The Lausanne Global Conversation is on the World Wide Open Network
Author: Bryan Kliewer
Date: 23.10.2010
Category: Sexuality
Editor’s Note: This Cape Town 2010 Advance Paper has been written by Bryan Kliewer as an overview of the topic to be discussed at the Multiplex session on “Sexuality: Creation, Brokenness, Truth and Grace.” Responses to this paper through the Lausanne Global Conversation will be fed back to the author and others to help shape their final presentations at the Congress.
INTRODUCTION
One reason for addressing the topic of sexuality at the Lausanne conference is that there are 155 million(1) people around the world who are involved in homosexuality. The church is not adequately reaching these people with the gospel.
Many in the church say they are not equipped to reach these people. They have questions. Should homosexuals be invited to church? Should the church start some sort of formal outreach? What should churches do when homosexuals come to Christ? Are there effective ways to follow-up on new believers from a homosexual background? How should churches respond to Christians who say they struggle with homosexuality?
We in the church have also given some wrong information and guidance to those who come to faith in Christ. We’ve told people that they must change before they can come to Christ – mixing up repentance with transformation. We’ve mistranslated Scripture to say that if you struggle with sexual issues after you come to Christ then there is something wrong with you.
Some people in the church want nothing to do with them. And some consider them to be the enemy rather than the lost. Being treated as the enemy has created barriers between lost people and God’s kingdom. It has also made people inside and outside the church fearful about being honest about their very real struggles with sexuality. Given the church’s response, it could be said they are the largest deliberately unreached people group in the world.
The essays on this topic issue a call to the church; a call for a change in the church’s approach to homosexuals and homosexuality. This is a call to reach them with God’s truth and grace. What has been done in the past fell short of the gospel and did not demonstrate God’s truth and grace. There should be no deliberately unreached people group.
To assist the church in understanding this call, the sessions and the essays on sexuality have the following objectives:
ESSAY INTRODUCTION
With these objectives in mind, four essays have been written that addresses sexuality, truth and grace. The essays cover the following topics:
WHAT IS HOMOSEXUALITY?
This question is a good place to start because there is contradictory information from different sources, there is confusion across the church, and the church is responding in many different ways. Answering what appears to be a simple question is not easy. There is no precise, all-inclusive definition of homosexuality. It is probably much easier to say what homosexuality is not. It is not a genetic defect, a hormonal imbalance, a mental illness or a result of demonic possession.
To answer the question, let us consider four areas; attractions, behaviour, identity and lifestyle.
Attractions
Sometimes the term homosexuality is used to refer to same-sex attractions. Sometimes same-sex attractions are called a homosexual orientation.
Why do people experience same-sex attraction? This is an area where there is much confusion.
Sometimes same-sex attractions are temporary, occurring only for a short while. Other times they may be ongoing. It is important to understand that some people who experience same-sex attractions do not want them. And there are many people who have same-sex attractions but do not describe themselves as homosexual.
Some claim that homosexual orientation is biologically determined through genetics or hormones in the same way that race or eye color is fixed. Often this claim is used to advance the argument that because homosexuality is caused rather than chosen then it cannot be immoral; instead it is normal and good. It is also used to advance the argument that children and teenagers who are experiencing confusion or trouble in their sexual development should be told that their troubles mean they are homosexuals and that they should embrace homosexuality as they mature.
While genetic influences and predispositions may contribute to any unwanted behaviour, it is important that we aren’t misled. The origins of homosexuality are still not clearly understood by scientists and the topic is the subject of debate. Media reports have claimed much more than the scientific community has accepted. Actually science has begun to show that comparing same-sex attraction to race or eye colour, both of which are completely determined by our genes, is a bad comparison. Sexuality is a complicated aspect of our nature. Science is also starting to study the variability of sexual attractions and that change in sexual attractions actually occurs frequently in many people.
We can also say that people do not choose to experience same-sex attractions. No one wakes up one day when they are 15 or 20 or 50 years old and says, “I have been heterosexual all my life. Today I choose to be homosexual.” In fact, the experience of most people is that they felt different from their earliest memories. Further they did not want these feelings and they resisted them for years.
Are people born gay? Do people choose to be gay? Neither of these two simplistic statements are true. They are not the only options we must choose between. The causes of same-sex attractions are more complex than these two simplistic options. More than one hundred years of research and science generally support a developmental theory; that is, homosexual orientation is developed as a response to a complex combination of psychological (such as early childhood influences such as parent-child relationships and childhood sexual abuse), environmental (such as peer group influences, same-sex experimentation and early sexual debut) and biological factors, together with human choice (adult experiences such as wilful or purposeful experimentation and subculture dis-inhibition). The seemingly automatic process by which the nonsexual attraction to the same gender during childhood transforms into a sexual desire for the opposite gender during puberty is not automatic at all. It is the culmination of an entire childhood of experience and development.
Some psychologists have expressed the link between childhood experiences and same-sex attractions in the following way:
Homosexuality is a deficit in the child’s ability to relate to parents of the same sex that is carried over to adult members of the same sex in general. Put another way, the problem with an adult homosexual is not that they want same-sex love. It is that their childhood needs for same-sex love from their same-sex parent have never been met and they are trying to meet them now with relationships to other adults of the same sex that include sexual activity as a mistaken method to receive love.
What does Scripture say about our sexual attractions? It says that our sexuality, including our attractions, was created by God as part of His image in us. And God pronounced these attractions good. God’s plan for our attractions was that they would help us understand that it is not good for us to be alone. Our attraction to one person of the opposite sex would help draw us into marriage where we will become one flesh with our spouse. God created the attraction, love and sexual intimacy between a husband and wife to be good things that serve several purposes.
However, sin has damaged our attractions just as it has damaged every other aspect of God’s creation. The result is that every person will experience damaged attractions that tempt us to use our sexuality in ways that God did not intend. Some attractions will lead to the temptation for sex before marriage. Some attractions will lead to temptations for sex outside of marriage. Some will experience attractions to people of the same gender. And some will experience attractions to children or other things. God does not condemn us for experiencing a specific attraction or temptation. God says we are condemned because of our sin nature. God does not say that experiencing same-sex attractions is a sin. Nor does God say that we can choose our temptations. He does say that following temptations into actions (whether actions in our imagination or actions in physical reality) are sinful actions.
Developing a better understanding about same-sex attractions is helpful to the church.
It helps the church understand that Christians and non-Christians can experience same-sex attractions. It helps the church understand and respond to people who experience unwanted same-sex attractions, people who do not want to engage in sinful behaviour or adopt a homosexual identity.
It helps the church and individual Christians address the distinction between temptation and sin. Same-sex attractions may pose temptations to lustful thinking and behaviour just like opposite-sex attractions. The experience of same-sex or opposite-sex temptations is not sinful. Rather they are evidence that sin has damaged each person’s sexuality, causing them to be tempted to engage their sexuality in ways that God did not intend. In both cases, people are not forced to follow temptation; temptations may be resisted and overcome in the power of the Holy Spirit.
A better understanding provides guidance to the church regarding what kinds of ministry can be helpful to people who experience same-sex attractions.
Behaviour
Sometimes the term homosexuality is used to refer to sexual activity; men having sex with other men or women having sex with other women.
But even this definition of homosexual behaviour is not precise. There are people who have brief, experimental homosexual involvements, but do not describe themselves as homosexuals. And there are people who engage in same-sex sexual activities who do not describe themselves as homosexuals.
When considering homosexual behaviour, it should be noted that there is absolutely no affirmation of homosexual behaviour found anywhere in Scripture. Rather, the consistent instruction in the Bible is chastity for those outside a monogamous heterosexual marriage and fidelity for those inside such a marriage. There is also abundant evidence that homosexual behaviour, along with illicit heterosexual behaviour, is immoral and comes under the judgment of God.
The church needs to affirm confidently the truth from Scripture. But if the church declares that homosexuality is a sin and says no more, then the church has not affirmed the truth from Scripture. It has left out important truths from Scripture, creating barriers that prevent people from hearing the gospel and being reclaimed for God’s kingdom. Jesus clearly said that God is not happy when people, especially religious leaders, create barriers that prevent people from entering God’s kingdom.
The important truths from Scripture about homosexuality include that we all have sexuality that is broken and damaged by sin. And we all will experience temptations to use sexuality in ways that God did not intend. Another truth is that God’s response to people who face these struggles is a response of mercy, forgiveness and true grace that leads to redemption and new life in Christ – the result of which is that the church is to be a place that includes people who once were involved in homosexuality but are no longer. Instead, they are people who have been justified. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 clearly acknowledges the presence of former homosexuals in the church. It includes them with other ex-sinners who have been forgiven, justified because of Christ and given a new identity in Christ. It is certain that the Apostle Paul knew there were former homosexuals in his local church and he celebrated their freedom in Christ Jesus. This Scripture communicates the tremendous hope and goodness of God.
The resource material on “What the Bible Says About Homosexuality” provides a fuller discussion of this.
Identity
With some people, homosexual attractions or behaviour can lead to adoption of a homosexual identity. When the term homosexuality is used in this sense, it means that a person defines himself or herself as a homosexual. They base their identity or sense of self upon homosexuality. This can occur even if they perhaps have never engaged in homosexual behaviour.
Adopting an identity based on homosexuality is a destructive thing to do for it is a false identity. Everyone is tempted to develop a false identity that is separate from God. All false identities lead to destruction. God plan of redemption includes giving us a new and true identity in Christ. We are exhorted in Scripture to put on our new identity (1 Cor 5:17).
For many homosexuals who accept Jesus and the new life that He offers, their true change isn’t so much behaviour focused, attractions focused or demon focused. Instead their true change is heart focused. It is a change of identity from the inside out. And that identity change will result in behaviour change.
Often well-meaning Christians want to focus on behaviour and assume that once a person stops homosexual behaviour, that everything is OK. This is a large mistake. The journey out of homosexuality ends, not starts, with behaviour. And even after homosexual behaviour has ceased, there is much work to do in the process of assuming a new identity in Christ.
Walking away from an ingrained, long-held old identity and into a new and sometimes hard-to-understand identity can be much more challenging than simply stopping unwanted behaviour.
This search for identity in Christ alone is not unique to people leaving homosexuality. All people are on a quest for true identity. However, for many people, the source of their false identity is not clearly evident. With homosexuality, the false identity is clear.
The false identity of a homosexual often becomes integral to who they think they are. This may be the result of the strength of their struggle. People often start with a strong internal battle against the same-sex attractions that they experience. But the world bombards them with the lie that these attractions mean they are homosexual and their homosexuality is unchangeable. This creates great stress in their lives. When their internal resistance fails and they finally decide to embrace the identity the world encourages them to embrace, there is a great sense of relief. For the first time in their life, they may feel comfortable with who they are. And from this comes the unfortunate decision to reinforce this new sense of identity.
Because of the connection between their feelings and their identity, gay-identified people do not distinguish between who they are and what they do. Thus, the much overused Christian phrase “love the sinner, hate the sin” does not make sense to homosexuals. All they hear is the word “hate,” because they do not distinguish between who they are and what they do.
Leaving homosexuality means laying a gay identity at the altar of Christ and accepting the new identity He has for them. For many, this is an incredibly difficult struggle for it seems to mean abandoning the one thing that finally gave them a sense of who they are.
Lifestyle
Other times homosexuality is more of a social and political statement, in which a homosexual person embraces a lifestyle that is supportive of homosexuality.
Embracing a lifestyle involves surrounding themselves with a supportive gay subculture. They may surround themselves with gay friends, work at a gay establishment, frequent gay bars or nightclubs, etc. With this gay lifestyle intact, the person feels less alone. They have a sense of belonging.
When asking a homosexual to come to Christ, in most cases you are asking them to give up their sense of identity and leave a vast support system behind. They face being treated as traitors to the very people who loved and accepted and embraced them. And they are trading that for a completely foreign and unknown support system that they may or may not find in the Christian community.
Understanding the challenge of giving up a hard-fought identity and vast support system should help the church to know that much encouragement, fellowship and support needs to be provided by the church. Will the person’s new identity take root and flourish in the community of believers or will they feel abandoned by their old friends in the gay community and rejected and misunderstood by the new brothers and sisters in Christ?
ADDITIONAL ESSAYS
There are three more essays that follow this one. They are provided as separate documents.
Essay #2 - Homosexuality and the Church. This essay discusses why the church must speak and minister into the lives of people affected by homosexuality.
Essay #3 - God’s Work To Redeem And Transform People Involved In Homosexuality. This essay discusses how God redeems and transforms people involved in homosexuality.
Essay #4 - Equipping The Church To Respond With Truth And Grace. This essay discusses how the church can respond with God’s truth and grace.
CONCLUSION
God is calling the church to respond with His truth and grace to the men and women affected by homosexuality. Too many of us in the church reduce them to activists fighting against tradition and Biblical morality. Too many of us have hardened our hearts towards them to the point where we fail to see them as lost people whom God wants to reclaim for His kingdom. Our calling is to reach these 155 million men and women around the world with the love of Christ (John 13:34).
Gay men and women are not excluded or exempt from His love, grace, salvation and healing. God’s passion should be our passion: that none should perish but that all would have everlasting life.
God has given this responsibility to all of us. We believe and have every confidence in the church’s ability, through Christ, to win homosexual men and women to Christ. We are all in this work together, through Christ, fulfilling the Great Commission. God has given us all that we need in order to reach people with the good news of God’s kingdom and heal those who need healing. May God equip us all to respond with God’s truth and grace so that men and women involved in homosexuality will see and know that God loves them and wants to reclaim them for His kingdom.
© The Lausanne Movement 2010
Keywords: Sexuality, homosexuality, homosexual, truth, grace, unreached people group, attraction, behaviour, identity, lifestyle, same-sex, temptation, chang
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Comments: 59
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Conversation Post Comment
United States
How important it is for us as the body of Christ to not only love homosexuals as people, but to also be a community that will provide a safe and welcoming environment to everyone! This is a great article to examine some aspects of homosexuality. We must be willing to accept people for who they are at their core instead of judging them for their actions and choices. Let us live our lives loving the outcasts.
17.04.2011
United States
@ abrown13:
I think it is imperative to love the sinner and hate the sin. And accept people that they are human and we all fall short but we can’t accept the sin as a lifestyle. Is that not why Jesus died to reconnect us back to the Father. So if sin separates us from God why would be accept it. Some people get confused with loving someone and accepting their actions. I love you but I will not tolerate the sin that separates you from the one I am preaching about. Yes, come as you are…but the Holy Spirit convicts your heart so you won’t stay as you are…we have to grow in Christ. How is there growth when have claim to stay in a state of sin that God forbids…and this goes for all sin not just homosexuality. But Homosexuality seems like the sin people want to proclaim and live the Gospel. I just don’t understand.
21.04.2011
United States
@ JourneywithCHRISTie:
See reply to JRuth
23.04.2012
United States
@ zephora_waiters:
I don’t need to see any other response. I wrote this a year ago and I still feel the same way. I believe it is sin and we can’t live a lifestyle that way. I didn’t say ostracize anybody. Again I SAY....love the sinner, hate the sin. There is no way around it. Call sin, sin. People need to stop making excuses on why we sin. WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE. I can be going through menapuase and my libido is through the roof, but it doesn’t excuse me from having sex with any and everybody. I don’t respond to my flesh, my body is not my own, so I have to give my lust and desires to God in whom I trust that can deliver me from them. So say whatever you like and explain the ignorance of sin however you choose. We all have the propensity of some type of sin, but when we are believers, we consciously and spiritually choose not to yield to it. No it is not easy. But homosexuality seems like the sin that is not recognized as such. Bottom line you can’t make me believe different against the bible. We will all be accountable. GOD’S WORD my life, no matter how man disagrees.
23.04.2012
United States
@ JourneywithCHRISTie:
But you said it, “when we are believers” and as God’s elected people as those who are Christians, Christ-like it is our purpose to bring people from sin to salvation just as Christ did. You cannot hold anger against a person and bring them to salvation. Ephesians 4:26-27 26 “In your anger do not sin”a: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.” Many Christians are angry at both homosexuality and homosexuals. Once a person has accepted Christ as their Savior that person allows the Holy Spirit to move in their lives compelling them to do what is pleasing in God’s sight and repelling them from what is sin. We do not resist the temptations of the flesh alone it is the Holy Spirit that works within us that keeps us from the sins of the flesh. You cannot expect someone who is not of Christ to behave like he/she is of Christ. I cannot, I will not excuse sin in my life but as a sinner which we all are, I cannot judge others. Matt 7:1 Christ has already forgiven all sin (not excused it) so the goal is to bring people to salvation so that they will not commit sin.
23.04.2012
United States
@ zephora_waiters:
With all due respect, please do not respond to me anymore. I am not anger. You address me like you know me and you have no clue...There is no hatred of the sinner but it is for the sin any and all. God bless you.
24.04.2012
United States
@ JourneywithCHRISTie:
I am not angry...is what it was suppose to say.
24.04.2012
United States
@ JourneywithCHRISTie:
Please forgive me if I have offended you my sister. My passion comes from knowing the hurt and pain of young people who are sexually confused because they had an encounter and the world says that they homosexual, or the young women who have suffered sexual and physical abuse by men that they now seek out other women. I work hard to bring them to Christ who will give them healing, who will show them love, not sex. Again forgive me.
25.04.2012
United States
@ abrown13:
This could not have been said this any better. When it comes down to it, we are not the ultimate judge. So our goal is to love people where they are, not when they decide to change. I love how the article talks about how we do not choose our sins, but we can choose when we give into temptation.
05.12.2012
United States
There is a fine line between accepting the person for who they are, broken and in need of hope, and accepting their behavior. Asking God to make our hearts pure and to guide the words from our mouth can only solve the unsure voices in our head. Giving into homosexuality is not just a personal problem, but can ruin friendships, marriages, and families. It breaks down the trust between a husband and wife. It is an issue that needs to be won over by Gods love and mercy. With culture telling people that this act is completely normal, the Christian faith does not stand a chance.
03.12.2012
United States
This article is great. I agree with the author that homosexuality is not a genetic defect, mental illness, hormone imbalance or demonic possession it’s a sinful behavior just like adultrey and fornication. I love the scientific research and agree that parent child relationships, childhood abuse, sexual experiences, peer groups, etc. along with free choice can contribute to this type of behavior. The author is right in that some Christians are homophobic and don’t show the love, grace and mercy of God like they should. As far as churches go most don’t know how to minister to the homosexual I feel this may be because they will have to examine the other sexual sins that are being practiced in the church by some of it’s members adultrey and fornication.The bottom line is sin separates us from God and it needs to be dealth with not excused so the individual can be free and walk in their victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.
16.03.2011
United States
@ journey:
I also enjoyed this article and believe you hit the nail on the head. Many churches steer clear of discussing homosexuality because to discuss one sexual sin you would have to explore all of them. This is evident of those in the academy as well. Very little seminaries have courses discussing sexuality in the church and Bible. Even to this conversation, the articles on sexuality only have a couple of comments posted.
17.04.2011
United States
@ journey:
To ask questions and play the devil’s advocate a bit:
What exactly proves that homosexuality is not any of the things you mentioned? (mental illness or abnormality, genetic predisposition)
Can homosexuality be one of these things and still be sin?
For some reason, I am reminded of the people of Jesus’ day who believed that physical disability was a result of the parents’ sin. Disability was viewed as being outside the sphere of holiness.
19.04.2011
United States
@ JediMasterReed:
I love your question, because when it comes to what causes people to act the way they do we cannot continue to simply throw scriptures at them and move on. There are many things in the lives of individuals that drive their behavior such as hormones and mental illness. As a medical professional I cannot dismiss the strength of hormonal imbalance on homosexuality. I worked with a woman who described herself as a lesbian. She was very muscular, she shaved every day, her testosterone levels were high, and her ovaries were small (she shared this information with me). In essence hormonally she was a man in a woman’s body. It really did not surprise me that she was a lesbian. Anyone one who thinks they can dismiss the strength of hormones has only to ask a adolescent experiencing puberty or a woman experiencing menopause.
You must understand and validate these issues if you are to engage people and bring them to Christ. How can you speak of God the father to a woman who has been severely abused by her father? You must understand her perspective such as her hurt and distrust of a father, before you can begin to talk to her about God. As with the homosexual you must understand that how they view their sexuality drives how they live and how they relate to others. In both cases we cannot lose sight that the goal is to bring people to Christ. God and God alone will evaluate their sin and transform their behavior. We cannot keep people from God due to their behavior because only the transformation of salvation will change their behavior.
As with the ignorance of the past in relation to those with disabilities, you are so on point with your comment. The reality is we are holy because God is holy, so we are in no position to judge.
23.04.2012
United States
@ zephora_waiters:
zephora,
Thank you again for your post and comments. As humans we tend to have a phobia about human sexuality when it differs from what we practice and believe. As Christians, I believe we need to reach out to ALL God’s children. I cannot simply reach out to those who think or act like I do. One of the most frequent commands found in our Scripture is "Don’t fear." Why are we so afraid of those people who think and act differently then we do. Are we afraid that their ways will change us such that we become like them? I know that my God’s power in my life and influence in my life is much stronger than that.
Thank you for touching base on the medical and mental issues involved with homosexuality. I have heard so many people say that it is a choice and if you have ever taken the time to sit down with a LGBT person you would know that their struggles with their life have not been easy and are not a choice to them. It’s who they are. I for one cannot dispute whether it is a choice or the way they were born because I do not have medical training but I have to believe that no one would willingly endure the pains that LGBT people go through just for how they feel.
I agree, we are holy because God is holy and we are NOT in a position to judge but instead to offer love just as He offered love. Judgment is left to Jesus not humans.
23.04.2012
United States
@ Graeper:
When we see people as God sees them through love and with the power of the Holy Spirit we will always see their need for God. The needs of humanity are so great that only God can transform their lives and only God should because God created us and knows us best. Thank you for seeing people through love.
23.04.2012
United States
@ zephora_waiters:
I realize that it is okay to agree to disagree. One thing I believe we agree on is that we must show the love of Christ and be transformed by the renewing of the mind. We have all sinned and will sin again by thought, word, or deed. One is no better than the other and love covers a multitude of sin.
28.04.2012
United States
@ J_Ruth:
I agree also that it is very important that we show the love of Christ. Because as Christians we have a love for God, and that it a pre-requisite of loving people. We may not like what people do but we must certainly must love them. It is important that we remember that love covers a multitude of sin. When we as christians do not understand forgiveness then we miss the biblical point.
Donnie Thurman
29.06.2012
United States
@ PAHayes:
We get training on our jobs and it is very essential that we get training in the household of faith. It is a new day and ministry in the 21st century has taken on a new facet. We must also have compassion and must always be sensitive to others even the homosexual. Personally I have devoted myself in praying and fasting and have asked God to give me guidance as well as love to be able to minister to those who are attracted to the same sex. I also prayed that I do not have a sense of being judgemental because I know that I cannot show love when this occurs.
Donnie Thurman
29.06.2012
United States
@ DonnieLewisThurman:
I don’t have an argument concerning the display of love, but this becomes an catch all, or an excuse for not handling matter in an responsible manner. Some of the issues related to the disobedience of mankind as it relates to God, must be exmained closer than placing an demonic tag on it. And the more we shy away from preparing to be effective counselor to assist others in their pursuit to understand, the greater the problem grows.
02.07.2012
United States
@ Dharris3:
Love is never an excuse; it is the core of how God has taught us through the actions of Jesus, to act toward one another. This idea that we are called to “handle” sin is a huge misconception. We cannot forgive sin, we cannot transform lives, nor can we keep people from sinning. If we think that we are called to keep people from sinning them we will exist in eternal state of frustration, because God has also given us choice. Only God, the Father who loves us, Jesus who sacrificed so that our sins are forgiven, and the Holy Spirit who when manifest transforms our lives and keeps us from sin can impact us as sinners. The proof of this is that in all the years of preaching, judgment and condemnation from the church about sin yet we still sin. The reality is that until people are truly saved by not only confessing with their mouths but believing in our hearts, the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our lives, having a desire to follow God’s commandments and loving all of humanity as stated in 1 John 2, 3 and 4 we will sin. As a minister I am called to teach God’s commandments yes, but first I must teach and encourage a stronger connection/relationship with God to those I minister to. Without that connection we would all succumb to temptation and sin. An effective counselor has a relationship with his client based on compassion and an understanding of how his client views the world. If you have no understanding of the causes of homosexual behavior or you dismiss these causes under the label of willful sin, you will not be able to effectively counsel homosexuals and we as Christians will continue to push them away from God with our hateful attitudes and judgmental actions. Everyone needs God because only God can keep us from sinning.
04.07.2012
United States
@ journey:
You hit the nail on the head and just hamred it in. I believe that many people in the church do not speak up or out about homosexuality because of their own hidden issues. I also believe that many have sexual idenities and that is why they are so homophobic. I look at so many of our leaders in the Church who are sexually abusing, misusing and misguding but want to condem those who are struggling with Homosexual behaviors. I think that authenticity is what the church lacks and humility.
12.07.2012
United States
@ journey:
I think that their are alot of person who fail to be true and transparent about their own sexual sins and it does cause them to condem others. I think we use the notion that its a sin to be homosexual as an excuse to cover up our own mess. Yet no sin is greater than the other. I all sin will be judged. I believe that the church lacks authenicity.
12.07.2012
United States
@ zephora_waiters:
I agree that we do need to see people as God sees them. I do believe that we have to meet people where they are. I think that often times we fail in our mission to be witness becuause we go in with the wrong intentions. Our motives should always be to steer people towards God and not away from God. We steer people away with our actions and words.
12.07.2012
United States
@ PAHayes:
I think this topic is an uncomfortable one due to the nature of it. We have to tell the truth- we have to preach the gospel and stand on it’s word- Christians make a big deal out homosexuality- We have see more than the sin when we deal with all individuals. Sin is inside the church every Sunday- Why are we more disturbed by this one?
18.07.2012
United States
@ PAHayes:
The topic of homosexuality is uncomfortabe to discuss I believe due to its nature. Sin is sin. Christians make a big deal out of this one. Preach and teach the word of God. Try to see more than an indiviual sin and go after the soul- Sin is in church every Sunday- Homosexuality seems to stand out. Why?
18.07.2012
United States
@ J_Ruth:
I agree - Christians don’t get caught up with one particular sin- get caught up in praying for deliverance-Chrisitians don’t need to debate if it is right or wrong - our job is to share the gospel in LOVE-
18.07.2012
United States
@ DonnieLewisThurman:
Thanks so much for sharing. We all have our personal feelings about implodable topics (homosexuality, abortion, etc.) and it can be hard to put our feelings aside and love the person. During this process we can hurt and offend a lot of people. I believe this is where the church begins to have such a bad rep when it come to homosexuality. We open our mouth or facial expressions before we have learned to love a person as a child of God. This can be a vicious cycle.
03.12.2012
United States
This paper clears up many misunderstandings in the Identity section. Signs of “Gay Culture” embed itself all over the United States. There are parades, stores, movies, clubs, phones apps, and merchandise that all welcome homosexual behavior. If all Christians were as welcoming as this to all people, then we might be able to reach people in ways we could never imagine.
03.12.2012
United States
This is indeed a very difficult issue that the church is facing. As a lay leader with a child who has adopted the homosexual lifestyle, I can contest that it is very complex and delicate issue to deal with, both as a church leader and as a parent. It is nice to see an article such as this that expresses the delicate nature of the subject and the complexities involved. On the church side, we want to strive to convince the individuals that what they are doing is wrong and must be rejected in order to have full fellowship with god. But on the human side, we go either to the extreme of accepting the individual as they are, and in some cases enabling, or we reject them totally because they are different and we don’t know how to minister to them. This set of articles helps to shed some light on a very difficult issue and churches, and Christians, will do well to consider the information supplied.
20.11.2012
United States
@ dg8074:
dg8074,
I applaud you for your honesty. I have often wondered that when it comes to things like this, if this were to manifest itself in the families of folks who constantly belittle and berate the homosexual community, would they continue to belittle and berate as loud as they do? I can only imagine your struggle, and can only imagine just how delicate of a topic this is for you and yours. It is easy to take a stand on something when it has no immediate bearing on our lives. But when it shows up on your own front doorstep it becomes a different story. May God help you and your family as you continue to struggle with this situation. And I pray that through your experience you can impart some Godly wisdom to the rest of us.
20.11.2012
United States
@ modelk66:
Thank you for your support and prayers. You are absolutely right that when it shows up on your own doorstep it becomes a different story. I have to admit that it required a significant amount of soul-searching in order to come to terms with the situation. And you are right, it looks different from this perspective. Prior to this, I am ashamed to say, I was on the belittling and berating side of the fence. It is still very difficult, but perhaps I am the one who needed to experience it most. At any rate, I am more prepared now to begin ministering to those affected by this issue and I am better equipped to begin my local church on the journey of ministry instead of belittling and berating.
20.11.2012
United States
@ dg8074:
Praise God for opening your heart! I am praying for you and your family. Love your child. A parent’s love and support can do so much to aid in the healing of broken lives and spirits. Many homosexuals have brokeness in their lives that need spiritual healing. Let God be your guide and let God be God, who conquered sin and death on the cross, and who seeks for each and every one of us to have a strong connection with him through love, trust and obedience. Love must come first. Love of God and love of our neighbor (humanity). I am rejoicing in the love and healing that your family will experience through God. I will pray for the strength of your love for your child and God.
25.11.2012
United States
@ dg8074:
I cannont agree with you more about the fact that homosexuality is such a sensative topic. This article takes in consideration every aspect of homosexuality and handles it with such professionalism. I work in public health and the viewe of homosexuality is looked at as a behavior that is equal to that of a man and a woman. The article words their view point in away that everyone can agree on one part of the paper.
03.12.2012
United States
Secular society says that homosexuality is a completely normal part of life and love is love no matter who is involved. However, the bible does not mention this. It does mention that we will face many temptations in life. Many people claim that they are gay and their actions are viewed as a normal part of the human life. They often say that they were born gay and have had feelings for the same-sex their entire life. This paper states that homosexuality comes from a combination of psychological, environmental, and biological factors that happen during childhood.Having a sinful nature cannot be something we avoid, because we are born into a world of sin. i agree with the statemetn “God does not say that experiencing same-sex attractions is a sin. Nor does God say that we can choose our temptations.’ If a person focuses on what God wants for their lives, then the temptation is not as strong.
03.12.2012
United States
Power of words and our minds. This is what stood out to me as i read this aritcle. I words hold so much weight. For our words can bring life or death. I believe that so many people stay in a sinful lifestyle because of the in ability to find encouargment from the Body of Chirst. Yes i do believe that Homosexuality is a sin. I do believe that we sin because we are trying to fill voids that only God can fill. When i am down the last thing that i want to hear is that you messed up and your not worthy of being in relationship with other fellow believers. Sadly the church makes many people who struggle with Homosexuality feel this very way. Even if you do not say with your mouth your actions say it even louder. I am also conviced that when a person has something in their mind its hard to break free unless you are conceted to a power source. WE Have left the Homosexual Community half dead and we pass them by with our mindset, and our words. Break Free Church so that we can do the will of God and MAKE DISCIPLES!!!!
12.07.2012
United States
And here is a clear example of what NOT to say about this issue from the pulpit:
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/22/11813973-charles-worley-north-carolina-pastor-faces-backlash-outrage-over-call-for-gays-to-be-put-behind-electric-fence?lite
And it is scenes/events/comments/attitudes like this that make reaching out as the body of Christ to disenfranchised people nearly impossible. So much damage has been done just through one 2 minute clip. Look at the comments of hatred toward Christianity, religion, God, the Bible, etc. that follow every clip on every website you find with this. This goes beyond "loving the sinner but hating the sin." It leaves a taste of anger, bitterness, disgust, resentment, and horror in my mouth. I can only imagine what it is doing to others.
24.05.2012
United States
@ modelk66:
There is no hate in Jesus. Anything that is not love is not of God. Why is the sin of the homosexual seen as a sin that is greater than any other? Why is there no great outcry against the child molester who have caused many people to choose a homosexual lifestyle due to the deep pain caused from being molested. Why is there no outcry against human trafficking for the purpose of prostitution and sexual slavery? I could go on and on. Here is what concerns me everyone is feeling puffed up because the voters said that they were right, but we must be careful when we as Christians begin to agree with the masses. God has set us apart to be a light to humanity, not to spread the darkness of hate. The statement “love the sinner, hate the sin” already is not of God because of the word hate. How about Love the sinner and let God through Christ’s forgiveness and the power of the Holy Spirit deal with the sin.
06.06.2012
United States
@ zephora_waiters:
There are serial issues within your comment I would like to address. It is “not” that there isn’t any “great outcries” regarding child olestation, or human trafficking for prostitution. There are outcries in those areas taking place daily; but as it regards “homosexuality”, those practicing homosexual lifestyles are making the “outcry” for acceptance within the church and society for their blatant act of disobedience. The comment regarding “love the sinner, hate the sin” would be accurate if you are considering loving humanity, but not loving the acts of humanity. When our children do the wrong thing; we do not stop loving our children, even though we hate (dislike) what they have done.
28.06.2012
United States
@ zephora_waiters:
Does God love me, even though I don’t want to follow his will? Can we clearly state to those living a homosexual lifestyle, God is okay with them living opposite the way he has designed? Have you been so quick to forget; for years many churches have been operating under a “don’t ask, don’t tell policy. Allowing those practicing this lifestyle to operating in in the church and many time in leadership position. While at the same time turning out young men within the church under the façade of friendship and Christian brotherhood. Many of those you are advocating for are the very ones perpetuating the problem. I say this not only to those practicing homsexuality, but to all those who are in the church in positions of leadership and the like, hurting the body by not being a REAL part of the HEALING needed in the church.
02.07.2012
United States
@ Dharris3:
Of Course God loves us even when we do not follow his will! God loving humanity has NOTHING to do with how we act or what we choose to do. There is nothing we can do to affect God’s love for us, because WE ARE ALL SINNERS! It is our own disobedience from Adam until now that separates us from God, not God’s lack of love for us. Jesus loved those who crucified him and died to give all sinners the opportunity of salvation. God has given us free will, so we can choose but nothing but the power of the Holy Spirit can keep someone from committing a sin. It is not for us to condone or to judge sin but to teach others to seek a closer connection with God so that the power of the Holy Spirit can move in and through them compelling them to do what is right in God’s sight and repelling them from sin. As for churches with leadership living sinful lives I will put forth the idea that all who confess to be saved are not saved, and that God’s will is not practiced in every pulpit or church. But again ONLY God can transform a sinner and each of us is only responsible for own actions toward one another. The point of this article is that if we view homosexuals only through the lens of their sin and deliberately make them an unreached people group them WE are disobeying God’s mandate of the “Great Commission”.
04.07.2012
United States
God calls for mankind to
come out of their place(s) of origin and worship Him. This is a decision every believer must make. Mankind is offered the opportunity to “choose” to worship and follow God, or worship and follow their desires. While choice may not be considered a primary factor for determining the root of homosexuality, according to the author of the article; it is a factor to be considered. The influences of the other factors contribute to the thought pattern, held by the individual; which are some of the same factors mankind as a whole is faced with. The final consideration one makes after deliberating over the factors,
and which has the greater influence, and value to them; a decision or choice is made; regardless if it is to try it temporarily or live it permanently. In the letters to the Romans: Paul state the issues is the “mindset”, or the attitude one has taken regarding their actions. The overarching factor which is addressed within the writings in the Bible, deals with “choice.” Our choices are the products of thoughts regarding what we value, and those things which influence us.
27.06.2012
United States
@ Dharris3:
Dharris3, you hit on a very important aspect regardless of whether it involves homosexuality or getting out of bed in the morning. That aspect is choice. Everything we do in this life is based on a choice or decision we make. And every choice has a consequence - either good or bad. If I choose to get out of bed, get ready for the day and go to work, my consequence is I get paid for doing so. If I choose to get out of bed and stay home and wach tv or play on the internet all day and stay out of work, my consequence is I do NOT get paid and may even lose my job. I am not a scientist, so I cannot prove if people really are "born this way" or not, but even if they are, at some point there is a choice made to go one way or another. Everyone - at some point in time during their life - faces the struggle or temptation to experiment, or at least entertain thoughts, with homosexuality. Even if it was just one fleeting moment in time that has been deeply repressed, we have all been faced with this at some point. Some, have chosen to repress it to the point that they have become extremely homophobic and will not even hug someone of the same sex for any reason, even in public non-sexual situations like a celebration or a funeral. Others have chosen to grasp onto the lifestyle with such vigor they become a national spokesperson advocating homosexuality and even writing songs to promote the idea of being born homosexual and claiming they have no choice at all. I have heard and listened to the arguments from both extremes. Someway, we as Christians have to find a middle ground. Not condoning homosexual activity, but not condemning the people that do get caught up in it. Making comments like the North Carolina, USA pastor who said to put them all behind a fence and let them eventually die off does nothing for the cause of Christ except make us all look like Pharisees of the most egotistical, arrogant, and hypocritical kind. At the same time, allowing homosexuals to be priests, bishops, and denominational presidents goes too far in the opposite direction and does nothing for the cause of Christ except making us all look like Pharisees of the most egotistical, arrogant, and hypocritical kind. In both camps, while this is hated or condoned, something else is condoned or hated that is just as much an issue of tension as this. I will refer to a post I made concerning the adulteress woman. If I understand anything at all about Jesus - which I most likely understand the least about Him of any of us - it is this: He is always consistent. He has treated and will continue to treat every sinner - REGARDLESS of their sin - in the same way. He did not condone her activity, but he did not condemn her either. He gave her an opportunity to make a choice. She knew what she was doing was wrong, even if she had convinced herself it wasn’t, and even if she used everything within her to justify her actions and even claim that is was beyond her power or control. She was brought to a point where she realized the truth about her actions and her choices, though how she was brought to that realization was in itself wrong as well. Which is why Jesus did what He did. The Pharisees knew she could be stoned, Jesus knew she could be stoned, even SHE knew she could be stoned. But Jesus offered compassion instead, and not just to her. Jesus could have stood in the Pharisees faces and raked them over the coals for their actions, condemning them in the most belittling of manners. But this would have given the woman the sense that she was justified in her actions and possibly galvanized her against thinking she did anything wrong. Jesus also could have humiliated the woman further by scolding her in a very public and demeaning shame and disgrace, which would have exonerated the Pharisees and made them feel they had the rights and power to go around condeming people as they pleased. Jesus did neither. When you look at what happens, Jesus offered compassion, pardon, and forgiveness to both the woman AND the Pharisees. Jesus made every person in His midst at that particular moment confront their own personal sins. And when the dust settled from the rocks hitting the ground, everyone of them had to admit they had personal sin and none was any greater sin than any other. Today, we must come to that same place in the Church as the body of Christ. We cannot condone sinful activity, but we cannot condemn the people that take place in it, because our own sin is just as big and bad as theirs. We tend to put sins in levels or degrees of severity. Sin is sin. Some sins do indeed carry stiffer consequences, but that does not make their sin any greater than another’s. The Pharisees could not condemn the woman of her sin because they had their own sin and would have had to condemn themselves if they condemned her. The thing is, in the whole event, Jesus never focused on any of their sins. He focused on all of them as fallen people, and fallen people will commit sins of all kinds. Jesus never condoned any of their sins, but He did not get in their faces yelling and screaming how horrible they were and how they should be punished. Instead, he quietly offered every one of them the opportunity to admit they had sin. Once admitted, they were all on the same level at that point - the woman was equal to the Pharisee. And he offered her only one instruction - "Go, and sin no more." In light of the discussion here, you could paraphrase it this way - "Go, and make the choice to not participate in the activities you have been." Instead of offering her condemnation, He offered her compassion. Instead of condoning her activity, He encouraged her to carefully choose her activity. We can do no less.
03.07.2012
United States
@ modelk66:
Allow me to begin by saying; we are in total agreement!! I hope my comments did not suggest an air of condemnation, but one of focusing on real, effective help by not condoning one’s actions (regardless of it label). We as Christians (I believe) must come away from overlooking what the person is entangled in; not for reasons of judging, but of helping them grow as believers of God. IF we going to consider the church as a hospital; then we should prepare it for healing. Meeting individuals were there are, and stop making excuses for not preparing the church for action. If a person find themselves in homosexuality, adultery, backbiting, or whatever act of disobedience one would find themselves a part of; the church shall be prepare, or in place to compassionately assist them through their dilemma. This would suggest two things: 1) if one believe counseling is their calling, then they should get the training necessary to assist them in helping others; 2) if it is not your calling stay out of it, and just pray for those who are called to minister in that fashion. It does not make a difference which label is place on the act of disobedience; we should spend less time judging and more time praying.
03.07.2012
United States
I have heard individuals attempt to justify, and define Homosexuality; is it the thought or the act, the temporary involvement or the ongoing participation of the lifestyle. The author suggests it is the “attraction” of an individual which is one of the causes for homosexuality, and that attraction is of God. James 1:13-16 “Let no one say when he is tempted, " I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” To suggest it is an “attraction” and it is by some means God’s faults, or pure because it is of God. Would be wrong to say according to the writer of James; one is drawn or carried away by
their “own lust” or “attractions”. So as an individual allows him or her self to be drawn away by their thoughts associated with their attraction, it will lead to the act, and the separation.
01.07.2012
United States
None of us know the reasoning behind the motivation one has as a child molester, fornicator, adulterer, or even murder. We should not be so willing to attack one and not the other, without understanding what is motivating this type of behavior. The child molester may have suffered an event during their childhood, which stimulates this sort of behavior. But there is no consideration, because they have injured a child. Am I protecting the molester and not child? No, not by any
means! They both are in need of help, and they both will need to change. The molester will need help to change and stop, and the child will need help so they will not begin.
01.07.2012
United States
One of the problems we are facing deals with acceptance. Those practicing a homosexual lifestyle are seeking acceptance from God and the Christian community for their desired lifestyle, while knowing their desired lifestyle goes against God’s design. This is one of the issues Paul is confronting in Romans 1: Man changing God’s Design for their Desires. We tend to overlook those practicing acts of disobedience which does not directly harm anyone; as if there are differences in the priority of disobedience. When there is no difference in the level or
priority; sin is sin!
01.07.2012
United States
The author suggests that “lifestyle” is one of the factors of consideration as it relates to homosexuality. The message of God to mankind deals with “change”: the most important change deals with the mindset towards God; and as a result of the mental change (repentance) toward God, there should be a change in their “lifestyle” (transformation) which comes by the renewing of their mind (Romans 12:2). Unfortunately, those involved in a homosexual lifestyle are seeking acceptance of their lifestyle without the consideration of changing. Those practicing this type of a
lifestyle want to continue practicing, and forgiveness for not changing. Christians within this generation want the fornicator, the adulterer, idolater, gossiper, and those practicing all other act of disobedience to change their lifestyle, but those practicing homosexuality are given a pass to continue practicing their desired lifestyle. If one has changed their mindset toward God (repented), then there should be a change in their lifestyle due to the changing of their mindset toward God (transformation).
01.07.2012
United States
I hate to respond to something with a question…but it is
necessary…As preachers/pastors, my questions are :Are you ready to preach the
Gospel?…Are you ashame of the Gospel of Christ?
Romans 1:24-27…Homosexuality is sin…like any other. We all
have some type of propensity, but at the end, we choose to give into our passions.
We can only teach the Word of God and pray that the Holy Spirit convict our
heart of any sin in our lives. But the problem, I see is people believe the lie
that Homosexuality is not a sin. We can’t pick and choose the sin that is
offensive to God…sin period is offensive to God. We were created in the image
of God, so for a believer to believe they were born that way…what is in the
reflection of God? Basically what is being presumably said…I want/like what I
want/like and I will have it any if God disagree. Remember sin separates us from God, so how
can you choose something that separates you from the Father will trying to
connect with Him in worship. Nothing is greater than my want to be “pleasing”
in God’s presence.
21.04.2012
United States
@ J_Ruth:
J_Ruth,
I almost hate to reply to your post but feel that I must. I attended a sexuality conference this weekend in which I thought at first that the whole thing would be around homosexuality. What I learned was that it was around a wide variety of topics and issues dealing with human sexuality. The point of the conference was not to solve the issues around sexuality but to get churches to start having conversations about sexuality and what that means to humans. For soooo long, the church has been hesitant to speak out about sex or anything to do with sexuality. When will we learn that we MUST speak up and educate our congregations. As I read Romans 1: 24-27 from NRSV, KJV, and NIV I do not see the word homesexuality printed. What I see is a reference to unnatural intercourse, uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, and sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies. As I have researched this I find that the language of unnatural intercourse was more often used in Paul’s day to denote not the orientation of sexual desire but its immoderate indulgence, which was believed to weaken the body. Even today between males and females, which we consider natural relationships, there is unnatural intercourse occurring and abuse of bodies. I would hope that my God would and is also addressing those gross abuses in these passages too.
21.04.2012
United States
@ Graeper:
@ Graeper The name of the article is Sexuality: Creation,
Brokenness, Truth and Grace. So how it was processed through my spirit is…What
is sexuality as it was created….was it not a gift for married people and the
bed is undefiled. (Hebrew 13:4)
Where is the brokenness if the homosexuality is natural?
The truth is what the bible says and the grace is what God
gives when one confesses and what we give others in love as we minister to them
the word of God.
Now, to the different versions of the bible, yes it is in
the NKJV version that displays homosexuality.
Even in the versions you listed…what is unnatural intercourse? Our
private parts are made for the opposite sex to induce procreation. So
homosexuality is same sex…unnatural in the eyes of God. NKJV…Romans 1:27,
likewise also the men, LEAVING THE NATURAL USE OF THE WOMAN, BURNED IN THEIR
LUST FOR ONE ANOTHER, MEN WITH MEN COMMITTING WHAT IS SHAMEFUL AND RECEIVING IN
THEMSELVES THE PENALTY OF THEIR ERROR WHICH WAS DUE. I think that reads the
same in most versions. It has been around a long time. Even in the destruction
of Sodom and Gomorrah, I have heard that people say that was because of
hospitality…please reread the passage. Lot offered his virgin daughters to the
men…if that ain’t hospitality, then there is none. King Josiah tossed out the
male prostitutes because it defiled the temple. It is within the realm of
sexual immortality along with Lust, adultery, incest, and beastiality. So it’s not just of Paul’s day. I agree that we
should talk more about this…speaking the WORD of God is always a great idea.
Going back to what you said about even in male and female relationship
unnatural intercourse is occurring….again sex is for the married and the bed is
undefiled, so as long as both parties male and female are in agreement, then it
is natural to love each other in their style. We cannot regulate the martial
bed. And yes, I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. My post was to
point one to the bible and what it says. And my issue is that people don’t view
homosexually as a sin. The Word of God reigns in my life. I can’t be complacent
if I am to teach the word. God didn’t call us to uncleanness but in holiness (1
Thessalonians 4:7). Now I respect people’s opinion. For my opinion I have given
you scripture on why I believe it is sin…sexual immorality. It is fine to
debate my belief, but where is it in the bible, that confirms the homosexuality
is justified in the sight of God? Again, I am not ashame of the gospel I preach…and
I preach in love…but also in TRUTH. Jesus is the TRUTH.
Glad you went to the conference. There needs to be more talk
about Sexuality as it relates to the bible and not as it relates to what people
feel. The world conforms to feelings…the believer conforms to the mind of
Christ; keeping God’s commandments(obedience, holiness).
This was a very good article.
22.04.2012
United States
@ J_Ruth:
J_Ruth,
Thank you for your thoughts. I was not saying that I agree with homosexuality but I do not read the passage in Romans or exegete it the same as you. I read the passage in Romans 1:26-27 as having to do with passion that was so consuming that God was left out of the picture. There was no room for God and doing His will in the people’s lives because of their overconsumming passions so God gave them up to their degrading passions. For me, I feel that I must proclaim God’s love in ways that welcome all people. If people feel that they are being judged before we even take the time to know them, how can we ever reach them for Christ? I agree with Wendell Griffen, pastor of New Millenium Church Little Rock, AR when he said, "God’s love comes to us despite our circumstances. God’s love flows to us wherever we are and however we are."
22.04.2012
United States
@ J_Ruth:
J_Ruth and JourneywithCHRISTie,
In the case of homosexuality we are so focused on the sin that we are overlooking the sinner. We all sin. Without Christ’s forgiveness we would all be in a fiery hell. That’s the reality of being human. The sin of homosexuality cannot be made greater than any other sin just because the media and our culture of promiscuity have placed it in the forefront. But, as Christians we are called to be Christ-like. Christ is ALWAYS focused on the sinner, the person, their needs, their hurts, and their salvation. If Christ were here now he would be among homosexuals because they need him.
Be careful Christians because in our hate of the sin we are ostracizing the sinner. The real sin in our culture is promiscuity. Do whatever you want, with whoever you want, whenever and wherever you want, with as many as you want. There are so many people to have followed this cultural mandate and engaged in sexual activities with persons of the same sex and now they, particularly young people, are sexually confused. But more importantly they are hurt and lost and they so desperately need Christ. But I have heard Pastors preach about the evils of homosexuality in such a way that their whole aura turned dark with hate and anger. I have seen the same reaction in parents. There is no way that the young person would dare talk to anyone about their experience or confusion for fear of losing that person’s love. It makes me cry because we, God’s chosen people are not reaching out to love them and show them God’s love through our own love and they are so very lost. We subliminally and consciously are showing hate to the sinner and if we do that then we must hate ourselves.
23.04.2012
United States
@ zephora_waiters:
Zephora,
Thank you for your comments. That was my point exactly. If we continue to focus on the sin of homosexuality versus the love of God and being willing to walk with people as they figure out this life then we may never reach the people who really need God in their lives. There are so many young people and even older folks who are running from the church because they feel ostracized versus loved for who they are and taken in to help them grow in their understanding of God. Loving the lost and the confused does not mean that we agree with their life styles or their life choices but it does mean that we care about them as human beings and as children of God.
23.04.2012
United States
@ Graeper:
Many of us are afraid (as you mentioned we fear) to see past the labels we place on people. Whenever I am mentally lazy and allow negative cultural views to invade my thinking God always corrects my thinking through my interaction with people. At one of the churches I was a member of n Colorado, we worshiped at round tables in a place called the Upper Room. The tables were round for the purpose of helping us as members to interact and get to know our fellow parishioners. Each Sunday we had a question we each had to answer at our table. One Sunday the question was “What would you like God to help you with”. The young man next to me and his friend would be considered effeminate in their manner of speech and how they carried themselves. When it was time for this young man to answer he said “How can I resist temptation?” When he spoke I felt from him this strong sense of anguish. The Holy Spirit showed me that this young man truly loved God and he was struggling to show God his love by being obedient to God’s word. But because of his desire he felt that he was not living up to God’s expectation and that he would always fail in this area and this caused him to agonize about his Christianity. I know that his suffering came from how the world especially Christians had treated him. I remember thinking, how terrible his life must be and that no one should have a relationship with God filled with anguish. Had I been as mature in my spiritual walk then as I am now I would have hugged him and told him that God loves us no matter what and that he should never give up on God’s love. I carry his pain as a reminder of what human judgment can do to a fragile spirit. I know that anyone of us that walks in God’s will and allows the power and compassion of the Holy Spirit to help us can overcome anything that is not pleasing in God’s sight.
23.04.2012
United States
@ Graeper:
At the end of the day we must know that God has called us to Hope Givers, care givers, Bondage Breakers, Message Proclaimers, People Encouragers, and also People Edifiers. We as Christians are called to comfort all who mourn. After all does God not help us when we go through Crisis in our lives. We all are human beings full of pain and full of sorrow.
Donnie Thurman Sr.
29.06.2012
United States
God calls for mankind to
come out of their place(s) of origin and worship Him. This is a decision every believer must make. Mankind is offered the opportunity to “choose” to worship and follow God, or worship and follow their desires. While choice may not be considered a primary factor for determining the root of homosexuality, according to the author of the article; it is a factor to be considered. The influences of the other factors contribute to the thought pattern, held by the individual; which are some of the same factors mankind as a whole is faced with. The final consideration one makes after deliberating over the factors,
and which has the greater influence, and value to them; a decision or choice is made; regardless if it is to try it temporarily or live it permanently. In the letters to the Romans: Paul state the issues is the “mindset”, or the attitude one has taken regarding their actions. The overarching factor which is addressed within the writings in the Bible, deals with “choice.” Our choices are the products of thoughts regarding what we value, and those things which influence us.
27.06.2012
United States
I awoke this morning with the story of the adulteress woman in my heart and mind, and I thought of this conversation. If homosexuality is considered to be a sin of sexual immorality, so adultery is also a sin of sexual immorality. What strikes me about the conversation between Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees, and the woman is how Jesus treats the woman. Nowhere do I read where He accuses her of anything, the scribes and Pharisees do that. Nowhere does He preach to her about how bad, evil, sinful, degrading, demeaning, despicable she is for what she is doing, the scribes and Pharisees do that. Never does He condemn her for her actions, the scribes and Pharisees do that. Instead, what Jesus does is condemn the scribes and Pharisees by giving them one simple command; "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone." This does not mean Jesus condoned or approved of her sexual immorality, because He did allow for a stone to be cast should someone meet the pre-qualifier of having no sin, which was only Him. Yet, knowing He could stone her, He loved her instead. His only instruction to her was to "go, and sin no more." Not, come to the church, confess publicly with all the sordid details of your sin, make amends, go through a period of "trial membership" to show evidence you have truly repented, and THEN you will be accepted into our midst. No, just go and stop doing what you have been doing. And I am sure it was not as easy as it sounded for her to do. But, since she was shown love, she was able to see that someone cared more about her as a person than about her conduct.
Whether we like to admit it or not, we are in this story, for humans are always basically the same. First, we are all the woman. Every single one of us has sinned and continue to sin, though we strive for perfection. And one sin is no greater or more heinous than any other. The sin of "bearing false witness" which is slander or gossip is listed in the Ten Commandments right along with "adultery" and "murder" and "honor thy father and mother." Somehow, as humans, we have placed more emphasis on some sins more than others. God did give Moses different degrees of punishment for different acts, but they were all considered sin just as much. We have no bragging rights to claim "Well, I may have gossipped about my co-worker, but at least I didn’t murder anyone." The fact is, we have sinned REGARDLESS of how we might like to cover it, hide it, sugar-coat it or justify it. We are ALL the adulteress woman. Once we profess to know or believe in Christ, we then become either scribes and Pharisees or disciples of Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees were holding strong to their religion, much as many a congregant will hold to their Christianity. It gives the idea of having a more correct theology and thus a responsibility to try and impose that theology on the world around us. Everything becomes a matter of legality, of do’s and don’ts, of right and wrong. And it is easy to become pious and lofty when we have not committed the particular sin we stand so strongly against. I grew up in a very conservative household, with my dad as one of the most conservative preachers you could find. I have heard him and others take the passage about "natural affection" in Romans and preach for 30 minutes or more, never using the text except for the initial reading of Scripture at the beginning of the message, and rant and rave about how wrong, bad, evil, sinful homosexuals are and how they are all going to hell if they don’t stop, and how we should be telling them how wrong they are and stand up against them at every turn. I also heard him and others also point to this passage to say we have all sinned, but never point out who and what Jesus condemns. It basically became another evangelizing text to coerce people to "get saved" because we are all sinners. There is more to it than that, I have discovered. Many of us like to claim that we are followers of Christ. We like to claim that we are trying our best to be Jesus to the rest of the world. I have done it many times. Yet, I am not so sure I have been, and maybe still am not. To be a follower of Jesus means to walk and act and speak as He did and does. It means that I cannot find a soapbox to spout off how horrible and disgusting certain people with certain actions or lifestyles are. It means, I must simply acknowledge the fact that their sin is no greater than my own sin, that they are just as forgiveable as I am, that they are just as loveable and precious to God as I am, and that all I can do as a follower of Christ is to love them, offer no condemnation, and exhort them to "go, and sin no more." Much harder than standing on a soapbox as a scribe and Pharisee. And I have plenty of soapboxes of my own to destroy.
26.04.2012
United States
Unfortunately, there always seems to be some assumptions concerning all homosexual activity. Not to ruffle any feathers any further, but here are some things for consideration. First, what about people who are born with both sets of genitalia? Often, the parents have to make a rush decision to remove one set, which determines the person’s gender for the rest of their life, and most likely the decision by the parents goes on either some health issue the doctor raises, or else by whichever gender of a child they were hoping for. Hence, a child can grow up male, but really always struggle and believe themselves to be a female, and therefore they are attracted to males. Without a sex change, they are considered to be a homosexual, but are they really? Muddy water for sure. Second, there were some studies done about 20 years ago now that I remember coming out when there was such a huge use of drugs to induce pregnancies. It was discovered that in a lot of those instances the drug actually messed with the chemical makeup in the brain of the child and they really were "born that way" meaning that the way their brains work and operate they were attracted to the same sex. Again, more muddy water. Now what I am NOT saying is that homosexuality is not a sin. I do believe it is, but as with these examples, not all of it is necessarily. It is those, who like any other sin, make a willful and deliberate choice to participate in sinful activity. But, we cannot just lump all cases into one big pile. There has to be a willingness to get to know people, to understand their history and background. And that means to love them regardless of whether it was a decision made by their parents when they were infants, whether it was some chemical reaction beyond their control, or whether it is a willful choice to participate in certain activities. Things are not always as cut and dried as we often like for them to be, which is why we need to develop relationships instead of generalizations.
24.04.2012
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