You know what? I am so tired of the gay marriage issue and how some Christians are handling it. I obviously have to come to grips with the fact that all believers are not going to see eye to eye on this. I have to accept that there are scriptures that mean one thing to me and something entirely different to someone else who also is truly a Christ-follower. That's a place in me that needs to mature, I will be honest about that. But still, even in light of that need, I am frustrated!
I'm frustrated because some Christians who feel like homosexuality is not a sin are so bitter towards Christians who DO believe it is a sin. It's like those of us who believe there is plenty of Biblical evidence to say homosexuality and same sex marriage is not cool with God (and therefore we feel led to take the stand when asked that it's not cool with us either) are horrible, embarrassing, backwoods brothers and sisters they'd like to forget are in the family. It's just crazy!
Look, none of us solely are the spokesmodels of Christianity. It would be nice if issues were that black and white and all Christians were a united front so that it was clear to the world what we believed. But that boat sailed about 10 minutes after Jesus went up to Heaven probably. I'm joking, but you probably get the drift. We are messed up people who have yet to fully embrace and interpret both the Word and the Spirit that dwells inside of us. Billy Graham is against gay marriage. DUH! The president of Chick-fil-A says their company is against gay marriage. GREAT! This doesn't mean Billy Graham spits on people he knows are gay and that doesn't mean Chick-fil-A won't hire gay people. These guys may be public Christians, but they are not the self-proclaimed Pope. We all have the right to our opinion about this matter, but it would be really nice if we could agree to disagree and stop acting like we KNOW what Jesus would say.
It's interesting to me that Christians who fall on both sides of this issue are BOTH wanting to protect the name of Christ. We are both wanting to make a statement on behalf of Jesus. I will always stand firm in my belief that homosexuality is a sin and a lifestyle that is deliberate sin against God, but I will listen with open ears when I get to Heaven and am told what I was supposed to believe. I can only do my best with the Word and the Spirit I live my life trying to get to know. I still will love and show kindness to people in my life who choose to sin, (it is His kindness that brings us to repentance!), just as people show love and kindness to me if I choose to sin for a season...but no one is doing me any favors by SAYING IT IS OKAY. Do not give me permission to do something just because my flesh (that I am told in God's word to crucify daily) wants to.
Lastly in my little rant I will implore believers to stop saying: "I personally don't think *such and such* is right, but whatever's right for you is fine." There are so many *such and suches* where that sentence is wonderful, hello freedom of choice...but not areas that are clear in Scripture! As a believer, IF YOU DO interpret the Word to say that something in particular is a sin, you certainly can't make people agree (and we need to be careful to not try to make everyone agree) but I don't think we should say it doesn't matter either. It DOES matter. We should be peacefully bringing forward truth and standing up for it, because there are reasons why God said what He said in His Word. I don't care if we LIKE IT or not. There are lots of things in the Bible that I kinda wish weren't in there...but I don't get to pick and choose.
As we agree to disagree, I hope that we'll at least agree on these things: to grow in our passion for God way more than our passion for our personal beliefs to be heard and affirmed...to love one another with the very love that Jesus gives us, which is an accepting but also challenging love...to pursue justice and equality for every human being on the planet, with no exceptions...and to grow in both knowledge and humility.
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I could so hug you right now!! I relate with your thoughts and frustrations, big time!! Thanks for bravely sharing in such a honest way, well put.
ReplyDeleteSome of the greatest pains in my life, lasted a lot longer because few were willing to point out my sin.
ReplyDeleteI love your stance on this... and all I have to note it that many of those "such & such" / "whatever you believe is ok" Christians obviously are not in the Word!
ReplyDeleteMy heart hurts reading this. For years I tried to reject the "sin" of homosexuality, repent, ask God to change me, and be a happily married straight girl. Guess what? It doesn't work. I've learned first hand that trying to be something you aren't is damaging to yourself, your family, and the people you love. Only upon embracing the truth about myself have I found true peace, contentment and happiness.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to point at people whose lives you don't understand and call them sinners, but the truth is never that black and white. I find it interesting that you refer to a few archaic, ambiguous and often misinterpreted passages as being "plenty of evidence" that homosexuality is wrong. Not once in scripture is a loving, committed relationship between two members of the same sex ever discussed.
This December, I will hold hands and say "I do" to a woman I have loved for nearly 18 years. We won't be eating Chick-Fil-A or listening to Billy Graham. But there will be a big group of friends and family and people of faith who look upon our marriage as being a gift from God. And my heart will be full knowing that I am finally uniting with my soulmate.
Thanks so much for writing, CaraCakes. :) I'm glad to hear your heart, I really am. There are some things I could say in response that truly come from my heart, in love, but ultimately, we just have to agree to disagree. As I said in the blog, I know that there will be things in Heaven I learn that I was wrong or off about, but in the meantime, I have to uphold my opinion which comes from my best interpretation of scripture instead of people's experiences.
ReplyDeleteI want to say I am really happy that you have loving people in your life. I would never ever want anyone to be mean or unloving to you. I hope you can understand, since you will run into other believers who share my opinion, that when a person says they do not believe same sex marriage is okay with God that doesn't mean they hate you, want to hurt you, or think you are a bad person. It simply means that they honestly cannot stand up and say it's okay. There may be stuff in their life you wouldn't stand up and say is okay, too...and in community, we are called to share those concerns with one another in love.