Conversing with LGBTQ People Part 1: The Acceptance Question

Moderate members of this community often ask if what they are doing is acceptable, a sin, or simply want to know your opinion. The more activist members of this community may be more staunch in their response, simply stating that they are not in sin and do not see an issue.

Questions on sexual morality are surely one of the most asked questions in faith, and no doubt as a believer eventually you will be asked too. Maybe you have a friend or know a member of this community? Or maybe you end up involved in a discussion on social media, or whilst you're evangelising.

Before you enter that discussion ask yourself what is the purpose of their question?

Searching for Acceptance

Firstly, whose acceptance are they seeking? If they are seeking the acceptance of man, in man-made institutions, there is a seperate forum for that discussion and progress in that arena.  Nor can they force your acceptance of them on you, you do not need to conform to the world.

But what if they, (or maybe you are a member of this community and are reading this post, so if you) are looking for acceptance from God, then I believe we should start here:

There is no institution, nor person, on this earth that can make you right with God, that is to make you righteous.

Let me be more explicit. This means you cannot sit in the pews of a church that endorses your lifestyle and be saved. Jesus has already told us that would be as the blind leading the blind for both will fall into a pit (Matthew 15:14). Nor can a pastor, preacher, celebrity, friend, anyone purporting to be of the faith in any guise, tell you that you are saved and you are righteous, and that make it so. If you commit a crime on earth and bump into a stranger on the street, and they tell you not to worry about it, when you step in front of the judge will justice still not be served?

That should not instill fear, God is a faitful merciful judge and He loves you, but He is a judge nonetheless.

It is your faith that makes you righteous (Romans 4:1-5). Your faith in God.

So when a member of this community asks the question "Do you believe what I am doing is sin?", what are they looking for? Their salvation is not dependent upon anyone on this earth rubber stamping their lifestyle, as with any other sin. God is the judge, Him and Him alone.

Salvation is based upon believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord; He resurrected and overcame death (Romans 10:9-10) to atone for our sin.

Understand, however, this is where the journey begins not ends.

When you do this, you start your walk along the narrow path to salvation (Matthew 7:13-14). That sounds scary to call it a narrow path, but remember you have eternal grace and mercy from our most faithful and wonderful God, and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

God did this to allow for your stumblings as you put off your former self, and put on the clothes of righteousness.

It is written:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, you accept your old lifestyle fell short of the glory of God, and it passes away. You become a new creation in Christ by accepting Him as Lord becoming dead to sin and alive unto righteousness (Romans 6:11). It is therefore an impossibility, that you truly accept Jesus as Lord and continue living the way you did before, in its entirety.

That mean that you will have to sacrifice some parts of the old you to become new. God doesn't want you to completely forsake all aspects of your life and personality when you are born again, no, rather to refine you He wants you to forsake your sin. Uprooting what was not of Him (Matthew 15:14), and planting His fresh seed in fertile ground.

And yes its hard, this whole blog is about my stumblings! But if I can do it, anyone can.

You will change, but for the better.

In Conclusion

I truly believe in most instances members of this community are looking for acceptance for who they are and what they do, that you can never give them. So before even entering the discussion, ask them why are they asking you this question?

If they are looking for God's acceptance through me, I answer as I have in this post. Its a very long winded way of saying "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33).

Simply put you can't give God's acceptance to them. No one can but God Himself.

Do your best to encourage them towards the Light, as always. Its a journey. You can't force them to forsake their old ways by being judgmental, but encourage them to grow in relationship with Jesus such that they relinquish sin willingly.

Yet remind them, God doesn't need us to be perfect that we may come to Him, nor does He expect perfection once we do, but He does want us to submit to His will and live a life pleasing to Him.

But its a privilege to walk the narrow path, just be prepared to change along the way.

(Part 2)
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