Christian Postmodernism Run Amok: "That's Unchristlike."

Christian #1 speaks the truth on a difficult topic. Christian #2 does not like what Christian #1 has said and/or it makes him feel uncomfortable. Christian #2 either knows that Christian #1 speaks the truth, does not know whether or not Christian #1 speaks the truth, or does not care whether or not Christian #1 speaks the truth. Christian #2 says to Christian #1, "You're being unchristlike."

Wham! The trump card has been played! Game, set, and match to Christian #2.

The above scenario happened to me recently on social media. I said something against homosexuality or some other prized topic of the Progressives. A Christian brother soon informed me that I was being "unchristlike." Since it was social media, I think I just let the conversation drop. I figured there was no point in pursuing it.

This a prime example of the postmodern poison that has crept into the church. Postmodernism is so dangerous because it not only attacks truth claims, but it also attacks the concept of truth itself. It calls the very essence of truth into question. In that regard, it (ironically) makes a most staggering of truth claims by asserting that objective truth does not exist.

Christianity is a belief system founded in truth. God truly exists as Father, Son, and Spirit. God truly made the world and everything in it. The Son of God truly came to earth as the God-Man. He truly lived a perfect life and died a perfect death. He truly rose from the grave on the third day. I could go on, and on, and on. Christianity is real in space and time. It is both truth and fact.

To borrow a term from Christian theologian and philosopher Francis Schaeffer, Christianity is "true truth."

Apart from truth, Christianity simply falls into the waste bin of man's false religions.

It is a sad thing that many in the church today are embarrassed by some of the truth claims of Christianity. Some are embarrassed by the creation account in Genesis. Some are embarrassed by the virgin birth. Still others are embarrassed by the resurrection of Christ. However, my guess is that the most are embarrassed by what the bible has to say regarding moral/ethical issues.

When we speak the truth about issues of this sort, in particular homosexuality, we are flying in the face of all sorts of increasing social pressures. Christians, and I use that term loosely here, who do not like these sorts of statements simply fall back on their trump card: the claim of unchristlikeness. Since they do not want to deal with the issue of truth at all, they resort to postmodernistic claims that focus on feelings.

At the same time, they may say something like, "Remember to speak the truth in love." What they really mean is, "Stop speaking the truth at all you bigot. You are being mean."

In the postmodern world the only love is one that accepts all behaviors as valid (as long as they fit inside the Progressive, liberal, socialistic narrative). For the postmodern Christian, the label of "unchristlike" is their ace in the hole. Since it is not well defined, they can throw it around willy-nilly. It's sort of like another ridiculous term that the left wing loves to use: white privilege.

Back to "unchristlike." The term heavily implies that the person speaking the truth is not being like Jesus. Of course, to the Progressive person Jesus was simply a guy who walked around healing people and loving on them, but who never said anything about nasty topics such as holiness and repentance. However, we know that Jesus actually said lots about those things.

Jesus also spoke some fairly harsh words from time to time. They were also true. Read Matthew chapter 23. Jesus referred to the scribes and Pharisees as children of Hell, blind guides, blind fools, hypocrites, whitewashed tombs, and brood of vipers among other things. According to the postmodernists, Jesus Christ sounds "unchristlike"!

The fact is that we, the body of Christ, must indeed speak the truth in love. But we must speak the truth.

We are not of Pilate who asked in John 18:38, "What is truth?" Rather, we are of the one who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6a). Truth is loving because it is ultimately from God, and He is the source of all truth. Political correctness and postmodernism are evil because they aim to suppress the truth. Postmodernism would have us believe that everything is relative. Jesus tells us otherwise.

Sometimes it is difficult to listen to the truth because it exposes sinfulness in our own lives. However, it's far better that we hear it and act upon it than never hear it at all. It can at other times be difficult to speak the truth. This is especially the case when confronting someone we love with their sin. We must show tact and grace, but we must speak the truth no matter what the cost.

It is never unchristlike to speak the truth.

Done But Still Orthodox

I'm done. You may be as well.

I'm done with institutional Christianity. While I remain good friends with many who attend institutional churches, I have no need or desire for institutional trappings such as worship services, expensive buildings, and salaried pastors.

Although I'm done, I remain orthodox in my beliefs about who God is, what He has done, and what He expects of us. I believe the bible is fully and completely true.

I'm writing this particular post because many who are done with the institution are also done with orthodox beliefs. If you spend any time reading around the Christian blogosphere you will come across many claiming the name of Christ who hold some wacked-out (unbiblical) beliefs about a lot of things. It appears that a good number of folks who leave the institution do so because they don't like some of the orthodox teachings they have heard.

One big issue is homosexuality. Many Dones reject what the bible blatantly teaches on this issue (hint: it's sinful). Therefore, they have departed from the institution. Other Dones don't approve of the exclusivity of the Gospel, as if God needs to bow to these folks' politically correct desires. Still others left because they reject scriptural teachings regarding women's roles in the church.

Based on what I have read, I believe the majority of Dones have become done because they cannot stomach orthodoxy. This is extremely ironic; they are rejecting something unbiblical (the institution), but are doing so for unbiblical reasons.

I reject the institution for biblical reasons. We've been shown in scripture what the church should look like and how it ought to function. That's the church I want to be a part of. It's too bad that the church for the most part is shackled by institutional traditions.

To sum up, I'm not like the majority of the Dones. While they rejected orthodoxy, I embrace it. I hope you do as well.

"Anglican Split Is Really About Scriptural Authority, Not Gay Marriage"

Click here to read an excellent article by Eric Metaxas entitled Anglican Split Is Really About Scriptural Authority, Not Gay Marriage. He hits the nail on the head.

We Must Not Sacrifice the Truth for the Sake of Unity

The church is this country is largely in disarray. One of the primary reasons for this is its turning away from the truth in the name of unity.

If you've read this blog for a while, you know that I'm actually a proponent for unity within the body of Christ. In part because of this I acted as editor of Simple Church: Unity Within Diversity.  Since Jesus Christ is for the unity of his church, I'm for the unity of his church. It's that simple.

A massive problem within the church today is that some local bodies have sacrificed gospel truth for the sake of unity. Numerous denominations (see the Episcopal Church, the PC-USA, and the UCC for examples) have either watered down or outright rejected biblical teachings on the truth of the good news. They desire togetherness over truth. They are full of unregenerate people who see no need for repentance and faith. The cross is an offense to them.

Other bodies of believers, while not rejecting the gospel itself, have caved in on other issues. The two most common are women pastors and homosexuality. These folks have given in to secular culture, letting outside political pressures make decisions for those inside the church. This is all done in the name of unity. I call it cowardice.

Christianity is a belief system based in facts. It is true. Facts and truth are not popular today since they are so offensive to so many. Political correctness wages a constant war against any metanarratives, crying and whining about anything resembling absolute truth. Because of this, many who claim to follow Jesus have turned from the truth.

Despite this cultural nonsense, truth and facts stand the test of time. We learn these facts primarily in one place: the bible. Truth is a stream that runs throughout the pages of scripture. Psalm 86:11 says, "Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name." Psalm 119:160 tells us, "The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever." Later in this book we read, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth" (Ps. 145:18).

In Proverbs 12:19 we learn, "Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment."

What about the New Testament? Did those writers care about the truth? Let's see if we can find any examples:

"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free'" (John 8:31-32).

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6).

"You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?" (Gal. 5:7).

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" (Eph. 4:15).

"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth" (I John 3:18).

Truth does not change. God's facts do not change. In order for us to embrace Jesus Christ, we must embrace his truth and facts. Even while society wars against the very idea of truth, we must stand firm. We cannot bend either to increase perceived unity within the body or to coddle a politically correct Thought Police.

I will admit that the church, at least in this country, has a tendency to divide over some nit picky and/or stupid issues. Many reasons Christians separate are of no consequence. This needs to stop. However, what also must stop is the sacrificing of truth, especially gospel truth, for the sake of unity. The consequences of this failure are eternal.

In John 18:38, Pilate famously asked our Lord, "What is truth?" Our society is asking that same question today. However, it is not seeking an answer but rather making the massive (and ironic) truth claim that truth itself does not exist. We must reject this notion. Salvation depends upon it.

Simple Church Bloggers and Their Murky Theology

It's an odd thing that so many simple church bloggers have murky, soupy, grayish, ill-defined theology. It's odd because most Christians who blog about simple church life do so out of biblical conviction. They read what the bible says about church life and then say, "This is the way it should be now." They, myself included, then look to the institution and say, "No thanks!"

Now to the odd part. A significant number of bloggers who espouse simple church principles at the same time call into question numerous points of theology that the church as a whole is in general agreement upon (or at least used to be). It's weird. Many of the same simple church people who point to the bible for church life then ignore the plain teachings of the bible when it comes to theology, salvation, cultural issues, etc. It is a strange situation indeed.

My biggest concern is the simple church bloggers who call into question Jesus Christ's atoning work on the cross. It appears to embarrass them just as it does the liberal "Christians." This is extremely problematic because the atonement is at the heart of salvation. Simply put, if there is no atonement there is no salvation - period. Jesus certainly did more for his people than just die on the cross in their place, but he did die in their place. It was a substitutionary, penal atonement. Those who call this into question are left with an empty theology of salvation.

Speaking of salvation, a good number of simple church bloggers don't hold to a literal existence of Hell. Now, I'll say that I myself am not sure of Hell's specifics. However, I'm certain that it is an eternal place of torment; whether or not that is physical or emotional in nature I do not know. I do know that it is a spiritual Hell that will last forever. Some in simple church prefer annihilationism; this apparently squares with their understanding of a loving God. Apparently they conveniently ignore the holiness of God in coming to this conclusion.

Delving deeper into the issue of salvation, I've found that most simple church bloggers detest the doctrine of predestination. That's unfortunate since the bible tells us that some are, in fact, predestined. Some bloggers go far beyond rejecting predestination and instead hold to a near universalism. Yuck. As for the process of sanctification, I've read bloggers who basically say that since God saves and loves, it's O.K. to go right on sinning. Yet again, it requires a great deal of ignoring the bible to make a claim like this. God expects increasing holiness post-salvation.

What other issues are there? Well, some simple church bloggers have completely accepted homosexuality; others seem dazed and confused about the whole thing. Many just want everybody to get along. As for women's roles, it appears that the vast majority favor an egalitarian approach to church life (that complementarian thing is just too old-fashioned apparently). Regarding spiritual gifts, nearly anything is acceptable.

What is going on here? I see three major factors at play. First, these simple church bloggers are not being fair or consistent in how they interpret scripture. While they demand a literal understanding of the text when it comes to the N.T. model for church life, when it comes to these other issues they think of the bible as a sort of play thing. Second, these bloggers are clearly questioning both the infallibility and authority of the bible (at least when it is convenient). Third, and possibly the largest factor, these bloggers are bowing to secular cultural norms in a variety of areas.

I admit that at times I'm not consistent while interpreting scripture. Everybody makes mistakes. However, we ought to all try to understand the bible in as consistent a manner as possible. Either it is infallible or it isn't. Either it is authoritative or it is not. As we do this, we must keep factors such as historical context and genre in mind. We should also take a long look at the church's understanding of the issue throughout its history.

The simple church bloggers I'm referring to in this post need to start being honest. They cannot pick-and-choose how they are going to approach the bible. If the New Testament in particular shows us how the church should function, then it also shows us what we need to know about these other issues. To all you murky blogging types, you cannot cling to some scripture and ignore the rest. Either take the whole bible or leave it all.

"Simple Church: Unity Within Diversity" Does Not Support the Homosexual Movement

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” Genesis 9:12-16 NIV (emphasis mine)

What beautiful and wonderful words! The above passage is a reminder to us of God's covenant both with Noah in particular and the earth in general. When we see a rainbow it reminds us of God's faithfulness, mercy, and love. He will never again destroy the earth with a flood (even though we deserve it as much today as it was deserved thousands of years ago). The rainbow is a symbol of the greatness and kindness of God.

Fast forward to today. Sadly, the rainbow has been hijacked by pro-homosexual activist groups. Now whenever pro-gay rallies of any sort take place the rainbow is present. In fact, one of the most prominent homosexual symbols is the gay flag, which is basically a rainbow. This is both frustrating and perverse. Those perpetuating and promoting this sinful, vile lifestyle have taken something beautiful and - at a cultural level - attempted to make it their own.

This brings me to Simple Church: Unity Within Diversity. I want to make it clear that the book I edited does not support the homosexual agenda.

Some people might be confused by the cover of the book. After all, the symbol on the front is sort of rainbow colored. Please allow me to explain. Selecting a cover for a book is not easy. I desired something that would convey the ideas of both unity and diversity. The cover symbol does that. It shows different people coming together as one. However, I had no specific agenda or topic in mind. Frankly, homosexuality never even entered my thought process.

As for the book, I cannot remember if homosexuality is mentioned. If it is, the subject is not prominent. While some of the authors may have differing opinions about homosexuality, it is not advocated in the book. If you are wondering what I believe specifically about the homosexual lifestyle, please click here to see a series I wrote about one year ago.

Christians Shouldn't Fly the Rainbow Flag Either

I've never seen or heard so much talk of flags. Why are flags even important? Do they matter?

They do, in fact, matter because they represent ideas. And as the saying goes, "Ideas have consequences."

As many of you know, I live in the American South. Thus, I see my share of confederate flags. They mostly fly at private residences. Over the past month or so the confederate flag has been all over the news. Opinions about this flag are wide ranging. Emotions run high almost whenever the topic is brought up. A few years ago I put my opinion about the confederate flag on this blog. The post is entitled Christians Should Not Fly This Flag.

There's another increasingly popular flag that also stirs the emotions: the rainbow flag. Generally speaking, this flag represents the homosexual community. If you fly the rainbow flag it means that you are supporting the homosexual lifestyle. I'm not surprised that secular society is now rallying around this flag. However, what bothers me is just how many self-professing Christians support homosexuality. It's as if they've never read the bible (maybe they haven't) or just don't care what it says.

Despite what some revisionist interpreters would like us to think, the scriptures are clear on the issue of homosexuality. The words penned in the bible actually mean what they mean. It is instructive that the entire church was in agreement that homosexuality is sin until just recently. To think that all Christians everywhere were wrong about this for 1900 years is very arrogant.

Because the bible is abundantly clear on this topic, followers of Jesus Christ ought not in any way support homosexuality as a valid lifestyle. Part of this is not flying the rainbow flag.

As a reminder:

"For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error." Rom. 1:26-27

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." I Cor. 6:9-10

"Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted." I Tim. 1:8-11

Additionally, below is everything positive the bible says about homosexuality:

If you follow Jesus Christ, don't fly the rainbow flag.

Homosexuality is Today's Dividing Line

The dividing line for the church today, at least in this country, is homosexuality.

As our culture sprints more and more toward complete acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle, Christ's church is confronted with what to do. The answer is fairly simple: we must continue to love all people - including all homosexuals - but never fail to call homosexuality what it is: sin.

Many within the church want to give in. Many have already done so. Increasing numbers of denominations and local bodies now act as if homosexuality is a fine, even good, alternative to heterosexuality. This is nothing more than bowing to the winds of political correctness.

It is important for us to remember that the entire church considered homosexuality to be sinful for almost 2000 years. There was no debate. Everyone agreed. Therefore, for any Christian to now say that homosexuality is acceptable, he must also say that the entire church everywhere was incorrect for nearly 2000 years. This requires an enormous amount of hubris.

Even more importantly, the bible is clear about what God says of homosexuality. Three New Testament passages stand out:

Romans 1:26-27, "For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error."

I Cor. 6:9-10, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

I Timothy 1:8-11, "Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted."

Those who want to believe homosexuality is good try to reinterpret the above verses to only apply to homosexuals who have multiple partners. They say the verses do not apply to monogamous homosexuals. Not only is this twisted interpretation, it also ignores what the church has uniformly believed for 2000 years. Quite simply, these verses condemn all forms of homosexuality.

The reason for this is that God has one plan for human sexuality. He laid this out in Genesis chapter two and it hasn't changed. Genesis 2:24 says, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

The bible not only calls homosexuality sinful, but it also never says anything positive about it. The scriptures are as clear about homosexuality as they are about the gospel itself.

As society pressures the church to accept homosexuality, we must realize that this is today's dividing line. It is the separator between those who will stand for the truth of scripture and those who will not.

We should not be surprised that many are caving in to homosexual pressures. It's the easy thing to do. However, it is not the right thing to do. Each of us has to ask ourselves whether or not we believe the bible is truth. If it is, then we must remain steadfast. This one topic is the biggest divider in the church today. We cannot give in. No matter how difficult, the church must remain steadfast.

(To read my full series on homosexuality, click here).

Excellent Response to Those Trying to Redefine Marriage

This short video offers an excellent response to secular culture's attempt to redefine marriage. Frankly, I'm not all that interested in the political and financial aspects. Rather, what I'm concerned about is the theological. I appreciate Ryan Anderson's statements about the clarity of the definition of marriage: one man and one woman in a permanent union. Also, note that the questioner has no clue how to answer Anderson's question.

Homosexuality Series Summary

Homosexuality is here to stay. We followers of Jesus Christ must know how to respond appropriately to this issue. Far too often the church falls into the trap of letting culture dictate what we believe about things. As for homosexuality, some Christians have already welcomed it completely, while others act as if all homosexuals are the worst people on the planet. Instead of following our secular culture's path, let's let God direct us through scripture. When we look in the bible we read many helpful principles for how we should deal best with homosexuality. This series is my simple attempt to look at some of these principles. Click on any link below to read the article:

1. God Loves Homosexuals
2. We Must Love Homosexuals
3. We All Sin Every Day
4. Homosexuals Are Individuals
5. Homosexuality Is Sin (the Action, Not the Attraction)
6. Love Does Not Equal Acceptance of Behavior
7. Let's Befriend Homosexuals
8. This Is a Gospel Issue
9. Focus on New Testament Passages
10. We Must Not Give In On Homosexuality

10. We Must Not Give In On Homosexuality

In this blog post title the word "We" refers to the church. We simply cannot afford to give in on this issue.

It saddens me a great deal that many Christians have already caved. Several large denominations have recently given approval to the gay lifestyle (as if denominations have the right to do this). It amounts to a surrender to societal pressures and political correctness. It stems from allowing feelings to trump scripture.

As Christ's followers, we cannot afford to follow this cultural trend. The gospel itself is at stake. I do not consider this hyperbole.

Why is the gospel at stake? Let me clarify. The truth of the gospel is not at stake; God has made it true. This will never change. However, our understanding of the gospel is at stake. For most of us the gospel was transmitted to us by someone else. We heard it through the medium of speech. However, we know it to be true because of what we read in the bible. Additionally, the Holy Spirit testifies to our hearts that what we read about the gospel in the scriptures is true.

The bible is a book of words. Words have meaning. Sentences and especially paragraphs have even more meaning. The scripture writers did not intend to be confusing. They wrote in a straightforward manner with an intention that those reading it and listening to it being read would understand it. Why else write anything?

The bible is clear on the gospel. We can easily understand what it says. The bible is also clear on homosexuality. Like the gospel, we can easily understand what the scriptures say about the gay lifestyle.

In order to say that homosexuality is valid, Christians have to say that the bible is not actually clear on homosexuality. I already had one commenter on this blog series say that. My response: poppycock. The wording is clear enough for a middle school student to understand it. In fact, the bible is as clear on homosexuality as it is on the gospel.

Here's the key: if we say that the bible is not clear on homosexuality, then to be consistent we also have to say that the bible is not clear on the gospel itself. If we give in on homosexuality, we may as well throw out the gospel. If we cannot understand the one, the other will soon follow.

The bible is clear. If we are going to be people of the book, we absolutely cannot cave in on homosexuality. No matter how hard society pushes us, we must take a stand on this issue. The gospel itself is at stake.

9. Focus on New Testament Passages

The current climate of political correctness in our culture certainly favors homosexuality. It is being normalized in all sectors of our society. Every week something new happens. For example, just a few days ago a judge in Wisconsin struck down the state's ban on gay marriage. With the cultural tide flowing in this direction, we need to know both why we believe what we do and how to explain it.

It is right and good to turn to the bible for what we believe about homosexuality. In fact, the scriptures must be our supreme source of authority in what we think on this issue (along with all other issues). That said, where we turn in the bible is extremely important. I believe we should focus primarily on New Testament passages. The reason for this is that if we turn to the Old Testament law we can easily end up in the middle of a debate over which O.T. passages still apply today. I've seen this happen numerous times; it ends up accomplishing little.

When looking in the bible, my suggestion is to first turn to Genesis 1-2. This shows God's creation of male and female. We also see Adam and Eve form a binding relationship together. After setting this as the foundation, move to the New Testament to focus on New Covenant practices. The New Testament praises marriage within the confines of God's standards. The N.T. also consistently condemns homosexuality. The following verses illustrate this:

Romans 1:26-27, "For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error."

I Cor. 6:9-10, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

I Timothy 1:8-11, "Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted."

There is certainly a time for turning back to the rest of the Old Testament to show that God has been consistent in his views on homosexuality all throughout scripture. However, in order to avoid debates over which sections of the O.T. law apply to the church today, I advise to focus primarily on what we see in the N.T.

8. This Is a Gospel Issue

Homosexuality is a difficult issue. When the topic of a conversation turns to homosexuality, strong emotions often follow. We've probably all seen arguments begin quickly and end poorly when the gay lifestyle is the focus.

Because of the emotions involved, it's often easiest to wish that the whole issue would just go away. Well, it won't. In light of that, many of us believers choose to just ignore it as best we can. Our lives are too busy; we just don't want to get involved.

As Jesus Christ's emissaries to this world we must realize something critical: homosexuality is a gospel issue.

It is a gospel issue in the sense that homosexual behavior is sinful. While God loves homosexuals, he also does not tolerate sin.

For example, in Exodus 24:6-7 we read in God's description of himself, "...'The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.' "

We see in that passage that while God is forgiving, he also will not clear the guilty (those whose sin has not been paid for).

Later in I Corinthians 6:9-11 we see the following, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. 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."

No sin is too big for God to forgive. However, God does not forgive sin that is not repented of. When people engage in repeated, sinful behavior over extended periods of time with no remorse, no regret, and no repentance, they are in serious danger of facing the wrath of God. This is a scary place to be.

None of us should be in the business of judging whether or not someone else is saved. Only God knows this. Instead, we should focus on loving and serving all people. This includes sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ when the Holy Spirit leads us to do so. The frightening thing for homosexuals is that many have been engaging in the gay lifestyle for a long time. In light of how God feels about sin, many of them are in great danger eternally. It would be unloving of us to either accept their behavior as valid or fail to at least try to befriend them and share Christ with them.

To summarize: homosexuality, like any sin, is a gospel issue. Anyone engaging in a chronic sinful lifestyle faces great danger. Only Jesus Christ can save them from this now and eternally. As those with the good news, we must always remember this and act upon it.

7. Let's Befriend Homosexuals

Many Christians do not know any homosexuals. Even fewer Christians have homosexual friends. This is extremely problematic.

If the only homosexuals we see are on television, then we fail to see homosexuals as they are. Homosexuals are individuals. They are not primarily a political group fighting a culture was (although the culture war is real). Rather, they are primarily people going about their busy lives.

Jesus saw people as individuals. He spent time with people. He befriended them. In light of this, what does it say of us if we avoid homosexuals?

In order to actually see homosexuals as they are, we must make an effort to befriend them. I'm not talking about anything artificial here. I'm referring to getting to know homosexuals either at work or in the neighborhood. If you don't know of any, then pray that God will bring some into your comings and goings.

We make the greatest impact in life on those who are our friends. If our goal is to share Jesus Christ with homosexuals, then friendship is the best context in which to do this. Friends listen to what we say; culture warriors do not.

What I'm suggesting is neither easy nor comfortable (although it may be). However, it is what we must do. As Christ's ambassadors, we have a great privilege and duty. We are to care for the poor and hurting. Many homosexuals are hurting in many ways. We are also to share the only truly good news in this world. We know the one person who can free homosexuals from their sinful behavior. It is within friendships that we will be most effective.

Let's do it.

6. Love Does Not Equal Acceptance of Behavior

This blog post is part of my continuing series entitled Ten Thoughts on Homosexuality.

Our culture has foisted upon us something that is both interesting and troubling. Secular society has made it clear that the only way to show love to homosexuals is to accept their behavior as completely valid in every way. Anyone who has anything negative whatsoever to say against the homosexual lifestyle is labeled a bigot and a hater. The culture no longer tolerates or allows the idea that we could love the homosexual but hate their sin.

In the bible we read a far different story. In looking at the life of Jesus Christ, we see him again and again come into contact with people in sin. Jesus always treats them with grace. He also always confronts them about their sin. The woman at the well in John chapter four is a prime example.

Jesus Christ knew that it would actually be unloving to leave people in their sins. To confront them was the right thing to do. Jesus understood the power and significance of sin so well that he died to pay for sin. In his earthly ministry Christ never failed to talk to people about sin in their lives. Because he loved them he did this.

As we think about loving homosexuals, we must be careful not to fall into our culture's trap. We can and must remember that homosexuality is sin. While we lovingly serve and get to know homosexuals, we cannot ever accept their lifestyle as right or valid. This, of course, does not mean that we must confront them with their sin on every occasion. However, when the Spirit leads, we must make it clear that we both love them and do not accept their behavior as right and good.

Culture must not ever be allowed to determine what we think about issues such as this. Instead, we follow Christ's example of loving everyone but accepting no sin.

5. Homosexuality Is Sin (the Action, Not the Attraction)

So far in this series we've established that God loves homosexuals, that we must love homosexuals, and that we all sin every day. Additionally, we must treat homosexuals as individuals as opposed to simply being a part of some group.

In this post we'll look at the fact that homosexuality is sin. Homosexuality misses the mark by transgressing the law of God.

More specifically, the action of homosexuality is sin. This includes not just outright sexual behavior but also lustful thoughts. In other words, acting on homosexual temptations is sin. However, and I want to be clear on this point, homosexual attraction itself is not sinful. Some people struggle with homosexual temptations and attractions, but fight against these every day. When we see homosexuality condemned in the bible it is always those involved in the action who are mentioned.

Let's back up just a bit. We need to lay the groundwork for what God believes about human sexuality. God has made this clear in Genesis chapter 2. Even before the fall of mankind, God says in Genesis 2:24, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." This verse is the basis for not only marriage in general, but also for all human sexuality. We know that this verse still applies in the New Covenant because Jesus himself quotes it in Matthew chapter nineteen when questioned about divorce.

God's design for human sexuality is for it to fall within the confines of a one man-one woman relationship for life. Any deviation from this is sin, whether it be heterosexual or homosexual deviations.

The scriptures are consistent that homosexual activity is condemned by God. Romans 1, I Corinthians 6, and I Timothy 1 illustrate this:

Romans 1:26-27, "For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error."

I Cor. 6:9-10, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

I Timothy 1:8-11, "Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted."

What, then, about homosexual attraction? If it is not sinful, then what is it? I believe it is a reminder that we live in a fallen world. We all struggle with various temptations that, if given in to, will be sinful. However, it actually honors God when we fight against these temptations by not surrendering to them. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can we do this. Therefore, when a person is tempted toward homosexuality but resists this urge by turning to God for help, this actually pleases God.

Whenever we discuss this topic, let's make sure that we don't slip into the trap of thinking that homosexuality is some sort of unforgivable sin. God is far more gracious, loving, and forgiving than we are. He is ready and willing to forgive any person who is involved in even the most despicable forms of sexual perversion (if the individual genuinely turns to God in repentance and faith).

Our culture tells us today that we cannot both love homosexuals and believe their behavior is wrong. We're told that we either accept the behavior or we're bigots. Well, culture must never determine what we Christ-followers believe. Since God believes homosexual behavior is sinful, so must we. Let's go out of our way to lovingly serve any homosexuals that God brings into our lives. At the same time, we must never fail to remember that their behavior is sinful.

(Just a quick reminder to keep us humble: we all sin every day).

4. Homosexuals Are Individuals

When we watch the news we frequently see homosexuals portrayed as groups. Such-and-such a group is fighting for such-and-such a right, etc. The battle lines are drawn, with homosexuals on one side and conservatives on the other. The groups line up for war.

When we buy into this way of thinking it is difficult for us to see homosexuals as individual people. We must make every effort to overcome the simplistic thinking that suggests that all homosexuals are the same. As with any group, its members are diverse. If we, as Christ's church, are going to make a positive influence on homosexuals, we must begin by treating them as individual people.

Let's focus for just a moment on one key difference among individuals within the homosexual community: some struggle with their homosexuality while others embrace it (and there are likely others who fall somewhere in the middle of this continuum). Some homosexuals are not comfortable with their feelings and fight against them each day. On the other hand, many homosexuals have completely given themselves over to this lifestyle. They live it in every sense of the word. Many of those in the middle probably do not know what to do. I use this one example to illustrate that homosexuals are not all the same.

We always need to treat all people as persons as opposed to simply members of a larger group. Only when we do this can we truly get to know them. Without knowing them we will have little to no success in reaching them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is only Christ who can free them from their homosexual cravings.

To sum up: we must treat homosexuals as individuals. As long as we treat them as a group we will make no substantive impact upon their lives.

3. We All Sin Every Day

As we think about homosexuality, we must remember that we all sin every day. Frankly, we all probably sin, at least in thought and/or intention, every hour. If we know Jesus Christ, we should be sinning less frequently than before salvation, but nevertheless we still sin.

The apostle Paul laments his struggle with sin in Romans chapter 7. At the conclusion of the chapter Paul rejoices in his salvation by exclaiming, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Paul needs this salvation because of his propensity to sin.

God does not excuse sin. R.C. Sproul put it well when he described sin as cosmic treason. All sin is an affront to God. This is why we all need a redeemer and advocate. Each of us needs Christ.

As humans we have a tendency to rank order sins. For whatever reason we generally think of homosexuality as one of the "worst" sins. My guess is that we do this because it grosses us out. Since it seems nasty, it must be really bad. Although we may think this way, it has little biblical backing. God wants us to reject all sin because it is all rebellion against him. We must deal with the sin in our own hearts before casting proverbial stones at others.

I am in no way excusing sin of any kind. Rather, my point is to encourage all of us to be humble as we discuss homosexuality. We must never come pridefully to this issue, as if we are somehow free from sin. Instead, let's remember that we were once lost, apart from God's goodness. Only because of God's mercy and grace do we know him.

We're all sinners. We're no better than homosexuals. Anything good we have is a free gift of God.

2. We Must Love Homosexuals

God is a god of love. He loves all people. This includes homosexuals.

As Christ's followers, it is our duty to love as God loves. We will never be completely successful in this, but we should try. In fact, the love of Jesus ought to be a natural outpouring of our relationship with Christ. In Galatians 5 we read that the fruit of the Spirit is "love, joy, peace..." Notice that the first mentioned is love. As God regenerates our hearts and we respond to him in faith, something amazing happens. He turns our hearts from stone to flesh. This enables us to truly love in a Christlike manner. Christlike love is compassionate, sacrificial service.

As we read through the bible, especially the New Testament, we see God's expectation again and again that we will be loving people. God does not give loopholes for those we are allowed to not love. As difficult as it is, we're even expected to love our enemies. In Matthew 5 we're instructed by Jesus, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." This is only something we can do through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Nothing we do matters apart from love. I Corinthians 13:1-3 says, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."

Love is the number one characteristic of the Christian.

In light of all this, it is clear that we should love homosexuals. Regardless of how we are treated in return, our response must be the love of Christ. Many homosexuals are kind people. Some are not. It doesn't matter. As Christ's people, the way we interact with others does not depend on how they treat us. Our attitudes and actions depend on our relationship with Jesus. He loves homosexuals.  God has changed our hearts so we can do the same. Now we must. There are no loopholes.

1. God Loves Homosexuals

This is the first post in my series entitled Ten Thoughts on Homosexuality. When I use the term "homosexual," I'm referring to both males and females who are sexually attracted to people of their own sex.

My first thought is this: God loves homosexuals.

Theology must begin with God. What God thinks should always determine what we think. Frankly, what we believe matters not at all if it does not stem directly from what our Creator believes.

We can learn much from God about God himself. In Exodus 34:6-7, God describes himself to Moses, saying, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."

We can learn much from the above passage. One key is that God is "abounding in steadfast love." We will return to this passage later in this series, but for now I want to point out God's description of himself as a God of steadfast love.

In the New Testament (I John 4:8), we read that God is love.

When we study the gospel accounts we encounter Jesus Christ, the most loving person of all time. Jesus routinely went out of his way to show love to all sorts of people. All these people were sinners, like you and me. Jesus showed compassion by talking to and caring for many, many different people. For example, in John chapter four Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman at the well. Christ broke several different social customs by talking to her. He showed her love despite her sin.

It's important to note that Jesus never left people in their sin without confronting them about it. This, however, does not mean that he didn't love them. Rather, it showed his love. Also, Jesus' harshest words were not for the sexually sinful; instead he aimed those at the religious leaders of his day.

The God of the universe is also a God who loves people. It's clear that he loves sinful people; if he didn't, then he wouldn't love anybody. God does not love sin, but he does love people who sin. That is a key difference.

Since God loves sinful people, we can safely conclude that God loves homosexuals. This must be our starting point as we think through this issue. How God thinks must directly determine how we think.

It is a profound thing that God loves homosexuals. This will be the foundation for the remainder of this series.