What Should Our Christian Response Be to the LGBTQ Community?

Wow. I had no intention of sitting down today and writing this blog. In fact, I was quite disappointed my latest blog that I am co-authoring was not ready. I thought to skip this month and pick up next month, but God placed a burning in my soul. Words I would honesty, rather not write. But if there is one thing, I have learned it is to listen and obey.

The urging of the Spirit started this morning when I was trying to find a YouTube song by Ray Boltz called The Anchor Holds for my sister who has stage 4 cancer. I was shocked to see the title Ray Boltz-The Anchor Holds and Ray Talking About Coming Out. This may be old news to many, but it was sad news to me.

Ray Boltz first recorded this beautiful Holy Spirit inspired song written by Lawrence Chewning Jr. in 1994, it went to the top of the Christian charts for weeks. Now on YouTube he sings it again, at the Crossroads Community Church but with a narrative of his coming out. He glibly laughs and jokes about writing one song called God knows I tried, and another called "It didn't Work." He asks the question… "Can a gay person be a Christian." He answers his own question by saying, "The only person who can answer that is Jesus and you."

And so, it led me to this conversation…

What should our Christian Response to the LGBTQ community be? And is our silence a sin? I will use Scripture to answer these questions.

First, I want to start this subject with the fact I have lesbian friends and a close family member who is a lesbian. I have nothing but love for these people and it is why I have kept them as friends and kept them close to my heart. Loving them is a given, for they are precious to God and to me.

Our first response is obvious, love them. Without love as Christians, we have nothing to say that will mean anything. 1 Cor.13:1-3

But what does love look like if we desire to adhere to Scripture? Does it mean to be silent on the matter so as not to offend?

Let's start with what Scripture says: I had the argument thrown at me by my lesbian friend who used to be a pastor, that anything in the Bible written against homosexuality was merely prohibited culturally at that time. "It no longer applies today, "she said. She gave the example of women having to cover their head in public, or men not shaving their beard etc. back in the Bible days.

We had a good discussion where I used Scripture to define what was cultural and what was not. Homosexuality is not a cultural issue; it is a soul issue. A soul issue is defined very clearly in Scripture by stating if you continue in this behaviour, you will not inherit the kingdom of God.

• 1 Cor.6:9-11 "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." A list of sins is clearly given to which homosexuality is listed, but by no means any worse than the others listed. The point is this…if we continue in these sins, we will not be part of the kingdom of God. We will not go to heaven. We will not live forever with Jesus. So, Ray Boltz is not wrong in saying that the answer lies in Jesus but when he adds the and you part he goes way off. We do not have the right to rewrite Scripture and Scripture is clear. You, me, Ray Boltz, or anyone else does not factor in. The Word of God is written for us, not to be manipulated by us.
  
• Romans 1:26-27 "For this reason God give them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burning in lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due." Read  Romans 1:26-32) Homosexuality is clearly described along with many other sins in which a person who continues in them can lose their soul. It is interesting in Romans 1:26-32 how that Scripture passage ends. It lists all the sins by which a person can lose his soul then stated in verse 32, "Those who, knowing the righteous judgment of God who practice such things are deserving of death (meaning spiritual death,) not only do the same but also approve of those who practise them."  I think of Crossroads Community Church, approving and encouraging Ray in his confusion. (Sadly, they are just one of many wayward churches in our culture today.) This church will be held accountable for encouraging and supporting those in their sin when more than anything they need to find freedom.
• And yes, our silence often gives the impression we approve. I am just as guilty as the next. We know Scripture but do not want to come across as unloving, so we remain quiet. When the greatest love of all would speak up and show them Scripture and beg them that even if they struggle with the temptation, to not practise it.
  
• Leviticus 18:22 "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." There is a lot more Scriptures in the Old Testament that discusses homosexuality, and I by no means dismiss the OT, but I think the blueprint is clear. God made one man, and one woman and said it was good. He did not make Adam and Steve. Nor did He make Adam and Eve, along with Mary, and Susan for Adam's added pleasure. One man. One woman.

I have utmost compassion for Ray Boltz and every soul like him. He says he never chose his sexual orientation. And my husband often has questioned how homosexuality can be a choice, because he says there's no one in the world that could make him attracted to another man.

I have pondered and prayed about this statement and come to peace with what the Scripture says. If God says it is wrong, then it is wrong. We live in a fallen world. Every person struggles with some type of generational sin, hereditary weakness, or sin they just plain like. Some gossip. Some lie. Some steal. Some struggle with addictions and on the list goes. Galatians 5:19-21 is clear. If we continue to practise sin, we will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

So, to Ray Boltz and all others struggling with any of the LGBTQ temptations, they are no more or less a sinner than the adulterer, pathological liar, murderer, gossiper, or me. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We all in need of our Saviour. But once we are His and He is ours, we do not throw up our arms and jokingly say, "God knows I tried, but it didn't work" and carry on in our sin.

Society at large may say to the LGBTQ community it's okay, but that is not what God says. And I trust that God loves and knows every soul far more than I do. Even if a person like Ray Boltz had to live the rest of his life abstaining from sex in order not to sin, is his soul not worth such a sacrifice? "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you (as a Christ follower) are not your own?" 1 Cor.18-19

Scripture does answer Ray's question and it is clear. Can a gay person be a Christian?

Yes, if they abstain from practising or advocating a homosexual lifestyle.

And no, if they continue in their sin.

This is not a private decision between a person and Jesus as Ray mistakenly preaches. For Jesus has already stated the truth in His Word.

1 John 2:3 "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him (a Christ follower or Christian) ought himself also to walk just as Jesus walked."

In conclusion.

• Love those who struggle with any sin, but especially with homosexuality because they are often mistreated. Statistics show that a high percentage of them have been sexually abused as children which confuses their orientation. So, love generously.
  
• Know what your church preaches on this matter. If they do not adhere to Scripture, they are not a church of truth. Remove yourself from that assembly and find a Bible teaching church.
  
• Write these scriptures in the back of your Bible so they are ready for conversations of love. Pray and ask for wisdom and the courage to speak the truth, both in our culture in day-to-day conversation, and to the one who struggles. Their very eternity depends on upon it.