I've done lots of blogging and tweeting about "the love issue" lately. As I opened up my browser this morning and the Yahoo news page loaded, I saw the below image. Kinda a "picture is worth a 1000 words" moment....
See!?! A loving couple! Happy people in the background! Discrimination finally ended! The President onboard! Key republicans onboard! Several states and many if not most of the nation trending to be onboard! Many "Christian" denominations have finally ended the hate and bigotry and repented! Most of Hollywood and many influential in the music industry are onboard. Main culture-driving areas are in favor (New York, Maryland, DC, etc)! Utopia is upon us!!!
Oh but wait...there are still a few hateful, spiteful, ugly, mean-spirited people around. Guess who they are?
The Christians. The Bible-believing Christians to be more precise. They need to learn to love like Jesus did. If they understood true love, there wouldn't be so much hate.
And the "bible-believing" response (at least among the more popular pastors)?: "Yep...you are right. More love. Love wins!"
Nevermind that untethered from the Laws of God love loses all meaning (Jn 14:15; Rom 13:8-10). Nevermind that Scripture declares that homosexuals (if they do not repent) will not inherit the Kindom of God....
1Co 6:9-10 ESV Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, (10) nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
1Ti 1:9-11 ESV understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, (10) the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, (11) in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
But of course, the above Scriptures are hateful or being misinterprepted or mean something else than what they plainly say. Maybe that's why, as a matter of strategy, many churches carefully pick "loving" Scriptures and refuse to teach the Whole Counsel of God. (Acts 20:27).
There is just one problem. That ain't love. God's love will look these two nice ladies in the eye, and with care, tact, respect, brokeness, tears, and a sense of desperate pleading for one who might be dying and going hell, confront their sin with the Law of God in the hope they might repent and receive His grace. That's love.
Amen.
