I think that the most discouraging thing for me to see or hear is news about another pastor or another church supporting doctrine that is clearly unbiblical. Specifically, I'm troubled with the idolization and legitimization of homosexuality in today's culture. The sociological, psychological, and biological ramifications of this practice set the foundation for an unsustainable society.
Now, I could talk all day about how homosexuality is detrimental to the public or to its propagators or to their loved ones, but really, there is a bigger issue at hand in this.
No matter how terrible a practice it may be, or how great the consequences are, I must still love these people like any other human. They have been created just as much in the image of God as I have been, and I must acknowledge that, giving them the honor and love that comes in the package of being made with the imago Dei. They have the same Breath as I have; their life comes from the same Source; God created them, just as he created me. And so, I must love them.
Within this homosexuality controversy, I see a looming catastrophe in danger of befalling us. I see the possibility of Christians taking a noble stand against the issue of homosexuality and standing up for their beliefs and doing everything they can to preserve biblical standards, and in the process losing a lot of souls as collateral damage. Now, I'm not saying that we should up and allow homosexual marriages in all the churches, for it's clearly against the intent of God for creation, but I am saying that we need to oppose homosexuality in such a way that we don't mow over the souls of the people practicing it.
We are called to stand for the truth, but we are also called to love, and love everyone. What I'm praying for in this issue is that Christians don't lose sight of the most important thing: that our first order of business to others as Christians is to bring Christ into their lives, acting as veritable mirrors of him. I am not praying that homosexuality will be legally forced into Christianity, nor am I praying that Christianity forces homosexuals away. I am praying that we as Christians stand up for what the Bible says, while wholly loving those who are walking outside of its truth. We need to stop seeing homosexual people as a nuisance or a detestable thing, for in the end, we must love because he first loved us. What else are we to do as Christians?
"Love may forgive all infirmities and love still in spite of them: but Love cannot cease to will their removal."
-- C.S. Lewis
Now, I could talk all day about how homosexuality is detrimental to the public or to its propagators or to their loved ones, but really, there is a bigger issue at hand in this.
No matter how terrible a practice it may be, or how great the consequences are, I must still love these people like any other human. They have been created just as much in the image of God as I have been, and I must acknowledge that, giving them the honor and love that comes in the package of being made with the imago Dei. They have the same Breath as I have; their life comes from the same Source; God created them, just as he created me. And so, I must love them.
Within this homosexuality controversy, I see a looming catastrophe in danger of befalling us. I see the possibility of Christians taking a noble stand against the issue of homosexuality and standing up for their beliefs and doing everything they can to preserve biblical standards, and in the process losing a lot of souls as collateral damage. Now, I'm not saying that we should up and allow homosexual marriages in all the churches, for it's clearly against the intent of God for creation, but I am saying that we need to oppose homosexuality in such a way that we don't mow over the souls of the people practicing it.
We are called to stand for the truth, but we are also called to love, and love everyone. What I'm praying for in this issue is that Christians don't lose sight of the most important thing: that our first order of business to others as Christians is to bring Christ into their lives, acting as veritable mirrors of him. I am not praying that homosexuality will be legally forced into Christianity, nor am I praying that Christianity forces homosexuals away. I am praying that we as Christians stand up for what the Bible says, while wholly loving those who are walking outside of its truth. We need to stop seeing homosexual people as a nuisance or a detestable thing, for in the end, we must love because he first loved us. What else are we to do as Christians?
"Love may forgive all infirmities and love still in spite of them: but Love cannot cease to will their removal."
-- C.S. Lewis
