Larry Bryant
I have watched, read, listened, and thought about many of the comments and declarations being posted (on Facebook) concerning Gay marriage.
As much as I don’t like public discussions on topics such as this, I feel I have to speak concerning this issue. These comments may not get all of what I am trying to or wanting to say understood, but would encourage you to speak to me if need be. Satan is devouring many at this time as he travels this earth – 2 Corinthians 4:4 “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
On March 27th, 1984 I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior. I did so because the Holy Spirit convicted me of the sin in my life, and my need for forgiveness of those sins. Since then I have grown in my spiritual walk – and no, I’m not perfect. No, I am not “sinless”. No, I am not better than others. And NO, I do not deserve what Jesus did for me on the cross. The very thing which we as Christian’s celebrate as the sacred, historical fact that makes Christianity stand out from all other religions – Jesus is the only person to ever defeat death, and did so because He is God in the flesh, and as such walked on the face of this planet.
So as a humble sinner saved by the grace of God – I offer the following.
Many people want to say Christian’s are haters because we stand on God’s word concerning this issue, which teaches Gay relationships are outside of God’s will. Not only is it outside of His will, it is outside of His design. The Bible is very clear on this message.
While this is important, it’s not the whole issue – anytime we live outside of God’s will and design – it’s called sin. And none of us are without sin – but we cannot say we are God’s if we champion what we know is sin – saying it is right, or that God forgives so it’s ok for us (or others) to live in whatever sin we are trying to defend is just plain wrong.
Something to think about – did your parents ever discipline you? If they did, then to be consistent with the argument that Christians, who stand on the Word of God are haters, you have to admit your parents were “haters” – they “hated” you or they would not have pointed out you did wrong, nor would they have done anything to change your behavior. How dare they decide what you were doing was wrong, and how dare they intervene in your life and punish you to change your behavior.
What if there was no discipline? How does that work out? We all have to admit that out of love our parents disciplined us. Out of love they corrected us because they knew out of wisdom what was best for us.
God is the same – He gives us His infallible Word so we know right from wrong, good from bad. And He gave that to us because He loves us and wants us to spend eternity with Him. Not only that, but for Christians, we received the indwelling Holy Spirit that helps guide us, teach us, and direct us. He convicts us of our wrong doings and causes us to make a plea to God for forgiveness of our sin, and helps us desire to grow to be more like God. Because of the Holy Spirit and His teaching, we begin to see sin that surrounds us, and those things that are against God’s will.
The issue at hand is sin – and homosexuality is just that. It’s not the only sin, and people who are in that situation are not the only sinners, but being in any form of unrepentant sin is wrong. And not repenting and turning away from sin is wrong. Championing others to live their lives in sin is wrong.
It’s out of Love that God teaches us, disciplines us, and leads us to be more like Him. Yes He is a God of love, but we need to remember and realize, He is also a just God, so much of a just God that He demanded His own Son’s physical life here on earth be shed on a cross by crucifixion – to pay the price for sin – not just sin but MY sin. My sins and your sins.
But that payment is only made for those who accept him, and because of allowing Him to work in our lives, we grow to turn away from all sin. We don’t champion sin or sinful lifestyles, we humbly allow God to work with us (and sometimes that means our Christians brothers and or sisters love us enough to help us see sin in our lives if need be) so we can continually become more like Christ, and have less and less sin in our lives.
For anyone to claim to be sinless is wrong, but even worse is for proclaiming Christians to proclaim that living in unrepentant sin, and not turning from it, is and will be ok for those who are hopelessly lost in eternity if they don’t turn from sin.
Everyone of us will bow before Jesus (Phil 2:8-11) and declare Him Lord – then our fates will be much different. Those who have accepted Him and allowed Him (and His followers) to discipline them and help turn them from sin will spend eternity with Him, those who rebuked His teachings, proclaimed sin was good – and demanded that the world recognize that will not.
Romans 3:23 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. We are all the same until the time we accept Christ – and once we do so we become different, and separate from the world and the worldly ways. It doesn’t mean we are sinless, but it does mean we begin to love others and recognize the need for Christ by all, and to grow more and more like Him each day.
Don’t respond to this message, or challenge the thoughts it contains – get into God’s Word and challenge your thoughts and concerns there – 1 John 4:1 – we must look to God’s Word to see if what is being told or said is of God, or of Satan, does it stand with God’s Word or against God’s Word – also 1 Tim 2-16. Out of love our parents brought our iniquities in front of us to correct our behavior – as Christian’s we only seek to do the same. Eternity is the end result of this debate – with or without God – in peace and glory, or eternal punishment. Challenge God’s Word, not my or other people’s comments.
John 3:16 – out of love God provided, and at the same time, out of love God will demand an answer.
-Larry Bryant is an elder at the Tell City Church of Christ in Indiana