Writer Hope Bonarcher explores the biblical response to LGBTQI+ identifying people in the Church.
When considering LGBTQI+ identifying people in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we need to look at the Bible in context. It’s easy to argue points using specific verses. All scripture is God inspired and should be used to teach and train. However Satan also used God’s word to try to tempt and entrap Jesus. Let’s avoid this by looking at the Bible as a complete redemption story. How can we consider matters of identity without first looking at who God says he is and we are?
The Bible tells of an all-knowing, loving-kind, creator; perfectly holy, perfectly good, who IS love, exists outside of time, space and creation and makes everything good. He makes humans in his own image, for relationship, to give and receive love. He gives them free will to accept or reject him, for love is not love without a choice. The first couple were tempted by God’s enemy and use their choice was to reject and disobey God. Perfection is thwarted, sin and death enter the world.
God’s friends become his enemies and we, as their offspring, receive God’s wrath because our sin nature is now opposed to God. But, there’s good news! Jesus. Because of his holy nature, he alone overcame temptation to sin and lived a completely faultless life. He came to earth by unimpressive means, was persecuted and died a sinner’s death on a cross. Jesus laid down his life and atoned for our sins, receiving the wrath of God we all deserved. Now, whoever believes in who he is and what he’s done will not perish but have this free gift; restored eternal relationship with God.
The fallen world told me to follow my heart, do what feels good. My value was in my beauty and sex appeal.
Looking at God’s redemption story, we see two kingdoms; one where God reigns and one where his enemy rules. I learned the Gospel at 29, snatched from the kingdom of darkness like a branch from the fire. The fallen world told me to follow my heart, do what feels good. My value was in my beauty and sex appeal. Free love meant many sexual partners, male or female. Get pregnant? Abort. It isn’t a life anyway. Drugs and partying are devoid of consequences because nothing really matters. In this world sin doesn’t exist, churchgoers are merely hypocrites.
Truth is, as created beings, we don’t get to tell God how we should live in his world. Disobedience got us into this. I just happened to be reading Exodus 40 today. 8 times it’s repeated, “Moses did just as the Lord commanded him”. It’s then God’s presence fills the temple to lead Israel on their journey. Our bodies are the new covenant temple of the Holy Spirit, how much more should we submit ourselves to his ways?
We don’t get to tell God how we should live in his world.
To receive salvation from God’s wrath, we have to hear and believe his good news, then reverse the curse by rejecting the choice to disobey God. This is called repentance. As new creations restored to God’s Kingdom, we have to look honestly at how sin is portrayed in the Bible. Like other sins; how are homosexuality, fornication, idolatry and pride depicted? God’s righteous way looks different than this fallen world’s. As believers, we are not here to push people to suicide but to love and encourage each other in the family of faith as we wrestle through the call to die to self. We are here to share the Gospel; that we deserved destruction but Jesus has made a way for us to avoid our fate by faith, given us the power to overcome sin and blessed fellowship in suffering. NOTHING can separate us from the love of God because we have chosen to die to anything that could!
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