By Chris McCurley
Currently there are many issues in our society that are sure to incite a debate. One topic that is guaranteed to cause a firestorm is homosexuality and along with it, same-sex marriage. People have very strong feelings on both sides of the fence and all too often, those feelings are shared in ways that are unhealthy, cruel, and mean-spirited. It is sad to see how this issue has brought out the worst in some. I have personally challenged the congregation where I serve to choose their words wisely when conversing with others, or posting thoughts on social media. Christians shouldn’t get so caught up in a war of words that they forget their true nature. It is never Christian to be unChristian. Christians are representative of the Lord and His truth. We must never be shy about our conviction for the Word of God, and we must certainly stand where He stands. That being said, let us move beyond the realm of the political and let us remember that the issue of homosexuality and same-sex marriage is Biblical. Above and beyond what anyone else may think or feel concerning this issue, the only voice that really matters is that of God, and our Father in Heaven has already ruled on this issue.
Here is a Biblical truth that cannot be argued: God hates sin, but loves the sinner! Sin is diametrically opposed to a holy God. Because God is holy, sin is a personal offense to His beauty and to His character. A holy God cannot tolerate sin––something that is highly important to remember when considering the justice or wrath of God. Proverbs 3:32 reads, “For the devious are an abomination to the Lord; but He is intimate with the upright.” Since a holy God and sin cannot coexist, it necessarily follows that a holy God must punish sin. Holiness demands that whatever is impure and wicked must be purged from it. Sin separates. It creates a chasm between God and us. It magnifies just how unholy and how unlike God we are.
This is not always the most encouraging news to one who is mired in sin. However, there is “good news.” It is called the gospel. Since our sin is against a holy God, and since we are completely helpless to remedy our sin problem on our own, we need atonement. It just makes sense that only God can supply the sacrifice that He Himself demands. That is the message of the gospel––that God met His own requirements for us. Only one person is able to meet the requirements of a savior. Only one person can give us the atonement we so desperately need. In John 14:6 Jesus states, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The road to redemption is narrow and exclusive. There is only one path to eternal life and it is through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:19-22 reads,
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
We come into the presence of our heavenly Father with the atoning sacrifice of our Savior. We come with the knowledge that we are His. We come with a sincere heart, with truthfulness and honesty. We come fully known, completely exposed, laid bare before Him. And we come with the blessed assurance that we will be received. Christ died so that all could receive salvation. We are all sinners and we all need salvation (Romans 3:10, 23). Christ loved the sinner enough to allow His only begotten Son to die a cruel death on a cruel cross (John 3:16; Romans 5:6-8). God’s holiness is manifested on the cross. The cross shows us just how despicable sin is to God. However, it also shows us just how great a love He has for sinners.
It is vitally important that we strike a balance between God’s hatred for sin and His love for the sinner. We must never allow society or political agendas to gloss over the fact that homosexuality is a sin. It is forbidden by God. Marriage is God’s creation. It is a solemn and binding covenant between a man and a woman (Genesis 1-2; 2:18f; 2:24; Matthew 19:1f; 1 Corinthians 3:18f; Ephesians 5:22f; 1 Peter 3:1f). Homosexuality is condemned in the Old Testament (Leviticus 18:22, 29). In fact, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God because of the sin of homosexuality (Genesis 19; 2 Peter 2:6-8; Jude 5-7). The sin of homosexuality is also condemned in the New Testament (Romans 1:26-28; 1 Timothy 1:9-11). Despite what some scientists and psychologists say, homosexuality is a free-will choice (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Studies have failed to prove that there is a “homosexual gene.” When the Biblical facts are weighed, there is simply no denying that God’s Word strictly prohibits the practice of homosexuality and same-sex marriage. There is no gray matter on this issue.
It is not wrong to side with God on the issue of homosexuality, or any other issue for that matter. In fact, we should always stand convicted for the truth of God’s holy Word. However, may we bear in mind that homosexuality is not the only sin spelled out in the Bible. There are a host of other sins to which our world falls prey. Let us not exploit this one sin at the expense of our own, or elevate this sin above all others. Take special note of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Notice that “homosexuals” is mentioned alongside “the covetous” and “swindlers.” In Romans 1:28-32, Paul gives a rather extensive list of sins grouping greed, arrogance, gossip, and disobedience to parents with murder and “inventors of evil.” Sin is sin. Christians should take a strong stance against all sin, not just the sins that repulse us the most.
Another point that warrants our consideration is this: Opposition to sin does not mean hatred of the sinner. Those who oppose homosexuality are often referred to as “homophobic.” Christians oppose homosexuality and same-sex marriage because it is against God’s will, not because they are afraid of the homosexual. Sadly, there are Christians who have been mean-spirited or hateful when debating this issue. Without a doubt, both camps have been guilty of being highly uncivil at times. But for the sincere Christian who seeks to display the character of Christ, he is not dispensing “hate speech” when he delivers God’s message. Quite the contrary, it is our goal to lovingly change the heart of an individual with the Truth. The goal is salvation, or at least it should be. There are those who sincerely struggle with an attraction to someone of the same sex. As a result, they feel like outcasts. They suffer emotionally, often in silence. They are hurting. They need help. The answer is not to verbally butcher them. The answer is not to berate them with hate speech. On the other hand, the answer is not to assure them that they are right when they are not. The answer, for anyone who is a victim of any sin, is Jesus Christ.
