Affirming people to hell, re-post and updated

 

   There is a move on to bridge the gap between the church and gay people. I have run across several blogs/people lately where they are advocating loving gay people more, and reaching out to them more in love as a church and Christians. This is not an exhaustive list, but here are a few of them:

Spiritual friendship
The Tethered Soul
A Joyful Stammering
The Marin Foundation
Love Is An Orientation
Redemption Pictures

   And there are more. And it is needed. Hey, I deal with same-sex attractions and wish more people had  reached out and loved me -  not accepted my sin, but loved me..... and I still wish more people would get involved in my life enough to help in this area. The church has really done a terrible job with homosexuality. People shouldn't have to hide their struggles in church, but too many do. I did for years, and only this year did I finally stop caring and "outted" myself. One of the blogs I referenced above has a great blog post about having to hide here.

   I am definitely not arguing against what they want to do, but I worry some are taking it too far. Micah Murray who runs the blog, Redemption Pictures, goes overboard in my opinion. He seems to believe Christians should just step aside and let the militant gays force them to bake cakes for gay weddings, photograph gay weddings, etc..... his blog isn't about gay struggles, as he is straight, but he does blog a lot about loving gay people more.... I just worry he goes too far, as others may. There IS a gay agenda out there, and if they get their way, it would be a hate crime to say homosexuality is wrong. Ministers could be forced to perform gay marriages.... it has happened in other countries..... I think Micah would vote for gay marriage if given a chance, just to show he loves them.

   That aside, here is the point I am getting to: I fear if people go too far with this loving and accepting gay people, they may affirm them right into hell. The Bible definitely says homosexuality is a sin, and homosexuals are listed among those who will go to hell (not for being gay, but for living in sin and not repenting). I agree no one needs to beat gay people over the head day after day telling them they are a sinner, but if people affirm them in such a way as to pat them on the back and tell them they are fine the way they are.......those loving people could help send them to hell.

   If the gay person is a "gay Christian". as in having sex and a relationship with another person of the same sex, and they are affirmed and never confronted in any way, what favor is the loving person doing them? If a Christian never offers the hope in Jesus of walking away from homosexuality, how on earth is that loving people? And believe me, there are multitudes of gay people unhappy and miserable in their sin.... and the ones who say they are not, are just good liars.

  Everyone needs to be loved and accepted as a person, but we don't affirm others living in sin and claiming to be a Christian.

We don't affirm the drug addict and not encourage change and repentance

We don't affirm the thief and not encourage change and repentance

We don't affirm the prostitute and not encourage change and repentance

   I firmly believe a Christian cannot live the gay lifestyle, as in engage in sex with the same gender, and anyone who is doing so should not be affirmed as a Christian..... but the same should be said with other sins. Heterosexual sex outside of marriage is still a sin, and people doing it should not be accepted and affirmed as Christians.

  There is a line that shouldn't be crossed, and I'm not sure where the line is and all there is to know about it, but we are called to carry the Gospel to everyone..... yes, we are to love everyone, but if we are constantly rubbing shoulders with people living in sin and allow them to think they are OK in that sin, we are not being their friend, and they may curse us some day when they stand before God and are condemned to hell for living a sinful life.

   Micah Murray and others seem to feel gay people don't need to be told they are wrong and sinning, just loved. I believe there must be a mix. People trying to love gays should never compromise and let the gay people think their sin is OK with God and that it isn't a sin. It is. How that is all worked out, I don't know, and I'd love to have a real discussion about it with someone who is trying to love gay people but not ever address the sin.

  Maybe I have done a terrible job of getting my point across, but I think the concern needs to be raised. Everyone needs to be loved and accepted as a person, but no one should have their sin ignored and excused.