Broken Rainbows

Sigh.
I really would rather not do this. Up to now, this blog has been a largely pleasurable experience. I may have made people mad, but no one has responded with anger in the comments section. I’m afraid that, today, I’m going to cross the line. I’m going to speak out against homosexuality.
Please try not to be upset. Please try to think clearly about what I have to say. Please don’t assume I hate gay people. I don’t. I love gay people so much! I feel so, so bad for the way they are caught in eternally destructive behavior. I feel bad for liars, thieves, murderers, and adulterers. I feel bad for a lot of people. I wish they would be saved and be happy. But I know they are not.
I wish I had gay acquaintances. I want to meet a gay person, tell them about Jesus, and help them get saved. I really want to help people.
Pennsylvania is the latest state to have a defense of marriage law removed by a judge. I’m saddened that the government of Pennsylvania will be conferring the title of “marriage” upon homosexual activity (I’m sorry; I just cannot bring myself to call it a relationship. In the technical sense homosexual people may have a relationship, but relationships are too precious to me to allow them to so degenerate). But I am somewhat comforted that the people or legislature in Pennsylvania voted to define marriage, as I understand, as between one man and one woman.
I am also comforted that the definition of marriage does not change regardless of what judges say. I once heard it explained this way: you cannot change the variables in an equation without changing the result. In other words, as “1+1” and “1+2” do not both equal “2”, so “same-sex+same-sex” and “man+woman” do not both equal “marriage.” It doesn’t matter how many times you call an apple a pear, an apple is still an apple. Regardless of how many times you point upwards, stamp your feet, and shout “down!” gravity will never change directions. Things are what they are, and words mean what they mean. Marriage is one man and one woman.
If you read my posts you know I am a Christian. The Bible has some pretty harsh words for homosexual activity. Read the first couple of chapters of Romans for yourself. You can find a KJV book of Romans for free online right here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1&version=KJV.
I know beyond a shadow of a doubt gay people aren’t going to heaven. That’s why I am so sad. I feel so sad for gay people like I feel sad for tadpoles in a pool much too shallow. Unless God sends rain, they are going to die.
I say again, I don’t hate gay people. If I had a gay acquaintance, I would have him or her over to the house for supper. I would love to have a gay friend, so maybe we could have a close enough relationship for him or her to listen to me when I told them about Jesus. I am disgusted by what they do. It’s not natural, it’s not good, it hurts the kids they adopt. But I don’t hate them. I love them. I am anxiously looking to the sky, hoping God is about to send rain.
Gay people need their sins washed away just like I did. Jesus’ blood washes away homosexuality just like it washed away my lying, lust, and selfishness. God sent his Son for people like that – and for people like me. Jesus spurned his culture by eating with the lowest sinners in his culture. He even let them touch him. So if hate speech suddenly comes pouring into my comments section, so be it. I don’t apologize for my disgust for homosexual activity, but I’m not afraid of gay people. I’m afraid for them. I don’t want them to go to hell. Neither does Jesus.

“And one of the Pharisees desired him (Jesus) that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying,

‘This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner’. . . And he (Jesus) turned to the woman, and said unto (the Pharisee),

“Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little . . .
And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven . . . Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.'”
Lule 7: 36-50

4 thoughts on “Broken Rainbows

  1. It’s never easy to stand up for the truth. Thank you for doing so with gentleness, love, and honesty. God makes no excuses for our sin, but He also makes no exceptions in saving those who believe on Jesus Christ as Savior from their sin. There is always hope.

  2. Thank you for writing this, brother mine. I pray that God brings a homosexual person into your acquaintance so that you can show them the love of a true Christian, and bring them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

  3. CJ,

    Well, you have met one. I will be your (online) friend if you like.

    You wrote, It doesn’t matter how many times you call an apple a pear, an apple is still an apple. Regardless of how many times you point upwards, stamp your feet, and shout “down!” gravity will never change directions. Things are what they are, and words mean what they mean.

    And I thought- absolutely! Yes! You cannot deny people’s relationships, people’s way of being. But that was not what you meant.

    You see, I am saved already. I am part of the Kingdom of Heaven. I do not need you to save me. You might, if you like, walk alongside me for a bit. We could chat, here and on my blog. I wrote about the Greenbelt festival, at least 10,000 Christians worshipping together. 15,000 attending in all. It was wonderful. You might be interested.

    Love does not mean being sorrowful rather than hateful when you say other people’s relationships are not accepted by God. Love means withholding judgment for a bit, getting to know the people, worshipping with us. What are the fruits of our gifts? Don’t worry too much about what we do in bed, straights do some pretty weird things there too, and often we just sleep. See who we are, as human beings created by God.

  4. Clare,
    I am relieved that someone with a different opinion than mine was able to read my thoughts apparently without becoming upset. Thanks!
    I’d be more than happy to hear any thoughts you have, for sure! At the risk of sounding really old, I don’t know if I’ve ever had an online friend! : ) But you’re more than welcome in that respect as well.
    You stated that I cannot deny people’s relationships or way of being. In some ways, you may be correct. My opinion only has so much power over other people’s choices, no doubt. But do you believe, however, that God’s opinion has power over the personal choices of human beings? Never mind for a moment what God’s opinion on homosexuality is, just consider the concept. Can God demand people behave in certain ways?
    I am also relieved that you do not look to me to save you! You would be a fool to do so! I’m not looking to me to save me either. I’m looking to Jesus. If you don’t mind my asking, how do you believe a person is saved? How did you get into the Kingdom of Heaven?
    As I said, I haven’t had any interaction with someone who is openly gay. It would be extremely helpful, no doubt, to observe people who identify themselves as gay Christians. It is a very biblical idea to observe people’s live and form opinions about their spiritual beliefs and conditions from their “fruit.”
    Love is hard to define, but I do know that I should be careful not to think badly of people because they disagree with me. I also believe, however, that if God disagrees with someone, I ought to be willing to conform my opinion to His.
    Think of it this way: If I truly believed that someone’s behavior was fatal or harmful, would it be loving of me to keep silent if I sincerely believed in a cure? That’s why I say some of the things I do. My sincere belief in God’s standards – and God’s judgment – compels me out of love to tell folks they are in trouble.
    Well, I sure do appreciate your reasoned response. Again, I welcome any of your thoughts and also your (online) friendship!
    Thanks.

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