This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Here we are at the end of Pride Month, which the Church as a whole largely ignores, but because it is something the rest of society acknowledges, it seems appropriate to address it here. Dealing with the issue of homosexuality in a biblically accurate manner requires walking a narrow line which many deny all together: Show the love of Jesus Christ to those caught in the sin of homosexual behavior, while at the same time not denying the truth that homosexual behavior is sin. Some argue that in order to accept homosexuals, one must accept their behavior. Not true. I accept my children, but I don’t accept it when they lie or hurt each other.
It is also important to note that the sin lies in the behavior. A celibate homosexual is just as obedient to God as a celibate heterosexual. And both are just as equally human, in no way diminished by denying their desires any more than I a single person is who waits for marriage to be sexually active. Our sexuality is not the basis for our identity.
In the past (and still today) much of the Church has been guilty of being overly judgmental of gays and lesbians, focusing too much on the second half of the narrow line above. Instead of offering the one true hope of all people (including homosexuals), we have instead chosen to condemn. As a result, many gays and lesbians consider Christians to be their enemies. That is our fault.
Lastly, our government will address the issues related to the LGBTQ+ community according to the standards of the world and not the Bible. We must be careful as Christians that how we engage politically in these issues does not harm our biblical witness. We know that God instituted marriage between one man and one woman, and that any combination other than that is not pleasing to Him, is not best for society, and by definition is not marriage. Our ultimate authority is God, not the State. It is imperative that the Church clings to biblical truth, no matter how large the gap grows between truth and what our society accepts.
