Just Married
On my way to work I sometimes take a little detour that allows me time to breathe and pray before I face the work day. This morning I did my regular route and walked past a second-hand book store on Carlton (I believe). The book featured in the window was one called "Just Married". I thought to myself, "Wow...how many just married books are there in this world?!" and then I realized that there were two men on the cover. It was a homosexual just-married self-help book. It kinda knocked the wind out of me. I was stunned.
I know this is kind of a dangerous subject to be touching on...but that's okay. Truth be told!
What angers me the most about the subject of homosexuality is that I know a lot of people who claim to be Christians think that homosexuality is okay. I'm not saying that these people are not Christians, but homosexuality is NOT okay. It is wrong.
I have a homosexual friend whom I totally get along with. He's an awesome guy and I love him but what he is doing is wrong! And God loves him way more than I could ever hope to love him! But God says in His word in 1 Cor. 6:9 "Do you know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolators nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nore the drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
So, I don't mean to make this post a harsh condemnation of homosexuals. For there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. But there is sin, sin is real, and there are consequences for sins. Take note, though, that these sins - be it prostitution, slander, drunks or liars - are all lumped together. Sin is sin. To God all sin is wrong. Be it a really bad sin or just a small, white lie in the world's eye - it's all sin to God. The consequences are just different.
But there is hope...in verses 10 + 11 it says, "And this is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." So, I know that there is hope for me. In all my sin, Jesus has washed me clean. Only by Jesus' love and sacrifice have I been restored.
I am not the judge of man. That is God's job. However, I do not want to be deceived into believing that what God, the ultimate Judge, calls sin isn't sin. God loves every single person that He has created - that being every breathing human on this earth. He loves them unconditionally and much more than we could ever comprehend. (Eph 3:17-19) This does not mean, though, that God loves what we do. God's love is no excuse to live whatever lifestyle suits our fancy or makes us feel "good", or even right.
If God's word is truth, then I want to live my life according to it.
posted by Stephanie @ 8:49 AM
3 Comments:
You did it!
I guess we had to see that book coming. And yet, it's still a shocking concept to see depicted right in front of us.
It's so hard to go against the flow here in Canada. We're so tolerant...of everything. But God really isn't. And our nation is going to pay. It's only his mercy that is keeping us from annhilation like in Sodom and Gomorrah. (I love Abraham's conversation with God even in that story, how he's pleading for mercy for the five? righteous that may be in the city). And yet, he was reminding me the other day that he loves the prostitutes, the murderers, the dishonest businessmen, the homosexuals, the politicians, the homeless...all the people we love to look down on and condemn. I'm still wrapping my mind around that, because it seems to negate his hatred for sin. But I guess sin mars and twists and destroys his perfect design for us, for relationship, for creation, so much that it must break his heart and make him very angry all at the same time. And that sin is our own, not just everyone else's. Keep speaking the truth, Steph.
truth be told! i'm proud of you :)
This issue is only going to get more heated I think. I've always thought of it this way: God loves us so much and doesn't want us to hurt ourselves. So it's not just his holiness, but his concern for his children that gave us the law.
Any relationship has the potential for harm, especially intimate ones... and I think especially those sexual relationships between people of the same-sex. We aren't made to live like that, and no matter how much we try to convince ourselves, it blows up. Sex before marriage creates the same tension. Idolatry/Co-dependency is another example.
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