What Would You Do? (In Responding to LGBTQ)

 (Note: This is written in response to a question from a LGBTQ study regarding the benefits and harms of conversion therapy which asked the question, "What would you do if someone you knew came out to you as LGBTQ?")

To answer the question posed here, I will tell you what I have done with those I know who have announced their LGBT inclinations- Love my neighbour as myself and speak the Truth in Love to them. (Matthew 22:34-40 and Ephesians 4:15)

    I would first want to ask what exactly is meant when they identify with any of the terms encompassed in that acronym. (i.e. I want to hear their story first of all- truly listen and try to understand.)

     I would assure them that they are loved no matter what- every person is made in God's image and eternally loved by Him- and they are infinitely important and eternally valuable and worthy of love and respect. Because of my faith in Christ and the love and forgiveness I have experienced from Him, I also love all people and seek to extend His grace to them. 

     I would also want to understand what their spiritual beliefs are regarding Jesus. If the person is not a Christ follower, I would tell them about the love God has for all of us and the sin in our lives that have separated us from Him. Adam and Eve sinned in the beginning and brought the curse of sin upon the planet and people. The wages of sin is death- spiritual death eternally separated from The Lord in Hell. God doesn't desire any to perish but for all to come to repentance. He loves us all so much He sent His Son to take the punishment we deserve by dying on the cross in our place. Jesus then rose again to prove He's God. If we will turn to Him in faith and trust Him for forgiveness of all our sins and follow Him in repentance, He will save us from the penalty of Hell we deserve and receive us into eternal joy in His presence in Heaven instead.

      And if the person already is a Christian or if not, the message is still the same. The Gospel is our greatest need and that's what we need to focus on first. No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian or transgendered- all bow to Christ on the last day so let's make Him Lord while there's time. (Philippians 2:9-11) 

    Yes, we all have our struggles in this life and we all deal with temptations to sin. And I do believe the question is not about what orientation one feels drawn towards- it's about what one does with it.

I can empathize with friends who have unwanted same sex attractions who also strive to serve and obey The Lord Jesus with everything, including their sexuality. I can empathize as a heterosexual single man who is celibate just like them because I know sex outside of marriage is a sin and God has defined marriage as the union of one man to one woman for life. (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19, Hebrews 13:4)

    And I know the community of those who hold to faith in Christ and also identify as LGBTQ+ veer to different paths on this issue. I have friends who affirm faith in Jesus yet some choose to engage in homosexual relations and others choose to be celibate in keeping with their convictions. For the former, I have had to gently and respectfully explain why I cannot agree with them that God permits homosexual relationships or lust. This doesn't mean I don't love them or respect them. I am still happy to do anything I can to help them but I can't enable them in perpetuating sin. I would not want them to do that for me, so this is just what Matthew 7:12 commands me to do in the Golden Rule.

   For the latter, I commiserate with them and try to encourage them in their walk with Christ and commitment to celibacy. And I pray for those in both camps. 

     Above all, I want to remind them that Love doesn't rejoice with evil but it rejoices with the Truth. And the Truth is Jesus- He's the Way, Truth and Life. And Jesus is better than sin. Jesus is better than lust. Jesus is better than sex. Jesus is better than any human relationship. Jesus is better than anything else I desire.  

I want to want Him and want nothing else. I confess I am certainly not all I should be but by the grace of God, I am not who I once was either. I am a sinner saved by God's grace and because I have been set free by His forgiveness and love, I can do no less than to love others and extend the same grace I have received. 

    And regardless of one's choice about Jesus, the love remains and the respect remains and the prayers remain. 

   I look forward to the day when Jesus will return and set everything wrong right again and all our desires will be rightly oriented for Him and His kingdom. He is our ultimate Hope as we look forward to Heaven where everything sad will come untrue and all the light and momentary troubles we go through here will not even compare to the glory to be revealed.

(Note: Here are a few articles that offer Christian perspectives on these ideas.

https://www.equip.org/article/whats-the-problem-with-conversion-therapy/

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-lgbt-movements-dangerous-hypocrisy-on-conversion-therapy/?amp

The Spiritual Friendship Web site is another great resource too. https://www.spiritualfriendship.org)

After the Sufferin' (song)

 No matter who you are or your position in life, you're going to face hard things in life. Life is hard. We all go through our own sets of suffering at times. Whether you're a cashier at Ingles trying to eke out a living to provide for your family and dealing with unruly customers at the outset of a pandemic or you're Bert being constantly frustrated and annoyed by Ernie- the suffering still comes. The Lord sends His rain on the righteous and the wicked. 

Even when it's hump day and you are trying to make it through a tough week at work at a dinky little job, you can take hope in knowing there's a point to the suffering- and an eventual end to it. And God uses it to draw us closer to Him and make us more righteous. And we know that the glory coming will make these sufferings seem light. And while we're in the midst of trying times, we look forward to Christ's coming- and trust Him to help us move forward in this life while we wait for redemption of our bodies and the freedom from corruption coming after the suffering is done.

"After the Sufferin' "

(parody of "After The Lovin' " by Engelbert Humperdinck; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 5/16/2020)

(Hebrews 12:1-17, Romans 8:18-30)

Though sin clings oh so deep- cast it off 'cause of

Witness throng that is close- cast off weights

Run with hope and endure- Eye Founder

And Perfecter of our faith

Endured cross, despised shame all for joy set before Him

My own faith- it just seems to go dry

Haven't struggled so much with sin now to the point my veins bleed- Why?

Spankings chasten me (echo: Spankings chasten me)

As a son disciplined by Love (echo: Son disciplined by Love)

And spanking's telling me (echo: telling me) I'm viewed as God's son (echo: God's son)

Though it stings now we'll reap after the suffering

Oh a bushel of fruit- righteous lives (echo: Oooohh!)

Strengthen up, make paths straight and be healed

With God's grace, no one pass by

Make it so that garden isn't springing a bitter root (echo: Ooohhh!)

Oh, and as for this summary, it's all in 12 Hebrews (echo: Ooohhh!)

So I bring you to read chapter 8 Romans 

Can't brush off like hair these hard times (echo: chapter 8 Romans)

But the glory coming when revealed that it makes suffering light (echo: when revealed, it seems light)

And I know creation is still waiting to be renewed (echo: Ahhh!)

Oh, set free from corruption (echo: free from corruption)

Spirit's adoption too

Yes, bodies' redemption (echo: bodies' redemption)

We're groaning, God, for You

Mmm- after the suffering

I'm waiting, God, for You