This question comes from a reader who is currently serving a life sentence in a maximum security correctional facility. I mention this to give you some context to his question. If you are reading this, I realize this topic will stir up some emotions for many. Please read the full post, if you are going to read any of it. Please do not read just a part of it, and then move on. You really need to take in all of the content posted here to understand the Biblical viewpoint on the matter.
Q) I’m having problems accepting what the world has become. I don’t know how to deal with all the homosexuality. there are more of them then straight and have more rights. Every single TV show promotes gays and celebrations are everywhere. Also many people in here. Is it christian to be friends with them? Is it christian to accept their lifestyle? How do I deal with the overwhelming tsunami of gay sweeping over the world?
A)
This is a good question, and a source of much discussion these days. The truth is that homsexuality is a sin, and we as a church are losing the battle for sexual morality. The front lines of this battle have been being moved back further and further. We have long since lost the fight for sanctified singleness, because people are sleeping together without hesitation. And the rate of divorce is just as high inside the church as it is outside. Now that the front lines of this fight are on homosexuality, I am not surprised. And we are losing this fight too. The media promotes homosexuality as a human rights issue, or a matter of civil liberties. TV and Radio incorporate messages that homosexuality is a part of life. The sexual condition of our country fits right in with what we would expect on the streets of ancient Rome.
The Bible says that in the last days, evil will be called good, and good will be called evil (Isaiah 5:20). Today, to say you are a Christian will result in you being called a bigot, just because you trust God’s word on what it says about sex and marriage.
This is because of a very small number of supposed christians who have promoted a message of hate that is totally incompatible with scripture. The secular media outlets put a much larger spotlight on these few to broadcast a message that the devil loves, but does not please God.
So how does God want us to respond to this issue? With love. God loves all mankind, and died, even for sinners. No sinner is exempt from God’s love. Murder, rape, homosexual, you name it. God died for us all, and that is a demonstration of His love. Regardless of a sinners favorite flavor of sin, all mankind is a reflection of God’s image, and a target for His love. And we should treat all people in this way. A sinner is not going to experience the love of God unless we show it to them. A sinners sin does not exempt them from our friendship and support. Members of God’s kingdom should never compromise our morals or beliefs while befriending the people of earth, but we don’t have to when we do charitable deeds and offer our services in love.
We want to make sure not to put labels on people. The labels we put on people will define how we engage with them. If I see a homosexual as a sinner, then they have been labeled, and I will treat them as such. But if I see a sinner as a friend, or potential friend, then I will treat them as such. I should avoid seeing people as a cause, or a mission to save the lost, and just see them as loved by God, and friends. This view point will change how I engage with them, and make it easier for God’s love to be expressed through me and to them. If they think I have an ulterior motive for being nice to them, they will be skeptical of everything I present. But if I am just trying to be a friend, then they may let their guard down and experience God’s love on a whole new level.
Let’s think about how Jesus dealt with sexual sin. Remember the woman at the well (John 4)? Jesus did not pretend for a second that her promiscuity was OK, but he expressed His love, and she responded by trying to point everybody in town to Jesus. Remember the adulterous woman who the religious leaders brought to Jesus to stone (John 8: 1-11)? Jesus was the only person qualified to condemn her, but was the only person in the group willing to forgive her.
Everybody is loved by God, and when we see people through the eyes of God, it affects how we respond to them and their sins. We should never sin just to fit in, or accept sin because everybody else does. We should always speak the truth, but do so with love and gentleness so that we reveal the love of God instead of the bias in our own minds.
I am not sure if you are able to watch videos, or listen to audio files, but I will paste below a few links on this topic that I think can help you out.
CLICK HERE – For the best I have heard on the christian response to this issue
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