Last night, some Christian friends and I discussed some of the different areas of Christianity with which we have struggled to believe. I think the most contentious isssue for a lot of us was homosexuality. Can you be Christian and gay?
There's a whole spectrum of thinking on this one, from that it's absolutely fine to that it's an unpardonable sin. A lot of this debate hinged on whether or not you believe homosexuality is a genetic condition or a preference. Of course, we all agreed that persecuting someone because they're gay is missing the whole point of Christianity. How could you and espouse mercy, grace, and love?
But I'm not trying to argue homosexuality in particular here. What I wanted to share is something someone shared last night, as best as I can remember it:
The relationship with Jesus is so paramount in Christianity that all else is secondary. Christianity is not a program of moral self-improvement. It's a relationship with God, and it's up to you and Jesus to reorder your life.
As your relationship with him becomes more and more important in your life, your priorities will change. As you draw near to God, there is a resultant desire to change, but it is not a set of beliefs imposed on you by some official governing body. It is rather a transformation from within, and it affects you wherever you're at. By that, I mean that Jesus reaches out to you where you are now, with all the baggage you're carrying.
That is why the church I attend, Redeemer, doesn't preach about homosexuality at all, even though it gets a lot of flack for not tackling the issue. It's not because the church condones homosexuality, but because once someone begins on the journey with Jesus, whatever needs to be fixed will be fixed.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: - Philippians 1:6
As Christians, our responsibility is not to point out to others where we think they've slipped up. I believe we're here to be witnesses to his grace and to the transformation that occurs when you surrender your will to his love.
posted by Kris @ 10:39 AM
5 Comments:
Bravo Kris!
It's so true that once we put God in the first spot in our lives, everything falls into order. Although what is be right for you may be different for your neighbor - ultimately, if honoring God first and foremost is our priority, we are doing His work. No one human can dictate what another should do in this respect.
Yesterday I had a very interesting conversation with a friend about sinning and how in many cases, what is a sin is left up to the person doing the action.
Let me give an example: we are taught in every major tradition that lying is bad. But happens if someone asks us how they look, and what we think would cause this person a lot of pain? In that case, isn't it better to come up with a white lie to bring them joy instead of pain?
I think that deep in our hearts, if we are honest withourselves - we have the ability to differentiate between Godly actions and sin.
I've always been suspicious of text proofing. One shouldn't have sex with a woman when she's having her period (Lev 18:19), e.g. And we haven't stoned anyone for adultry at my church in weeks.
Roger, I'm not sure I follow. What do you mean by "text proofing"?
I re-read this and it struck me how strongly I feel about one point, and how it completely erases the possibility of my judging someone for the other.
It's earth shattering how by striving to serve God, we become free from human laws. I think that if the whole world were to work for God, we could eliminate our own written codes and laws.
Roger Owen Green made a point - our societies have change so much since the writing of the bible for example, that certain aspects of it are virtually ignored. If we can change so much, than surely, our morality, or rather what is inherently right, HAS to change as well.
I guess my point is that we can't decide that the way someone else is living their life is wrong, because it isn't our job to. It's up to that someone else and God.
Besides, opening up and really accepting people, ALL people, is what love is. And God is about Love.
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