People want to point out that Jesus loved all people...and that is true. But while He was loving them, He also said "Go and sin no more." That's the part that tends to get left out. Sin is a dirty word that most folks would just as soon not think about.
The Bible tells us to love others as we love ourselves. What we don't have to do is try to understand why they are doing what they are doing, or be their best friend. It is time for truth to be spoken about blatant sin, especially in the lives of other believers.
Here are just a few examples...
Abortion is not an "elimination of unwanted fetal tissue," but rather murder of the most innocent and helpless.
Homosexuality is not an "orientation," but rather a perverted attempt at illegitimate intimacy.
Adultery is not a "mid-life crisis," but rather a violation of a sacred marriage covenant.
Let's just call it what it is and stop trying to sugar-coat it. If the foundation is truth, then whatever is built upon it will be strong.
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I wonder though...these friends of ours who simply aren't attracted to the opposite sex? Their confusion? Their anger at God - if we decide to stand against it, what are we to say? How are we to respond to their pain? Even if they pray every day for 37 years for God to make them straight, and it doesn't happen?
How are we to respond?
I think there's a lot of heterosexual relationship that is just as perverted...and I dont' even want to get started on intimacy - especially the lack of it in our culture - or at least the disillusionment of it.
Eh well. These are just thoughts.
Thanks for your comment Josh.
There are many people in pain and angry with God...and many of them are Christians. There are many who are sick and pray for years to be healed...but never are...and those who are so heartsick and lonely who pray for a mate...but are still alone...and those who have suffered abuse and long to be free from the demons that haunt them.
What do we say to any of them?
How do we try to make sense from a fallen world that is not our home?
I don't claim to know all the answers...heck, I don't even know all the questions. But what I do know is that is that we can never look at the circumstances of our lives, or our friends lives...no matter what they are...and try to determine the Truth. The only Truth that has ever been and will ever be is God's Word. That has to be the foundation on which we attempt to build all of our beliefs and our world views, otherwise we are going to find ourselves in deception.
But who are we to call people who are gay, sick?
an incurable disease of sexual genetic confusion?
Heck, I don't know. heh.
I don't think, however, that God curses people with sickness and allows them to suffer on Earth. I believe that all comes with this world and the fall of the sinful "man." (And man's ability to produce things in this world that makes us sick)
I'm also conflicted with how much of the Bible we DON'T follow, especially OT law. Somehow, homosexuality has been carried over into 2009 with much strong persuit, while we've left behind men being able to be with their wife on her period, or wearing different threads of clothes, or women covering their head or sell our children into slavery or not working sundays or plant two types of vegetables in the same field?
{I do understand, that the OT strictly says homosexuality is an abomination - in which most end there and don't continue to consider the others, which I guess aren't that important when worshiping God...}
Sort of like a bunch of preachers from back in the day decided it was too hard to hold up those laws, but since they didn't have these "feelings" that we consider, "gay love", then it was still wrong - but decided to "shoo" away with the other ones that were just simply, outdated.
And, God's Word became Flesh and dwelled among us. The Bible is a part of my relationship with God, but I believe because THE BIBLE said, IT became Flesh...it is very alive...and breathing and living among us...this is truth - that love has flesh...and dwells among us.
after all, who are we to judge? who am i to say who's right and wrong? It doesn't make me "politically correct" - it just seems more peaceful NOT to hate someone who struggles with this pain - like you said, it would be like hating someone who is always diagnosed with an incurable cancer.
ha..but again, I come back to claiming, perhaps I don't really know anything...which I could be okay with.
I feel like this debate could go on forever, and if the person is strictly convicted by 2 or 3 verses about old testament law, and a topic Jesus never touched on, then I assume life can be lived just fine.
However, I find this too conflicting..having two lesbian bosses, a lesbian co-worker, and dear, dear friend who loves Jesus deeply and craves intimacy, but doesn't know how to react on his feelings.
It breaks my heart to wish these people unto a God that doesn't love them. I can't make it work in my heart..I just can't.
And perhaps God's love will show itself fully, understanding that we will never grasp the reach of His love.
:)
Josh-
You know, what breaks my heart is to see people separated from God. And it's not because they are sick, or whatever. It's because we live in a fallen, sinful world and people are in sin. I know the saying has taken on a cliched meaning, but I really do believe it is possible to love the sinner and hate the sin. I believe Paul felt that way when writing to wayward churches such as Corinth.
If you say--or imply that we should be following the Old Testament, then I think you have to deal with a couple of problems. First, the New Testament affirms that the laws of the Old Testament are shadows of things to come and point to Christ. Jesus said that the law would not pass away until "all is fulfilled". Well, we are told in Hebrews that the Law has been fulfilled by the perfect sacrifice of God. Hence, the Old Law is done away with. Second, if we are still bound to the the Old Law, what was the point of Jesus suffering, dying, and coming back to life? When I choose not to sin, it's NOT because the Old Testament says not to sin, but because Jesus died to free me of that. And, since I'm on that tangent, let me say that Paul most definitely condemns homosexual behavior as a sin. And that leaves you with to choices--either Paul was writing under the guidance of the Spirit or he wasn't.
Yes, I said "behavior". Sometimes we can't always get rid of our desires. Paul struggled with a "messenger of Satan" and asked and pleaded with the Lord to remove it. The response he got was, "My grace is sufficient for you." What is sin in a so-called homosexual is the behavior. We live in a fallen world, and we often have "fallen" desires. That's why Jesus focused on the condition of the heart more than anything.
I believe that what you are feeling is a pain similar to Paul's--that of people separated from the love of Christ and often rejected by the "religious" people. You are in good company, since Jesus chose to hang out with the very same type of people. Yet, His solution was not to overlook the sin, but to confront it with love. He did not condemn the woman at the well, but charged her to go and sin no more. He healed the man at the pool, but told him later to stop sinning. There was love in those pronouncements. Not the legalistic "get it right" attitude, but a genuine love for the person and their well-being. I have long believed that people need to have a place where they can go and wrestle with their issues without fear of rejection and condemnation (look up Sandi Patti's song "Safe Harbour"). The church is "supposed to offer that place, but more often than not, does not.
Thanks for the words, Mike.
I pray that the Church offers a place for our dear brothers and sisters -- because if they don't, I don't know what we're going to do.
I never meant to imply that people who struggle with homosexual temptation are "sick" or any less loved by God. If they act on this temptation, then they are in sin...just as I sin every day. I don't think the Bible distinguishes between sins...it all saddens God. However, I think that sexual sin is more damaging to us on many levels.
You asked who are we to judge. If we are not to judge what is right and wrong, then I wonder why there is so much written in the New Testament about how we should live and about church discipline. I don't think that God intended for us to wonder through life not knowing His standards.
By the way, I also have a dear Christian friend who has struggled with this temptation his whole life...and is still not free...so I do understand the pain and conflict.
And I will continue to pray then, that the Church offer a place for these brothers and sisters.
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