I feel like I have to write this as I am reading so many things posted on the internet or published in a newspaper or magazine that indicate the ignorance of so many of us on this issue.
So, what really is the issue, and what is the real problem? And even more importantly, what is the answer to this dilemma?
There are so many facets to this problem, I honestly don't know where to begin. Which weed do I pull first? Should I go with my gut reaction, or should I be more factual? Maybe both? Compassionate or tough? Maybe both.
I have written other blogs on this subject and don't wish to repeat everything I have already written. But let's just keep a couple things in mind first.
1. Gay people are human beings, and like every human being, are to be respected as such. All people are created in God's image, and no matter how much we hate what a person does, they still have dignity because they are created in God's image.
2. Homosexuality is a sin condemned in the Bible, but it is not the only sin condemned in God's word. If we wanted to list all the sins that God recognizes and will punish, the list would be very long, and on that list would be sin categories all of us fit into, whether we are Gay or straight.
3. Many professing Christians today do not really believe the authority of God's word, and as such, will put God's word in a category as 'outdated' or 'passe'. They believe culture has more authority than God's word does, and when these professing Christians give counsel or even make claims, they will say things like, 'in the Old Testament days, science discoveries were not available like they are today, and therefore the Old Testament laws were only for those people that God was addressing at the time. Now we know better.'
4. Many professing Christians who counsel base their beliefs on the principles of the Therapeutic Movement, which basically exalts man and demotes God. Many teach that God wants us happy and that anything negative or hard is harmful for us.
Although people struggle with same sex attractions, I do not see that as the problem at hand. The whole problem of the Gay community (LGBT) is similar to the problem of Islam. It is a group of people who are gaining control and getting involved in government making laws that are unnecessary and harmful to others.
On the one hand, I can empathize with the Gay people. Many struggled with same-sex attraction and wanted help from the church, but the church rejected them and would not offer help. They only offered condemnation on top of their struggles. People in the church mocked Gay people and shunned them. But notice something here; these Christians may not truly be Christians in the sense of being new creatures in Christ. Every generation has had these arrogant church going people who have been a stumbling block to others. If someone was part of their church who was involved in the porn industry, they would probably have ignored the person. In the 19th century, there were middle and upper class people who claimed that people who were sick were being punished by God. No wonder people formed their own psychiatric groups instead of using the church for help! What arrogant people were in the church. God does not allow His people to be arrogant. God will oppose the arrogant person or group of people.
A Gay person struggles with his sexual life. We, as the church, need to help those who are struggling and want to repent. The Gay person ends up not wanting to repent because he knows nothing with happen with his desire for a sexual relationship with a person of the same sex.
Whether you are Gay or not, if you have lived long enough, you know that there are things you struggle with that you can't seem to get rid of or overcome. We really can't get rid of our addictions and desires, but we can ask God for help. He will help us with our struggles. It won't be easy though, and we need others to walk with us while we seek help and deliverance.
The dilemma though, is really with the concept of the Gay community, not with Gay people themselves. In certain countries, and probably soon in America, pastors will not be allowed to preach from the pulpit homosexuality as sin. If laws get passed to stop this, what other laws will come about? I saw a new one today. People are trying to make it difficult for evangelists to teach that Jesus is the only way to heaven. You might think this is ridiculous, but these people are forcing their way into the government, while we just sit back and say, 'How disgusting!'.
A few years ago, we would have not believed this was happening, but, laws were passed which required teachers, (mainly science teachers) to teach Evolution as fact. A group of Christians went to prison because they were near a Muslim event in Dearborn, Michigan, a couple of years ago. They were just passing out tracts and talking with people who were interested. But they were arrested anyway. Years ago, a man went out sharing the Gospel with people, in a public place, and got arrested and went to prison. His trial was the next day, and fortunately, the judge dismissed him in a heartbeat.
Yes, these people were not breaking the law. But they did get arrested and some went to prison. They got out because there was no law broken. But, we don't know what is cooking in the government today, unless we see things happening, like people going to prison for no reason except the preference of the cop.
God loves Gay people. God loves pedophiles. God loves prostitutes. That doesn't mean God loves their sin. In fact, their sin is what nailed Jesus to the Cross. God loved us while we were still sinners. Jesus died to rescue us from our sins. Jesus is a great Deliverer too.
God doesn't want people to stay in their sin though. Pedophiles need to be punished. Rapists need to be punished. Those involved in the porn industry or sex trafficking should be punished.
There is a way out, and Jesus died to rescue us all from such sins and addictions. He can wipe our slate clean and give us power to change.
There have been people who struggled with homosexuality, and have repented and come to Christ. God gave them the grace to turn from this sin. This sin is not good for anyone. There is no new religion or new science discovery that says homosexuality is genetic or can't be helped. Many homosexuals have had unfortunate sexual experiences done with them when they were children. This sets a trap for them to become Gay when they get older, or at least to struggle with sexual issues.
I can be friends with a Gay person or Lesbian. I can love and accept them as human beings. What I can't do is to support a group of people who are marching their way, laying the foundation for a community of people who are opposed to God and what He says. I can have Muslim friends, yet I am not going to support in any way, Sharia Law.
To the Gay person, I ask you to consider searching God with all you have. God promises to meet people when they honestly seek Him with their whole hearts. To those who are truly born again, I would ask that you humble yourselves and realize that you also have sinful struggles that you have to work through. Be patient with those who are Gay, and support them as they try to seek God. Empathize with them, realizing that you could fall into sin as well. (See Galatians 6). And to anyone else who is struggling with addictions, and sins, ask God for help, and keep asking. Find those you can trust in the church to help. Don't give up. God is more than glad to help you to become free.
For more help in understanding the Gospel, please go to http://thegospelconversation.blogspot.com or http://test4gp.wordpress.com
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