We were all born with a sin struggle. Whether we have
alcohol problems, anger issues, idol worshipping, coveting, potty mouth, gender
confusion, or being attracted to the same gender, we all struggle with
something. So lately I’ve been questioning and pondering, why are we, as Christians,
putting ourselves on pedestals, broadcasting that we’re better than everyone? Whether
you’re a believer in God or not we all sin. Deny it all you want but it’s true.
So here’s the thing, I love shopping. I love clothes and
expressing myself through colors, patterns, styles, and texture. Every aspect
in an outfit is important to me: the shoes, color of socks, pant length, shirt
cut, shirt material…etc. You’re probably thinking, ok so?...no big deal. Ohhh
no, see that’s where you’re wrong. Self image has basically become an idol to
me. I literally care more about how I look sometimes than anything else. Ok,
still, so what? No, shopping has consumed me. I had a bad day at school, I shop.
Someone said something at work to anger me, I shop. I’m tired, I shop. I’m
bored, I shop. Not even kidding you when I say I actually got to the point of
shopping every day of the week. I spent more time consumed with my image,
consumed with portraying my personality so accurately that I barely spent any
time with the person most precious to me. Just because I have a problem, an
addiction, an idol, doesn’t mean God won’t have me.
So here’s my real contemplation; recently the world has become
obsessed with people ‘coming out’, proclaiming that they are gay. I remember
gay rights week and I can only imagine how awful those people felt having
religious people slamming hate in their faces, shoving right and wrong down
their throats. Yes, ok I’ll admit, maybe I said some things publically that
offended people. I apologize for being so naïve and inconsiderate.
Love, love is an extremely powerful force… the most desired
thing in the world. And we all try and find it in different ways. Human love
though is wonderful, magical, so much more powerful than I think people want to
admit. And that’s why I believe people search and chase after this more than any
other thing, consciously or unconsciously.
And forgive me if I’m wrong, but if everyone’s searching for
this, chasing after it, desiring it (and we shouldn’t discriminate), that’s what
gay (sorry for the general term, I don’t know what you prefer) people desire
too: love. Right and wrong aside, all they want is to love and be loved. Who can
blame them for wanting something so magnificent? Asking them to give up what
they most desire or possess is just like asking an alcoholic to stop drinking
forever (not even a sip), asking a shopaholic to never even step inside a
grocery store to even buy food…you get my point? It’s extremely hard. Think about
it, what do you struggle with? Do you struggle with something as seemingly ‘less
difficult’ like a swearing problem? What if one day someone told you to never
swear again? I told myself that in high school- I was a believer and swearing
is sin so I promised never to swear again…aint that funny. Yes, some people do
in fact overcome their addiction (applause for them)…but to give up the most
great thing in the world…love? Could you give up loving someone because it’s wrong?
It’s forbidding gays from enjoying the most beautifully powerful thing known to
humans. And now I have sympathy and understanding. If I was gay, I wouldn’t want
to give up love either.
God desires all men to be saved and live a life with Him. Sin
is sin…murder, adultery, homosexuality, idol worshipping…its all the same-it’s
all sin and it’s all wrong. Belief in God though simply means we confess our
sins (acknowledge that we actually do sin) and He forgives each and every sin,
no question. Lord knows I can’t give up shopping…and He knows other people can’t
give up and overcome their sin struggle either. All He desires though is for us
to have a relationship with Him, He doesn’t ask us to necessarily give up what
we desire..He just asks to be included in our lives. Is that too much for us? To
let an extremely merciful, compassionate, loving God into our lives? Trust me
when I say, if He asked me to give up what I love most, I wouldn’t have a
relationship with Him right now. I’m tearing up right now just from
experiencing this agape love God has for us…unconditional love, love that has
no end. He doesn’t care what we’ve done in our lives, what we continue to do…all
He wants is to have a place in our hearts.
So stop letting the judgement from people prohibit you from having the most wonderful relationship on earth with our God. Believers, including I, need to stop condemning people, pointing out sin, and just focus on Christ. Let God deal with sin, it's not our job to. It is our job however to accept people no matter what and just show them the love of Christ.
thank you.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't God say that homosexuals won't be able to enter the kingdom in heaven? personally: i have nothing against the people that are this way, but doesnt my God say its wrong? doesnt OUR God say its wrong? he intended for one man and one woman to be married for life that was his plan, not man and man and woman and woman.
ReplyDelete"Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, swindlers, shall 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 Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." (I CORINTHIANS 6:9-11).
"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 Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." (I CORINTHIANS 6:11). The Christians at Corinth had been involved in these things before their conversions. During that time they had no hope at all of heaven. Also, any Christians returning to such practices would forfeit their eternal home with God.
again i have nothing against those whom chose these ways, some are good people. but the world today says its ok, but our Lord and Savior disagrees.
also "in Christ Jesus all things are possible"
Deletewhen one repents of there sin they are forgiven, but that doesnt make it right to continue with the same sin. Many have over come their desires with the grace of God, and faith. so it is not impossible. and shopping isnt a sin until you put it above God. He doesnt just want a place in our hearts where He can reside, He wants to BE our hearts, He wants to consume us and He wants us to need Him. He puts us through trials to bring us to our knees, so we need Him. its is possible for one to overcome their sinful desires, but it is only possible if you have faith. God wants us to chose the path he has for our life, and i know homosexuality is not the path he chose since he specifically says in leviticus 18:22, Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. our society has twisted these words to make it fit them. He plainly say, "DONT DO THIS". and weve twisted it to say, "DONT DO THIS, unless you are saved." to understand God's word, you have to first know Him.
I completely agree with you where as I too have read the bible. According to the Corinthians verses that you brought up though, wouldn't you agree that that verse includes everyone? And you might say, well that is a very specific list...I havent had idol or slept with another other than my spouse or have gotten drunk before. Remember the verse in Matthew 5 explaining that if any man looks at a woman lustfully, he has committed adultery in his heart? So one might not have physically committed adultery but when you take Matthew 5:28 for what it says, this list in Corinthians has to be taken the same way as to include pretty much every sin. So according to that, and other verses, no one is worthy of eternal life because of sin. No sin is greater than another and we all sin so how can you say homosexuals arent allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven? You cant exclude a homosexual if they have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point also that we shouldn't purposely continue in our sin. But you cant say you dont go a day without sinning. Youd be lying if you said that. Whether you purposely sin or not doesnt matter because its impossible not to sin.So I would disagree that its possible to overcome our sinful desires. Maybe one or two or a few. But we cannot overcome sin. There will always be sin in our lives but that sin is what turns us to Christ.
So now I would ask you to reconsider your heart towards these people. Yes, God desires man to be with woman and NO homosexuality is not ok...but neither are my sins or your sins. Every sin is detestable in the eyes of God. The world says its ok but its not. I agree. But you surely cannot exclude these people from having eternal life IF their hearts belong to God.
Just remember this, you and I dont deserve eternal life. But we (Im assuming youre a believer) have Jesus Christ and have taken His blood and He has washed us. Its no different if a homosexual has Jesus Christ as their Savior and has taken His blood and has been washed by Him too. No difference.
This is a very touchy subject but Christ doesnt give us permission us to condemn people to hell. He's the ultimate judge. He has called us to love. But love the person, not the sin. Cliche I know, but its true. So while we're here on earth our only job as believers is to love and spread the Gospel in hopes people will give their lives to Christ.
if their hearts truly belonged to God, fully, then they wouldnt want to be homosexual anymore. they would make an effort to change it because it is wrong
ReplyDeletejust like i make and effort every day to change my life, and get away from my sins. but using the excuse that God has cleansed us isnt right. we MUST make an effort to change.
ReplyDeleteand again, with God they can change. but they must want to change, or at least try because they know they are living in sin.
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ReplyDeleteYoure saying this as if its no big deal "IF their hearts truly belonged to God then they wouldnt want to be homosexual anymore". First of all, who are you to judge whether someones heart "truly" belongs to God or not? You are not God. Second, we are talking about something having to do with love. Sure, the Lord could fill that place in their hearts and love them like no human possibly could. But we as humans crave humanly love too. One day I desire to get married and you probably do too...we want to experience a human love like we've never felt before. And that's all homosexuals desire too...love. I'm not trying to justify them but show you that when it all comes down to it, they desire what we desire: to love and be loved.
ReplyDeleteLastly, you cannot judge someones heart and relationship with God. Their sin is none of your business nor mine. This is something between them and the Lord. If Im dealing with sin in my life, the only person who has access to that part of my heart is the Lord and only He has the permission to change and transform me, my heart, and my life.
Its also not by our effort that we change. Once we are saved, sin has no power over us. but that doesnt mean we'll stop sinning. But now God has reign over our lives. Only He can change us. So maybe over time the Lord will eventually get rid of that sin. But its not by their efforts. Its by letting the Lord reign in their lives, transforming them.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is.... Most people dont want to change. Yes, God can change their hearts but they need to want it. The Lord has given us all a free will. Homosexuality is a sin. One anyone must ask forgiveness for, when we are saved we are asking for forgiveness. But to use the excuse that "i can beause im saved." Is like spitting in the face of the man who died for us.
DeleteThrough all your examples you confuse list and love. You MUST put the Lord first. If you (general as in anyone) are not willing to give something or everything up for Him, then you dont love Him. It is not our job to condemn people, but its IS OUR JOB to show people right from wrong. Gay relationships are wrong. In any measure. I love many female friends, but i am not sexually attracted. That is in no way wrong, but if i did it would be considered lust. Love is not a physical thing in our God's eyes.
DeleteWe can all have love without being physically intimate. My family loves me, and Paul says "greet your brothers and sisters in Christ with a friendly kiss"
DeleteLove stops there. Hugging a friend to show appreciation, or compassion, sympathy, that is no sin. To kiss your elders on the cheek, or a baby or younger sibling, that is no sin. Lust is a desire for the flesh and what you dont understand is there is a HUGE difference between love and lust. If one had sex outside of marriage you would consider it wrong. Lust is human nature, we cant escape it but we CAN deny it. A man and woman who love eachother wait until marriage to become sexually intimate. Those who are gay are only so out of lust. Out of the fact that they cannot control their sinful desires.
Also when God gives a list of those who cannot inherit the kingdom of God, He means those who practice. Adulterers, alcoholics, homosexuals, He is saying those who practice this lifestlye. Repentance is key. If you continue to walk in sinful ways you lack faith that God can change you, or you might not want to, but if thats the case then you arent truly sorry. Which means you disagree with God, which means you dont hate what He hates and love what He loves.
You must be sanctified.... Change your ways or you arent sorry. Lust is wrong and thats the difference between two gays and two same sex friends... Gays want mistake their friendly love for something more and it becomes lust, lust is condemned by God many times.
And thats that.