Divisive Issues- Part 2: Homosexuality

When tackling hot button issues like homosexuality, it is important to understand that as Christians, we love the people involved in this argument, yet it is the actions they partake in that we do not approve of based on what the Bible tells us. Often we hear people calling Christians intolerant because of this disapproval, yet these same people don't take the time to understand the reasoning behind their beliefs. An example of this is how Christians view alcoholics, we don't approve of their alcohol induced lifestyle, but we still love them and want to help them. Certainly there are extreme cases where certain churches go too far and spew hatred and intolerance, but most mainstream churches exist for the purpose of helping people to live their lives according to Christ's teachings without condoning their lifestyle choices.

We must also look at from the problem from the Creator/creature viewpoint. God created man in his own image and when Adam was lonely in the garden, he created Eve so that they could be together. This set the precedence for man and woman coming together and being "one flesh" for the purpose of posterity. For a person to resist the opposite sex in favor of their own is an abomination to God's plan for mankind, much like using a car as a boat or a boat as a car. Both are used for transportation purposes, yet using them in these situations would go against the intent of the creator. So what did the early church say about homosexuality, a practice common and accepted among pagans and other cultures at the time? Let's take a look at Paul's letter to the Romans:

"For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason, God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." (Romans 1:25-32)

Paul is quick to follow this up with:

"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things. Now we know that God's judgement against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgement on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgement? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" (Romans 2:1-4)

It is important to realize that Paul says that we are not to pass judgment on others because none of us are completely without sin. But being truly repentant for our sins, we should share our Faith and explain why others should be truly repentant as well. The early church relied on the diversity of its' members to use their strengths to help others' weaknesses and encourage one another not to sin. As modern Christians, we do the same by changing the way we live for the better by reading more of the Bible and praying to God. These actions are food for the soul and encourage the growth of the Holy Spirit within us and provide for correction when we go astray.

If you study the early church history, the community tried to commit their lives to the highest moral standard that Christianity espoused because it pleased God and conformed to his will. Let me be clear that Grace is sufficient enough for salvation, yet as one accepts Christ, his or her life is transformed and Grace and Faith lead to good works and a desire to pursue the highest moral standard. Otherwise, for those who believe and continue to know go against God are still in rebellion against him even in the smallest of tasks.

The uniqueness of the homosexual lifestyle is just that; being a lifestyle. While most would agree that as Christians, we should put Christ first in all things in life, down to every decision we make, some put their own desires of the flesh before their desire to please the Lord. Again, Christians are not perfect and can stumble quite often, which is covered by Grace and Faith, yet we don't knowingly center our lives around a sin and try to make it something less. When we knowingly and soberly do things we know are against God's will, we will be subject to his judgement.

I will finish simply with this: we as Christians are not to be hate filled toward ANYONE!!! But we as Christians are commanded in the Lord's Prayer "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven." This means that whenever we can do the right thing, we are commanded to do so; whether it means voting against abortion, for the exclusivity of marriage between a man and woman, or against capital punishment.