This post will probably make some people angry, but most of all I hope it will make people think.
Next week Sunday (July 28) in London, Ontario, Canada, starting on Ontario St. and ending in Victoria Park there will be a parade. But this won't just be any parade. This parade is celebrating something special for some special people. It's the Pride parade. What are these people taking pride in with their rainbow fliers and lack of clothing? They are taking pride in their sexuality-the fact that they are homosexual, transsexual, bisexual, lesbian, and transgender people. They are raising awareness of their lifestyles. This parade actually comes near the end of the week long "Pride London Festival" which started yesterday (July 20) and includes BBQs, speeches, entertainment, and even a church service after the parade.
Some other special people will also be at this parade. These people are not there to celebrate this lifestyle but to spread a warning against this lifestyle. They will hold up signs with Bible verses on them and talk about judgment.
When I read about this it troubled me. In fact the whole business troubles me, but that will make this post extremely long and you wouldn't have enough time to read it.
I agree that being homosexual is wrong (1 Tim 1:10) but I do not believe it is unforgivable or that we are to judge the homosexual community more than those who murder, lie, or disobey their parents (1 Tim 1:9-10). In fact they seem to be on the same level. This list also includes those who are unholy and ungodly. Since I don't know any holy people other than Jesus I guess that includes all of us. Romans 1 also talks about men being consumed with lusts for each other...but it talks about gossips, those who cause strife, and those who envy others too. (side note; it's a matter of perspective, in God's eyes sin is sin and it all goes against His nature, how He created us, and what He commands of us)
Even as these sexual immoral people are taking "pride" in their sexuality, so the Christian community is taking "pride" in the fact that we don't sin like that...we sin in much holier ways. We only tell "white" lies and gossip about those who aren't as good as us. It was pride that made Satan fall, it's pride that keeps us from God, and it's pride that causes us not to show mercy to those who don't know Jesus yet.
I believe the church is an unfaithful Bride (Ezekiel 16). We flirt with the world, don't care about God's laws (Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5) and think a 5 minute prayer of repentance will get us into heaven. I believe we need to pray like Daniel (Daniel 9) and confess the Church's sin. And then, when we have come to God, seeing ourselves as worthless sinners whose good works are filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) and seeing God as so merciful we will be a people who show mercy to other sinners. We all stand in the same judgment before God-but for the blood of Jesus.
If you are going to go to the Pride parade to hold a sign I would also challenge you to be a person who would open your door and share a meal with one of the people marching. Remember; these people are also made in God's image, just like you. Jesus ate with tax collectors and prostitutes. I don't think all of them believed in Him but He ate with them nonetheless.
Don't judge harshly because people sin differently than you do; be thankful that God's love covers a multitude of sins (including yours).
Let this also comfort those who have sexual sins. No one is too bad that God will not forgive if you ask Him. He is merciful. Yes, He also judges sin and if you don't repent He will send you to hell, but He has promised to be faithful and forgive every sin if we sincerely ask Him too. I know. Because I sin against Him every day, and every day He forgives me and gives me grace to obey Him more, sin less, and become more excited for heaven where I will see Him and never sin again!
Next week Sunday (July 28) in London, Ontario, Canada, starting on Ontario St. and ending in Victoria Park there will be a parade. But this won't just be any parade. This parade is celebrating something special for some special people. It's the Pride parade. What are these people taking pride in with their rainbow fliers and lack of clothing? They are taking pride in their sexuality-the fact that they are homosexual, transsexual, bisexual, lesbian, and transgender people. They are raising awareness of their lifestyles. This parade actually comes near the end of the week long "Pride London Festival" which started yesterday (July 20) and includes BBQs, speeches, entertainment, and even a church service after the parade.
Some other special people will also be at this parade. These people are not there to celebrate this lifestyle but to spread a warning against this lifestyle. They will hold up signs with Bible verses on them and talk about judgment.
When I read about this it troubled me. In fact the whole business troubles me, but that will make this post extremely long and you wouldn't have enough time to read it.
I agree that being homosexual is wrong (1 Tim 1:10) but I do not believe it is unforgivable or that we are to judge the homosexual community more than those who murder, lie, or disobey their parents (1 Tim 1:9-10). In fact they seem to be on the same level. This list also includes those who are unholy and ungodly. Since I don't know any holy people other than Jesus I guess that includes all of us. Romans 1 also talks about men being consumed with lusts for each other...but it talks about gossips, those who cause strife, and those who envy others too. (side note; it's a matter of perspective, in God's eyes sin is sin and it all goes against His nature, how He created us, and what He commands of us)
Even as these sexual immoral people are taking "pride" in their sexuality, so the Christian community is taking "pride" in the fact that we don't sin like that...we sin in much holier ways. We only tell "white" lies and gossip about those who aren't as good as us. It was pride that made Satan fall, it's pride that keeps us from God, and it's pride that causes us not to show mercy to those who don't know Jesus yet.
I believe the church is an unfaithful Bride (Ezekiel 16). We flirt with the world, don't care about God's laws (Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5) and think a 5 minute prayer of repentance will get us into heaven. I believe we need to pray like Daniel (Daniel 9) and confess the Church's sin. And then, when we have come to God, seeing ourselves as worthless sinners whose good works are filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) and seeing God as so merciful we will be a people who show mercy to other sinners. We all stand in the same judgment before God-but for the blood of Jesus.
If you are going to go to the Pride parade to hold a sign I would also challenge you to be a person who would open your door and share a meal with one of the people marching. Remember; these people are also made in God's image, just like you. Jesus ate with tax collectors and prostitutes. I don't think all of them believed in Him but He ate with them nonetheless.
Don't judge harshly because people sin differently than you do; be thankful that God's love covers a multitude of sins (including yours).
Let this also comfort those who have sexual sins. No one is too bad that God will not forgive if you ask Him. He is merciful. Yes, He also judges sin and if you don't repent He will send you to hell, but He has promised to be faithful and forgive every sin if we sincerely ask Him too. I know. Because I sin against Him every day, and every day He forgives me and gives me grace to obey Him more, sin less, and become more excited for heaven where I will see Him and never sin again!
Wow. That is a very well-written post. And what a challenge for us as Christians who DO too often see our sins as being 'holier' than those of sexual immorality.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing and also approaching this controversial topic.
Totally agree. I realized as I started to get involved in pro-life and pro-marriage efforts that it's not just about fighting against sin, and emphasizing the need for repentance- it's about reaching out in love to those who have, most likely, been misled their entire lives and do not recognize God's truths. While we need to make sure it is clear that you can't persist un-repentantly in (any) sexual sin and be a Christian, we have to see these people as fellow sinners and reach out lovingly to teach them the way out through Christ.
ReplyDelete