Liberal/Moderates want us to embrace people at the cost of a literal interpretation of Scripture. Just take a look at the headlines…they’re filled with a soft gospel and at least some level of tolerance toward sin. On the other hand, Fundamentalists seem to forget what it means to struggle with sin. They expect others to line up and look the part…at least on the outside…and they extend very little mercy to those who are in an ongoing struggle to overcome sin.
This week I read a blog by Donald Miller. The blog topic was about homosexuality in the church and how it should be handled. The author went on a rant about how the church seems to adopt the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” military policy when it comes to homosexual temptations and church leaders boast about a Bear Grylls masculinity which isolates those struggling with sexual identity. The author’s main conclusion was, “Got a struggle? Talk about it. If people condemn you, move on to actual followers of Jesus who will not.”
The immediate response from the 100+ commenter’s seemed to fall along the line of tolerating sin at the risk of being intolerant. While I agree with some of the author’s points we need to remember to uphold the Scriptures regarding sin.
The bottom line…we should love people while we’re walking alongside them with a literal interpretation of Scripture…giving them room to be honest about their struggles to overcome sin. Too many times we belittle the struggle and therefore mock those who are struggling. When we do this we close the door on opportunities to minister to people.
Consider these words from Al Mohler’s blog regarding the suicides of four teenager boys connected to disclosures or struggles with homosexuality, “When gay activists accuse conservative Christians of homophobia, they are also right. Much of our response to homosexuality is rooted in ignorance and fear. We speak of homosexuals as a particular class of especially depraved sinners and we lie about how homosexuals experience their own struggle. Far too many evangelical pastors talk about sexual orientation with a crude dismissal or with glib assurances that gay persons simply choose to be gay. While most evangelicals know that the Bible condemns homosexuality, far too many find comfort in their own moralism, consigning homosexuals to a theological or moral category all their own. What if Tyler Clementi had been in your church? Would he have heard biblical truth presented in a context of humble truth-telling and gospel urgency, or would he have heard irresponsible slander, sarcastic jabs, and moralistic self-congratulation? What about Asher and Billy and Seth?”
One church’s motto I’ve read recently goes something like this…”It’s okay to not be okay, but it’s not okay to stay that way.” We’re to love people and take their struggles seriously, but that doesn’t mean we’re to sit back and let them be. After all, the Gospel is “repent and believe”.
If we know someone who is struggling to overcome sin we shouldn’t gloss over his or her struggle. We’re called by Scripture to come alongside them and walk with them toward freedom from that sin. In his blog Mohler continues, “We can only look at this news account and grieve. As Christians, we just have to wonder. Was there no believer to befriend Tyler and, without loving his homosexuality, love him? The homosexual community insists that to love someone is to love their sexual orientation. We know this to be a lie. But no one who loves me should love nor rationalize my sin. The church must be the people who speak honestly about sin because we have first learned by God’s grace to speak honestly of our own.”
1 John 5:18, “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.”
When is the last time you had a friend call you just to ask how you were doing?
When is the last time you called a friend and asked her if she needed to talk?
When is the last time you were open and honest with someone about a struggle?
A few things we need to remember: All Christians struggle with sin: 1 John 1:8, 10. Sometimes we fall in our struggle against sin: 1 Corinthians 10:13. But, those who indulge in continuous unrepentant sin are not true believers:1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
The church is called to be a place of restoration. We’re called to lift up the Gospel of redemption and lift up people as well.
When our agenda is about anything else…I’m afraid we’re missing it.
I recommend reading Mohler’s blog post I referenced above.
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