When Faced with "Pride"

Brothers and sisters in Christ. Though you may be attacked for your views, in this month be as bold preaching of Jesus, as those who walk and march with "pride".

For the author of our faith, Jesus Christ, came to call sinners to repentance, (Luke 5:32) so too should we; with faith, hope and love, share the gospel of Christ that they too may come to know Him, and the gift of salvation.

Though our faith is built upon the bedrock of humility, do not mistake humility for meekness. For is it not the God whom we serve, all powerful and whom we should fear, who called us to approach His throne with boldness? Were those in the book of Acts not bold to preach the gospel, though facing death and persecution?

I pray for those who blog, share their content, verses of the day, evangelize on the street, or serve God in any capacity. Do not be ashamed this month, nor intimidated, for God is with you.

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Conversing with LGBTQ People Part 2: Do Christians Hate LGBTQ People?

If you haven't already had a chance to, check out part 1. This was such a big topic, that I felt each post deserved its own section, but appreciating the whole is important.

Christianity preaches hate against LGBT

No Christianity preaches truth.

But not the world's truth.

Truth in the world is manipulated for purpose. We have seen this so many times throughout history, it would take too long to list them all. Contemporarily then, how many news stations are there around the world and yet seemingly, no two can agree on factual events? Should they not all be reporting the same story from the same angle? This would be truth.
Yet news stations are open about their bias, a news channel can be considered conservative for example. That any news station can be considered to sit somewhere along a political spectrum, should send alarm bells ringing.  This effectively signposting that you will struggle to find objectivity on that channel, yet people still watch and cling to what they see as truth. This truth that suits them.

It wasn't always acceptable to be openly homosexual for example, until all of sudden for no real reason at all, it was. "Get with the times they say", so truth is changed by time? Truth changed by time is no truth at all, truth changed by time is agenda. We can say this of all agendas, all are built upon apparent truths until, for no reason at all, they are not truths anymore; because they never were the truth to begin with.

What commonality is there? In the world then the truth is acceptable as truth, but only when it suits. Situational truth. Lying is not OK in the world, but white lies? Hiring lawyers to lie for you? No problem. Our hypocrisy so ingrained within our culture, that it manifests in our common sayings, I wonder if you are familiar with: "Do as I say, not as I do"....you get the idea.

The truth, that is the gospel, is God's truth.

God's truth is consistent, because He is consistent. He is the great I Am. The same yesterday, today and forever more.

That means God's truth can make you feel uncomfortable. Because we are inconsistent, and the consistent truth will force us to confront this inconsistency within us. Our situational truths.

This, however, is not hate. It is simply the truth. If you identify with the LGBT community or find yourself in any manner of sexual immorality, then to remove any ambiguity:

Yes, this is sin.

A Christian called upon to answer this question, should have no reservation explaining it as such, for this is the truth. God's truth.

If you are a member of this community then, this doesn't mean that God hates you. No God loves you! God doesn't like sin because it is not good for us, but you He loves.

Perhaps you are feeling convicted or rejected by this truth, but this should not be confused as hate, nor would I have any satisfaction in making you feel that way. The apostle Paul dealt with something similar:

Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
II Corinthians 7:9‭-‬10 NKJV

It is written all had fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:1-26), you don't think being privy to that information, wouldn't have made all who heard/read that uncomfortable? Made them feel convicted? Of course it did, and still does!

God is eternally gracious and merciful, such that conviction doesn't mean condemnation. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Conviction from God is rooted in hope, that is Christ, that we know we can do better because of God's love for us, not feel hopeless. The Holy Spirit prompts us to be better, and we want to do better because sin is not good for us. God allows His truth to make us feel convicted that we may be saved.

So how the truth makes you feel, does not mean there is hate in the truth. God is love, and there is no hate in Him, so you know His truth is simply the truth.

So do not be afraid to speak God's truth, we're not called to be in conformity with the world, but in conformity and aligned to God's will.

But...

Change is Needed

Because clearly something has gone wrong that has led to the widely accepted narrative that Christians preach hate against LGBTQ people.

Read Romans 3:1-23 again, it said all had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I am a sinner too, so too are you who reads this. I too lived in sin, no different than a member of this community. I too am stumbling to walk the righteous path.

But I walk. And keep walking, keep changing, keep striving to be better. Knowing that He works all things for my good because I love Him. Knowing that even if I fall short of His glory, His mercy endures forever (Psalms 136). I walk in the hope that is Christ knowing I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).  If this is true for me so too is it for members of the LGBTQ community.

That should give us humility that we can give a gentle answer to turn away wrath, and avoid harsh words that stir up anger (Proverbs 15:1). That doesn't mean do not speak the truth, it simply means remember that the greatest gift is love (1 Corinthians 13), and freely as you have received, freely shall you give (Matthew 10:8).

Part 3 coming soon!


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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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