I'm sad that the world has come to this. What pains me even more is that there are Christians who support this. What scares me are articles that are being churned, grossly misquoting or taking the Bible out of context in regards to how God views homosexuality... and these articles are read and accepting by young Christians who are taking these articles at face value.
The Bible had already spoken that this is the sinful nature that is in us, human beings.
Romans 1:18-27
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. To be clear, the Bible does indicate that God is against homosexuality. I am referring to:
Leviticus 18:22 - "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination".
Leviticus 20:13 - "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death".
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God".
Both Old and New Testament have spoken about the evils of homosexuality. Furthermore, God's initial design for marriage is for one man and one woman. Anything other than that deviates from His original plan.
I will admit that some Christians go overboard with hating such individuals. I look at Jesus for guidance in this respect. In John 8, from the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery... He did not throw the first stone. He did not publicly humiliate or condemn her. He still loved her, BUT the big difference is... neither did he condone her actions. Jesus forgave her, and his last words to her was, "go and sin no more".
As Christians, I don't think we are called to be extreme - from either just hating or totally accepting. It isn't about hating the individual who is homosexual but to detest the ACT of homosexuality. As they say, love the sinner but hate the sin. Jesus didn't hate the woman who was an adulterer. But he didn't want her to continue on her sinful ways. I think this is how we are to behave as well.
To be honest, I would normally just keep quiet about these issues due to my personality as a people-pleaser and I don't like to offend people. However, it was my recent personal Bible study on the book of Daniel that woke me up.
Based on what I've learned on chapters 1 and 3, many a time we may not be called to renounce our faith... but opportunities to just follow the crowd is very real, and in this case, eating food offered to idols and bowing down to worship a statue. In this present day and keeping to my topic, it's going with the flow of the masses saying that homosexuality is OK. What struck me is Daniel 1:8, "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself...". That is making a stand even when it is an unpopular view, or even a view that could get himself killed for it.
As Christians, are we making a stand for what we believe in? Are we going to keep silent and agree that homosexuality is not a sin when the Bible clearly states otherwise? I came across a quote which said that we are all so careful about offending people, except God. And I feel that is so true even for me. I've been so careful not to hurt people's feelings so I may not speak up at times... but does that please my Father in Heaven?
Sometimes I wonder, what can i do? Definitely I will not go out to the streets and burn people alive for their orientation, because then I would be no better. But what can I do as a Christian who wants to love as Christ has loved us? How can I better rebuke and restore, but rebuke and restore with love?
Something for me to think about.
