Thursday, October 30, 2014
The Church, the World, Homosexuality, and Marriage
The world accuses us Christians of being judgmental and unloving. They think we are more concerned about our religion than people. They label as haters, narrow, and unloving.
We respond with our Bibles. We are taking a stand for God's plan for marriage. The Bible identifies homosexuality as a sin. We love the sinner, hate the sin.
You know how it goes.
And I think I understand what we are saying.
And I think I understand why the world does not always believe us.
We are inconsistent. We want to be sure same sex marriages are not legal because they do not fit God's design for marriage.
But our churches are full of divorced people. God hates divorce. Divorce is not part of God's design for marriage.
We encourage our preachers to preach against homosexuality. We tell them to be sensitive if they even mention divorce because it might hurt someone.
Because there are lots of divorced people in our churches. Not many gay people. At least that we know about.
Gays are told to live celibate, but I don't hear that counsel given to many divorced people.
I know Jesus made allowances for divorce, and he does not for same sex relationships. But that allowance is clearly an exception for a specific reason. And our churches are full of divorced and remarried people who do not fall under the exception. And the world knows it.
We even celebrate marriages between believers and non-believers. I don't think that is God's plan either.
I think our practice may cost us credibility. I do not believe that the answer is to soften the Biblical message about marriage. Not for same sex couples, or adulterers, or pornographers,or those seeking divorce, or those wanting to marry non-believers.
Marriage: where a Christian man and woman leave their parents and become one flesh. Faith, love, kids, sex, and living testimony to God's love in this world.
Preach truth. In love. And practice it.
But to select one abuse of God's plan for marriage and make it the centerpiece of our defense of marriage -- well, it sure would confuse an outsider. Might even make them think we are prejudiced, hateful, and hypocritical. Might even confuse people about our message.
So let's be courageous ... about all of God's message.
Sex outside of God's design for marriage is sinful and cannot be condoned in our faith communities.
Sex inside God's design for marriage is wonderful and to be celebrated.
So God. Please bless our marriages so that our families reflect your love for us. Help us to be faithful to you and to our marriages. Help us to repent when we are not. Take care of those whose mates abandoned you and them. Help those struggling with lust for anyone other than their mate. Let our marriages be beacons of love, hope, joy, peace, and purpose in a fallen world.
We respond with our Bibles. We are taking a stand for God's plan for marriage. The Bible identifies homosexuality as a sin. We love the sinner, hate the sin.
You know how it goes.
And I think I understand what we are saying.
And I think I understand why the world does not always believe us.
We are inconsistent. We want to be sure same sex marriages are not legal because they do not fit God's design for marriage.
But our churches are full of divorced people. God hates divorce. Divorce is not part of God's design for marriage.
We encourage our preachers to preach against homosexuality. We tell them to be sensitive if they even mention divorce because it might hurt someone.
Because there are lots of divorced people in our churches. Not many gay people. At least that we know about.
Gays are told to live celibate, but I don't hear that counsel given to many divorced people.
I know Jesus made allowances for divorce, and he does not for same sex relationships. But that allowance is clearly an exception for a specific reason. And our churches are full of divorced and remarried people who do not fall under the exception. And the world knows it.
We even celebrate marriages between believers and non-believers. I don't think that is God's plan either.
I think our practice may cost us credibility. I do not believe that the answer is to soften the Biblical message about marriage. Not for same sex couples, or adulterers, or pornographers,or those seeking divorce, or those wanting to marry non-believers.
Marriage: where a Christian man and woman leave their parents and become one flesh. Faith, love, kids, sex, and living testimony to God's love in this world.
Preach truth. In love. And practice it.
But to select one abuse of God's plan for marriage and make it the centerpiece of our defense of marriage -- well, it sure would confuse an outsider. Might even make them think we are prejudiced, hateful, and hypocritical. Might even confuse people about our message.
So let's be courageous ... about all of God's message.
Sex outside of God's design for marriage is sinful and cannot be condoned in our faith communities.
Sex inside God's design for marriage is wonderful and to be celebrated.
So God. Please bless our marriages so that our families reflect your love for us. Help us to be faithful to you and to our marriages. Help us to repent when we are not. Take care of those whose mates abandoned you and them. Help those struggling with lust for anyone other than their mate. Let our marriages be beacons of love, hope, joy, peace, and purpose in a fallen world.
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Well said.
And while we're at it, let's do the same with other believers who don't agree 100% with us on what God wants from us. Keep preaching the truth but start loving and helping the people who see the truth just a little differently than we do. Recognize that our take on any one issue (baptism comes to mind) is less important than unity--just as you pointed out about homosexuality, Jesus most definitely condemned division and factions, but said nothing about complete doctrinal correctness. We seem to do just fine with all the folks in our congregations who don't agree on every point (and there are many)--why not extend that same grace to those outside our doors?
As hard as it is for the world to grasp our stance on gays, it is even harder for them to fathom our divided ugliness. Why should the world persecute believers? We are already doing a great job of it for them.
Peace.
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And while we're at it, let's do the same with other believers who don't agree 100% with us on what God wants from us. Keep preaching the truth but start loving and helping the people who see the truth just a little differently than we do. Recognize that our take on any one issue (baptism comes to mind) is less important than unity--just as you pointed out about homosexuality, Jesus most definitely condemned division and factions, but said nothing about complete doctrinal correctness. We seem to do just fine with all the folks in our congregations who don't agree on every point (and there are many)--why not extend that same grace to those outside our doors?
As hard as it is for the world to grasp our stance on gays, it is even harder for them to fathom our divided ugliness. Why should the world persecute believers? We are already doing a great job of it for them.
Peace.
# posted by 
: 6:04 PM PDT
: 6:04 PM PDT << Home
