Truth: Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner

Today my heart is angry and grieving.

Deuteronomy 18:21 - You may say in your heart, 'How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?'

The answer comes in verse 22 which basically says that if a prophet speaks something and it doesn't come true than it wasn't from the Lord.  However, I love how Matthew Henry puts it: "Whatever is directly repugnant to sense, to the light and law of nature, and to the plain meaning of the written word, we may be sure is not that which the Lord has spoken...far be it from God that He would contradict Himself."

Speaking of, the world is trying to convince us today that homosexuality is not a sin.  In fact, I had a Christian facebook friend post a "chart" expressing why homosexuality is not a sin - saying that the Old Testament was irrelevant, Jesus Himself never spoke against it, and that Paul's teachings in the original Greek do not refer to homosexuality, along with much, much more...

Tears began to form in the corner of my eyes as I read over the chart - how has the world deceived us so?  While some "rules" in the Old Testament were done away with when Christ came to fulfill the law, not all of them were.  For instance, the 10 commandments.  Regardless, my biggest argument here is that God doesn't change - He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He destroyed Sodom & Gomorrah because of their wickedness and the only wickedness we are given a glimpse of is homosexuality.  Why would God destroy something then that He thinks is okay now?  Doesn't make sense does it?

Then we move on to Paul.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

The Greek word here is arsenokoites which is defined as "one who lies with a male as with a female, sodomite, homosexual" (Strong's G733).  Obviously, the Greek does directly point to homosexuality in Paul's teachings.  And I don't think any of us could argue with any other sin listed there ("effeminate" is a reference to perversion)...so how can we get away with picking and choosing which ones are true and which ones are not?  We can't!  God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  And He will NOT contradict Himself!  

Notice that I emphasized the "do not be deceived" in the verse above.  Paul is warning us here, that people will try to deceive us, he wants us to know that all of these things are unrighteous - it is not a debatable subject!  If we are guilty of any of these things, without repentance, we will NOT inherit the kingdom of God.  End of story.

I read a blog the other day responding to the Chick-Fil-A hype that stated that we, as Christians, cannot claim to disagree with their lifestyle and in the same breath say we don't hate gay people - it screams hate.  I disagree.  Christ Himself hated the sin and loved the sinner. He not once showed hate to another person, but he never allowed them to think what they were doing was okay.  Zacchaeus is a prime example.  Christ loved him from the moment he saw him in the tree (and before) and he went to his home because he loved him...but Zacchaeus knew his ways of thievery were wrong, and he changed.  Christ didn't allow him to sit back and remain a thief!

I can tell you now: I hate the act of homosexuality.  It is a sin.  However, I love people...all people.  And those of you who know me, know that this is true.  The idea of hurting someone else hurts me!  Through marriage, I have two gay cousins with the addition of a boyfriend.  Christmas Eve came and went this year delightfully!  We sat around and played the game of "Things" and enjoyed each others company.  I love them, all 3 of them.  But if they ever ask how I feel about their lifestyle, they will hear the truth...and I know that they have already heard the truth from their parents, who still love them and accept them.

Please, do not be deceived.  Be like Christ: Hold fast to Truth, hate the sin, love the sinner.