A Touchy Subject

I usually tend to stay away from politics in this blog, and in life in general.  I find that most often, people don't actually want to hear my opinions, they just want to try to convince me that I'm wrong.

However, there is an issue I am especially passionate about.  I have debated writing this post for a few days.  I have stayed away from Facebook much of this week, because of all the controversy over marriage equality.  People speak of loving our brothers and sisters by legalizing gay marriage, but so many of the posts and conversations I read are full of nothing but HATE.  Angry disputes over whether or not gay marriage should be legalized.  Hatred from both Christians and non-Christians alike.

I am going to share my thoughts on what God's Word says about homosexuality.  Let me be clear:  I absolutely do not hate or even dislike anyone who is gay or who supports gay marriage.  I have many friends, family and acquaintances who are/do.  On this issue, we simply agree to disagree.  They know my stance.  I also do NOT think anyone else's sin is greater than my own.  I am not writing this post to appear "pious."

Rick Warren says, "Our culture has accepted two huge lies.  The first is that if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, you must fear or hate them.  The second is that to love someone means that you agree with everything they believe or do.  Both are nonsense.  You don't have to compromise convictions to be compassionate."

First of all, the Bible is God's true, perfect & lasting Word.  It (or its meaning) does not "change with the times."  "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever."  -Isaiah 40:8  "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God."  -1 Peter 1:23  "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.  Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar."  -Proverbs 30:5-6

 God created man and woman to be united together.  "So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.  But for Adam no suitable helper was found.  So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh.  Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man.'  That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh."  Nowhere in the Bible does is say that God created man for man, or a woman for woman. 

God condemns homosexuality as a sin numerous times in the Scriptures.  "'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.'"  -Leviticus 18:22  "In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.  Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error."  -Romans 1:27  "'We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.  We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers - and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.'"  -1 Timothy 1:8-11

There you have it.  The Scriptures state very clearly where God stands on this subject.  We, as Christians, need to be bold in speaking the truth.  Many people believe that love=tolerance.  I do not find this to be true.  I can absolutely love my gay neighbor by sharing and speaking Biblical truths to him or her.  This does not mean I have to be tolerant of his/her behavior.  I will not conform to our society's "go along and get along" mentality.  Do I want to be an example of God's perfect love?  Most definitely.  And I think sharing the truths his Word has for us is the way for me to accomplish that.