Beth Moore: Calling Homosexuality a Sin is "Exceeding Scripture"
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
2 Corinthians 4:1-3
Beth Moore has been under fire lately after a group of female Bible teachers published an open letter to Moore urging her to clarify her doctrinal position on homosexuality. Moore insisted that her doctrinal views on homosexuality have not shifted over the course of her ministry.
On page 279 of Beth Moore's book, Praying God's Word, originally published in 2009, Moore writes:
Before we proceed to our Scripture-prayers for overcoming sexual strongholds, we are wise to address another deadly sexual assault of the evil one in our society: homosexuality. I have wonderful news for anyone who has struggled with homosexual sin. God indeed can deliver you and anxiously awaits your full cooperation. do not let Satan shame you into not seeking forgiveness, fullness, and complete restoration in Jesus Christ. I know complete transformation is possible not only because God's Word says so, but because I have witnessed it with my own eyes. I know plenty of believers who have been set free from homosexuality…
It had since been brought to our attention by several people that this section had been removed from the latest Kindle version of this book. When questioned as to why the section had been removed, Moore responds that her words "exceeded Scripture."
Now, keep in mind that this is the woman who insists God told her not to witness to a man at an airport, and instead, shuffle through his luggage to find a hairbrush so she could brush his hair. This is also the woman who insists God told her in a dream to go to a bus stop she'd never been to before, find a random woman, and give her money. And this is also the woman that insists God lifted her up and gave her a vision telling her that He was going to unite all sectors of Christendom -- including Roman Catholicism. Yet, in one of the rare situations where Beth Moore actually writes something biblically sound and true -- a clear position on the sinfulness of homosexuality -- she insists that she's "exceeded Scripture." She calls homosexuality sinful and then urges people to seek repentance and forgiveness -- to flee from it. That, in no way, is "exceeding Scripture."
She continues,
Further, as you can see, she insists that by calling homosexuality a sin, she makes people feel "demonized," and that what she "had written was doing considerably more harm than good." Of course, to believe that being honest and truthful about one's sin is doing "more harm than good" is clearly a doctrinal shift. The Book is literally about breaking free of sin. What possible harm can being truthful about sin do? It is, in fact, far more harmful to allow people to believe that they are in good standing with God while in unrepentant sin.
Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10:34