Category Archives: Political

Homosexuality and the Christian Response

11 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in Forgiveness, Grace, Political

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Can a person be a Christian and be gay? 1st Corinthians 6:9-11Homosexuality is sadly a very common topic these days. Ten or eleven states have legalized gay marriage, the Boy Scouts of America is sitting on a fence waiting on opinion polls to decide if they should allow gay leaders, the CEO of Starbucks, and former CEO of JC Penney have come out supporting gay marriage, the United Methodist General conference is divided over the subject, and recently many Christians ate “mor chikin” at Chick-Fil-A due to the CEOs stance opposing it.

Today John Daniel at one of the Christian Post blogs ran a post asking ten questions about the Christian response to homosexuality. (Entire post consists of the ten questions, nothing more, I have all ten listed below.)

So, with one of Johnny Cash’s last albums playing in the background, I will attempt to give my thoughts on his questions.

1. How should Christians deal with societal acceptance of homosexuality?

The Christian’s response must be one of repentance and faith. We must repent of our own sexual immorality, of our pride, of our resentment, and any malice toward the homosexual and those who are pushing the homosexual agenda. We must remember that homosexuality is a sin, and like all sins that it comes from a wicked heart, and like all sins it leads to death. And, we must remember that like all sin, Christ paid for it.

With that said, we need to pray for our pastors, as they will face these questions often, and we must pray that they will remain faithful in opposition to what God calls sin, and boldly proclaim the Gospel.

As for society, the only way to deal with this sin, as with others, is to proclaim the Gospel to those who suffer with it, or suffer because of it. We must tell the world that Jesus died to pay for their sins, and that they must repent and believe.

2. How to stop myself from being [a] gay Christian?

Without knowing more about the author of the original post, I can’t answer this other than generally. If you are attracted to your own gender, or are lusting after people of the other gender, the response is the same, repent and trust in Christ, who paid for your sin. Pray that God would deliver you from the temptation. And, it is advisable that you confess to a mature believer, preferably an elder or pastor, and hear that Christ has forgiven your sins. You should also be in a healthy church that properly distinguishes between Law and Gospel, focuses on Christ and His finished work, and regularly receives the sacraments.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, ESV)

3. How should Christians respond to the question of homosexual marriage?

This one can be a little more difficult, and Christians will react differently.

Some Christians will seek to prevent gay marriage through politics; while that method may have worked at one time, ten states have now legalized gay marriage, and it is likely a couple more will in the next few weeks. The US Supreme Court is also discussing the issue, and President Obama is clearly in support of gay marriage. I don’t think the political response is going to work.

Rather than take the political approach, I think the approach we should take the approach I gave in question number one. Repentance and faith and the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ crucified for sinners.

The Church has a prophetic voice to the nations for sure, but it is clear this nation isn’t really hearing that on this issue. This is largely due to compromised churches that either have agreed with the world, or adopted the world’s methods, rather than Christ’s methods. If the churches in America were all proclaiming the Gospel weekly, and in the streets, we wouldn’t need to be discussing this issue.

4. Is it possible to be a gay Christian?

Yes and no. Yes, it is possible to be a Christian who hates his homosexual attraction and repents of it daily. It is even possible to be a Christian who doesn’t understand that homosexuality is sinful, but believes the Gospel. It is not however, possible to be one who sees God’s condemnation of homosexuality in Scripture but says “I don’t believe God, and I’m going to be a gay Christian anyway.” If one is in the latter state, either the Holy Spirit will convict them and they will repent, or they were never a Christian in the first place.

5. Should a Christian attend the wedding of a gay couple?

Adiophora. Some Christians will take different stands on this, and for many it depends on the situation. The Christian must make it clear that whether they attend the wedding or not, that they do not accept that homosexuality is acceptable. The relationship with the person or couple definitely plays into the decision. Sometimes it may be right to attend, other times it clearly will not be.

I personally don’t think I could attend such a wedding, but I won’t condemn those who decide differently on this.

However, a Christian can not officiate the wedding, as that would be promoting what God has clearly stated is sin.

6. As a Christian, how to get along with gay people?

A Christian gets along with “gay people” the same way he gets along with other sinners. Repenting of his own sin, and loving his neighbor as himself. This includes giving them the Gospel and not backing down on what God has called sin.

7. Can a person be born gay?

Maybe. This is a very common question, and very much debated. I don’t personally believe people are born gay, however, whether the person is born gay or not makes no difference in how it is to be handled.

It is a sin either way. God’s command to the homosexual, whether due to sin in the world they were born gay, or due to sin in the world they became gay, is to repent and believe the Gospel, believing that Christ paid for the sin of the homosexual just as he paid for the sin of the adulterer, the murderer, the rapist, the thief, the liar, the tax collector, the prideful, and the arrogant.

8. How to tell a gay friend that homosexuality is wrong?

Lovingly, with lots of Scripture, and with the Gospel, telling them that Christ died for them, and that they must repent and believe on Him to be saved. Which is the same way you would approach any other sinner.

9. How should Christians let gays to know or feel a sincere love from them?

See question 8? Love them, proclaim the Gospel to them, and repent of your own sins.

10. How should I pray for my gay friends and other gays?

Pray that your pride, arrogance, and misunderstandings would be removed; pray that God would send people to proclaim the Gospel to them and that He would save them.

 

All sin leads to death, and all who’s sin is not paid for will be judged and cast into the lake of fire for eternity. Homosexuality, despite being a huge issue today, is no different than other sins in this regard. All sin must be atoned for, or the sinner will be forever punished for it. Christ paid for all sin for those who believe. Repent and believe and you will be saved.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, ESV)

Obama: Post-Election Thoughts

13 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by in Government, Political

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President Obama was re-elected on Tuesday. Tuesday night and on through the week Christians were decrying the Antichrist, or a few were anyway. It seems many of those who I see on Twitter anyway were rather bothered by this turn of events. This might relate to the fact that so many watch and trust Fox News to accurately report things such as polling data. But, that is another matter.

What will four more years of President Barack Obama mean? I’m no William Tapley, Pat Robertson, or even a lessor prophet, but I do see some possibilities.

Some of the voices in the Republican party are saying they have to distance themselves from the radical Christians who oppose all abortion and opposed to any form of homosexual marriage or civil union. Had the Republican party given up those stances it probably would have won Romney the election.

My hope is that seeing this Christians will realize that the Republican party is no more the party of God than the Democrat party. Instead, the Republican party is a political organization wrestling for control and is willing to go along with some Christian values if Christians are a big enough target demographic. While the Democrat party is openly anti-God, they had to vote three times whether to bring God back into their campaign, the Republican party is not much better, they are just less open about it.

My other hope relates to the “take back America” crowd and the dominionist cults. (NAR / IHOP, 2) I hope this election opens the eyes of these people to see that America is not a Christian nation, and that there is no Christian ideal to take the nation “back” to. America has a bloody history and is bloodier now than it was in the past. Maybe this election will lead people to realize that the Kingdom of God isn’t an earthly kingdom and doesn’t spread by worldly means. America compares more to Babylon than it does to Israel in the Old Testament, Christians don’t have a national identity, the Kingdom we are of is not of this world, and we are just sojourners passing through.

While I’m not in favor of a second term of President Obama, I do see some good that may come of it. (Not that I was really all that in favor of Romney for that matter.) Unfortunately, I also see that unless the Lord intervenes abortion will continue unabated (55 million as of January), gay marriage will continue to spread, and now it seems marijuana is on a path towards legalization. It might bring us some persecution as well.

I’d like to hear other’s thoughts on what the consequences of Obama’s re-election will be.

For those who haven’t seen it, I recommend 180Movie.

No Christian candidate, what are we to do?

09 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by in Government, Political

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As November nears, and now that the Republican and Democrat national convention are over, the United States presidential election is in the minds of many. And, this election is a bit of a different animal from past elections.

Americans, Christian Americans especially, are facing a different situation this time around. Neither of the candidates are Christians. (Not that there haven’t been elections with no Christians before, some were nominal only at best.)

President Obama, the incumbant, claims he is Christian, though his beliefs seem universalist, and his values are far from those of Christians. Obama’s faith seems closer to that of black liberation theology that Jeremiah Wright taught him over the years he spent in that church, though, just as Wright said in 2008, Obama would have to distance himself from Wright and his teaching as it would hurt his chances in the election. Obama won’t state that his black liberation theology is different from Christianity, but it plays out in his speeches and legislation.

Governor Romney is a Mormon. Not only a Mormon, but a Mormon’s Mormon. He comes from a family that traces its roots back to founding of Mormonism, as his ancestry traveled with Brigham Young and possibly even Joseph Smith. Along with his family history, Romney’s taxes show a large amount of donations to the LDS church, and he was the leader of the LDS church in his state for some time. He is more Mormon than Paul was Pharisee. Continue reading »

First they came for Chick-Fil-A…

29 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by in Church, Government, Political

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H8 Mor Chiken (It's the new Palin)The Chic-Fil-A controversy doesn’t seem to be going away. It seems if a business owner says he believes in the biblical definition of the family unit that people get a little upset. According to Gallup half of Americans support “gay marriage.” It is definitely a controversial issue.

We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.

A few mayors of some very large cities have weighed in with their opinions, saying they don’t fit with the values of those cities, with some even saying they will fight to prevent Chic-Fil-A from expanding in to their cities.

Of course, there are also boycotts, and an anti-boycott among Christians and conservatives who have designated August 1st as Chick-Fil-A day.

My question, and concern, though, isn’t with Chick-Fil-A and whether or not they will survive this boycott. (I certainly think they will.) But, what will happen when this vitriol and hatred spreads to the Christian church. All true churches agree that the bible says homosexuality is a sin, and most Christians are in opposition to same-sex marriage.

As a Christian, I have to believe that homosexuality is not the biggest issue here, but rather it is that people in their fallen nature hate God. And, fighting for homosexuality, which God calls an abomination, is more of an act to oppose God and the way He created things than it is about homosexuality. Homosexuality is just the issue that seems to be leading the growth in persecution in the United States at the moment.

Will the statements by these mayors soon say Christian churches are not welcome in their cities because we don’t conform to their city’s values? What happens then? While I believe the First Amendment will offer us some protection in the short-term, I tend to think that won’t hold up for long, at least in its application to us. It might end up that stating that homosexuality is a sin will be considered hate-speech and will be prosecuted. (In the UK and Canada this is already starting.)

It may be that I’m wrong, I’m surely not claiming to be a prophet, but I do think this is the path we are headed down.

What happens next? Will these “tolerant” liberal cities tolerate our differing values, or will the local governments begin to persecute us? What should our response be?

Christian Owned Businesses and Politics: Eat Mor Chikin Edition

23 Monday Jul 2012

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Chick-fil-A mascot doll

As you’ve probably heard by now, the popular Chicken franchise, Chick-fil-A is in a bit of hot water lately. It seems they, being a Christian owned business that is known for not being open on the Lord’s Day, hold a biblical view on homosexuality and gay marriage. Why anyone is shocked to see that a company that doesn’t open on Sundays because of their Christian beliefs holds to a biblical view of marriage is beyond me.

They are being boycotted by many who support what they call “marriage equality.” I won’t touch on the gay marriage issue in this post, other than to make it clear that I agree with the bible that homosexuality is a sin.

What is interesting, however, is to think about the roles of businesses and their owner’s political views being a matter of public concern. Not that this is a new phenomenon. In the past, I don’t think it would be all that common for a large business to take a formal stance on political issues that didn’t relate to their business. Clearly a business would have a stance on taxes, minimum wage laws, union privileges, etc. But, on gay marriage?

Personally, aside from perceived human right’s violations I haven’t been all that concerned with the politics of corporations that I buy from. And, as readers will likely remember, I have even spoken out against Christians boycotting businesses for their stance on this issue (and again here). I’ve also spoken about the consequences of denominations taking official stands on things not related to them.

My thought is that businesses, where possible, should take the stance Elvis took when he said “I’m just an entertainer, I don’t want to be known for my politics. I’m just gonna sing.” And, any politics that are outside of the the interests of the business function should be done as individuals, rather than giving the business an official stance.

Chick-fil-A has spoken out though, or at least that is my understanding at this point, I could be wrong. And, because of it they are facing backlash.

I’m glad to see that their stance is bible based, though I don’t think the business needs an official stance. If there was one near me, I would certainly give their food a try.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Does the official anti-gay marriage view of Chick-fil-A matter to you? Does knowing a business has an agreeable, or disagreeable, political view that isn’t related to their doing business change how you look at the business and the likelihood of you shopping there?

And, mostly importantly, is Chick-fil-A any good? And why aren’t they in my area!

UPDATE: I have since seen reports that Chick-fil-A merely answered that they support biblical marriage and their ownership is Christian, and that they didn’t seek to make a political statement. Seems the liberals were looking to make trouble for them.