctrine within its midst. There are those who deny deity of Jesus Christ and those who affirm it, those who believe salvation is personal regeneration through faith in Christ and those who believe salvation is redemption of the environment. This is true for the issue of homosexuality. Not all of its churches or all of its regional associations support ordination of homosexuals. But the fact remains that this denomination's General Synod has come out in support of this unscriptural abomination, and the fact remains that all of the congregations participating in this denomination share the guilt of those in their midst who practice these things. The Bible says the solution to sin and error in churches is discipline: "Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person" (1 Corinthians 5:13). Churches which refuse to follow the Bible and which refuse to exercise discipline are Ichabod, meaning they are rejected by the Lord. "And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel..." (1 Samuel 4:21). "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Rev. 3:16).

We wonder if Promise Keepers still believes we should break down the walls between the denominations even in light of facts such as these? The Bible commands God's people to separate from these abominations and apostasies. "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: FROM SUCH TURN AWAY" (2 Timothy 3:5). "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? ... Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues" (Rev. 18:4). The leaders of the United Church of Christ do not consider themselves unbelievers and do not therefore believe 2 Corinthians 6 should apply to them, but the fact is that they are unbelievers. The Bible says homosexuality is an abomination and they don't believe it. Most of them don't even believe the Bible is the perfect Word of God, in fact. They are unbelievers.