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Christian Living, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Gay Pride, God, Grace, Homosexuality, Jesus Christ, Morality, The Gospel, Theology
Homosexuality is not a topic I enjoy talking (or writing) about, but given its recent rise in the news cycle (thanks to the controversy over same-sex marriage) it’s a topic that I, as a Christian, feel compelled to discuss for several reasons. One, to combat the continued misrepresentations from supporters of the homosexual agenda on the Christian position on homosexuality. Two, to continue to reason these things out in the public square so that the nature of the debate will progress. Three, to help fellow Christians who either are misinformed on this issue or haven’t studied this issue enough to form a cogent response when the opportunity presents itself. In other words, I talk about this issue because it is continually brought to our attention by homosexual activists and the media; therefore, a response is called for. I am fully aware that most people do not share my view on this issue because I know that most people do not have a Biblical worldview. All I ask is that if you disagree with what I am about to say that you fairly represent what I am going to say and attack the argument, not the person.
Over this past weekend, Chicago held it’s annual Gay Pride parade, a parade to celebrate and promote acceptance for homosexuals and their lifestyle. I find it interesting that the word “pride” is used. The concept is obvious; homosexuals should take pride in who they are and how they live. Pride is, of course, the opposite of shame or stigma, so acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle and of homosexuals first comes when they accept themselves as normal, functioning members of the society. Then they can advocate for acceptance from the general populace.
From a secular worldview, this seems perfectly rational. What could be more normal than wanting to be accepted for who you are and to be treated as an equal. However, if only that was the motivation behind these pride parades. Unfortunately, this has never been about tolerance, in the true sense of the word, but normalization. The ultimate goal of the homosexual agenda is full normalization of an aberrant lifestyle and the stigmatization of anyone and everyone who opposes them.
From a Biblical worldview, homosexuality is an aberrant lifestyle. It is a perversion of the created order of male and female. God created the human race to be complimentary, and the union of man and woman in the covenant of marriage to form a “one flesh” union for the procreation and nurture of children and the building of society. To engage in homosexual activity is to engage in sinful behavior; it is to exalt self-fulfillment over our duty to serve and obey our Creator.
The problem today is that it is passe to talk about sin in general, much less about homosexuality as sin. The arguments abound — “If God created me and I’m gay, then God created me that way. How can being gay be sinful? I’m just acting in the way God made me.” Sadly enough, most people, even seemingly rational Christians, buy into this argument. Let’s use the same argument for something else. “If God created me and I’m an adulterer, then God created me that way. How can being an adulterer be sinful? I’m just acting the way God made me.” If that doesn’t convince you of the absurdity of this argument, then swap “adulterer” for “thief” or “murderer.” Lest someone think I’m making a moral equivalency between homosexuality and adultery, theft or murder, think again. The point is, due to Adam’s sin in the Garden, we are all born with a corrupt, sinful nature. That sinful nature manifests itself differently in different people. For some, the sinful nature manifests itself in a desire to steal, in others a desire to lust after other women, and in still others to lust after the same sex. God didn’t create us as sinners. Any sinful impulses and desires one has are due to the inherited sinfulness of our forefather Adam.
Back to the concept of “pride.” Homosexuals want to promote “gay pride” to undo the stigma homosexuality has received in past generations. How typical of those who know deep down in their hearts that what they’re doing is both wrong and unnatural to want to reverse and reflect that shame they feel toward their own actions to others. The shame that is felt is due to the fact that what they’re doing is sinful and against the way God originally made mankind. However, to move from shame to pride, they must not only convince themselves against their better judgment, but also reflect that shame on those who would dare call them out on their actions.
Ultimately, it’s sad to see someone take pride in their sexual preference. How sad it is to see one place their identity and receive their sense of self-worth in their sexual behavior. Part of the reason you don’t really see Straight Pride days or parades is because most people (myself included) don’t see the point. I don’t take my identity in my sexual preference; it’s not my defining characteristic. But that’s the way it is with sin. Sin becomes such an idol in people’s lives that they begin to identify with their sin.
My sense of identity and self-worth doesn’t come from anything within me, but it comes from my identity with Christ. I am a Christian, which means I am a blood-bought child of the Creator; adopted into his divine family by means of the Holy Spirit and brought into union with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I don’t take pride in the fact that I am male, or white, or American or hetero-sexual (all accidents of my birth), and I certainly don’t want to take pride in any of my signature sins (anger, lust, selfishness). The good news is that Jesus Christ can give you a new ‘identity’ and a righteous sense of self-worth. If one would repent of their sin and their false sense of autonomy over their lives and embrace Jesus Christ by faith, that person can be identified with Christ. Make no mistake, homosexuality is a sin, but like any other sin, it too can be forgiven and atoned for in Christ.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Hi Carl. I would say I agree with your conclusion that homosexuality is not God’s design, it is sin. But I’m not sure this rhetoric will draw people in to hear your voice. You might be fine with that. But I think it worth pondering how we can, in the 21st century, utilise our words to draw people in to hear the evangel and be transformed by it. I think there might be a more engaging perspective with homosexuals.
Blessings.
Scott,
Thanks for your input. I’m not sure what you mean by emphasizing “how we, in the 21st century…” I, as a Christian, am engaging in a public debate about a topic that is a current event here in the 21st century. There is nothing more current or relevant than taking God’s word to engage modern culture.
As to my methods, we may disagree. I am taking a more polemical style in this post, but it is certainly not without precedent in any context. Again, what can be more relevant than confronting sin with the law and then offering the gospel as the solution? I would be curious to hear what you term “a more engaging perspective with homosexuals.”
This is not to say that I would be polemical in any and all situations. I would more than likely take a much different approach in person, one-on-one with someone than I would from a public platform like a blog. Surely, you can relate to that being a blogger yourself.
Hi Carl -
Thanks for the response. As I read the article, I thought this might have been better rhetoric from a few decades ago. And I would argue this statement points to a paradigm that won’t draw gays to Christ – what can be more relevant than confronting sin with the law and then offering the gospel as the solution?
What is going to draw a 21st century person in America and the west. I’m not talking of abandoning the evangel message, never confronting the need from change. But we live in 2012, a post-modern, somewhat post-Christian culture. What will engage them?
I would personally consider starting with recognising our bad track record in dealing with the gay community. We have done a lot that would seem to close the door to reach such people. It’s like with Muslims today. Some approach it by arguing they worship another god, they are even demonic, some having the mindset that all Muslims are militaristic. But I wonder if we should look for points of commonality to draw them in, to say we are both looking to worship the one true God. Now let’s talk about Jesus. Miroslav Volf takes this approach in his book, Allah: A Christian Response.
So I simply wonder if we could take an approach that could pour grace and mercy over the great divide that does stand there, the us vs them mentality that creates animosity rather than considering how Christ might speak to these people in 2012. It’s something to ponder.
That’s a well written article. I like how you approached the issue with revealing our sinful nature, rather than just harp on the topic of homosexuality. It just goes to show that a gospel presentation works equally for a liar, a murderer, an adulterer, one who covets, etc. In fact, you don’t even have to mention homosexuality in a gospel presentation, for the Ten Commandments work well on their own as a standard of God’s law. We’ve all broken at least one of the Ten Commandments, and, according to James, if we break one part of the law, we’ve broken all of God’s law (James 2:10). “Whatever things the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19). “The law was our school-master to bring us to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).
Thanks for writing this article.
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