Today, most of us live in a highly pluralistic society. Our next-door neighbor could well be Chinese, Ethiopian, or European. And, in the name of harmony, we’re told to respect differing views and opinions.
But when voices of culture state that homosexuality, abortion, and cohabitation are acceptable lifestyle choices, what should believers in Jesus do? When God’s truth is replaced by “tolerance,” how do we live out our faith?
The prophet Jeremiah lived during a time when truth was spurned. In chapter 42, we find a group of Judean “guerrillas” and the people they had rescued coming to Jeremiah with what sounded like a sincere request for guidance (Jeremiah 42:1-5).tolerance
At that time, Jerusalem had been destroyed and Egypt was applying great pressure on the kingdom of Judah to cast their lot with them. After receiving a message from God, Jeremiah delivered God’s pronouncement to the people. The substance of God’s reply was that they should not go down into Egypt, and that if they did they would be destroyed. The people were intent, however, on going to Egypt, and they rejected Jeremiah’s warning (Jeremiah 43:4). They called the prophet a liar and added insult to injury by forcing him to accompany them (Jeremiah 43:2,6).
Jeremiah knew his message wasn’t what the people wanted to hear. Yet he spoke forth God’s Word boldly, instead of trying to make it more palatable for the people.
Today, while we need to be discerning about how to present God’s truth to diverse audiences, we should never change what it says. When issues strike at the heart of biblical teaching, we must take a stand and winsomely continue to be God’s salt and light to people lost in a declining culture. Let’s speak His truth in love.
More:
Preach the Word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. . . . For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. (2 Timothy 4:2-3).
Next:
What would happen if all true believers in Jesus began to speak about and live out God’s truth winsomely? How can you share the truth with your corner of the culture?
daleproulx on September 28, 2010 at 6:08 am
I don’t disagree with as Christians speaking out against homosexuality, abortion, and living together. As evangelical Christians why do not also speak out on other issues like: poverty, materialism, and harming the environment?
swalke01 on September 28, 2010 at 6:25 am
I used to think this way about homosexuality. I believe that a person can be a gay christian and this is not an oxymoron. It is the choices a person makes about their sexuality that can be harmful. If a person knows that they are naturally attracted to the same sex they need to accept that about themselves. It is not at all helpful to have the church judge them..this would only alienate and marginalize. I think there is room for a lot more tolerance within the church on this issue.
Eagle4two on September 28, 2010 at 7:02 am
Homosexuality is wrong. I believe God’s Word speaks to this in the first chapter of Romans. Wrong is wrong. Homosexuality is a sinful behavior just as any other sin in the eyes of God. So there is no sin greater or worse than another. It all separates us from God.
Now God calls each of us to love one another just as Christ loves us. We are called to love the person, not the sin. God did not clean me up before He saved me, He saved me then He began the process of changing all my faults (and is still at work.) Show everyone the love of Jesus and if they make the choice to follow Him, the Spirit will affect those behaviors/actions that need to change.
lindagma on September 28, 2010 at 7:13 am
Amen and Amen, Eagle4two. God condemned the sin of homosexuality all thru the Bible. Remember Sodom… IF we believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God, then we cannot pick and choose what is sin and what is not or what is truth and what is not. It has been proven that there is no biological reason for this lifestyle, even though the gay movement will cite otherwise.. it is a learned lifestyle encouraged by our media & schools… just ask those who have been saved from it. And yes, there is no sin greater than another.. we have no right to condemn when we have been given the grace from sin ourselves… but we cannot excuse or accept what God condemns. We love the sinner and hate the sin and pray for them to see the light. Why would you encourage a man to sin against God and destroy his fellowship for the sake of tolerance.
tony rodriguez on September 28, 2010 at 8:25 am
I THANK GOD FOR ALL THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN ON THIS SUBJECT TODAY. LOVE THE SINNER HATE THE SIN. GOD LOVES US JUST THE WAY WE ARE BUT HE LOVES US TOO MUCH TO LEAVE US THAT WAY. THE BIBLE SAYS WHEN THE PRODIGAL CAME TO HIS SENSES HE AROSE AND WENT TO THE FATHER AND THE FATHER RAN TO MEET HIM HALLELUJAH! I BELIEVE CONVICTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT DWELLS IN ALL WHO HAVE TRULY ACCEPTED CHRIST WILL SHINE A LIGHT ON THE DARKNESS OF SIN THAT STILL REMAINS IN US. IT IS THEN OUR DUTY TO COME TO OUR SENSES AND TAKE IT TO THE FATHER, AND TURN AWAY FROM IT.
lyndygayle on September 28, 2010 at 9:34 am
This is a timely devotional for me. I have been struggling with this very thing. I want to love and accept all as Jesus did but I don’t want to say what is sin…is okay. I don’t understand all about homosexuality and I become confused. I believe that some people…as a birth defect…might be born homosexual and others chose the lifestyle. I don’t know how to balance the acceptance and love without condoning the behavior. I wish it was a clear for me as others. I am still seeking God’s face.
Gary4orphans on September 28, 2010 at 10:17 am
I don’t personally use the word “gay” in the context of today’s use. To me the word gay is another word for “happy.” Nobody who KNOWS they are in sin should be “happy” about it. I say homosexual. It is what it is. Why do we Christians go along with the world and use THEIR term? I’m not saying we should use the “Q” word but let’s not buy into the world’s attempt to make it sound acceptable and harmless and even friendly. It is not “gay” it is homosexual.
Homosexuality is a BEHAVIOR. Exactly the same as a person commiting adultery or fornication. It is a CHOICE the offender makes to violate a clearly taught Biblical concept. It’s not like it is a grey area in the Bible.
The Bible says it is SIN. Game over as far as I’m concerned. I’m NOT to cheat on my wife nor am I to have sex with another man. Simple is as simple does. Why complicate things? God says don’t do it. What part of that is too complicated to fathom?
Alcohoics JUSTIFY their drinking as drug addicts justify what they do. Homosexuals justify what they do because it makes them feel they are OK. They are not OK. But worse than that, they have “trained” the rest of us to treat it as OK.
The reason homosexuality is widely regarded as “normal” is because we Christians have been too namby pamby (cowardly) to speak up. We worry about hurting people’s feelings. I don’t hestitate to call a drunk a drunk and I don’t hesitate to tell a homosexual he/she is in SIN. If they don’t like it TOUGH! Speak the truth in love but speak the truth.
Everytime we FAIL to tell a homosexual they are in sin we have missed an opportunity to share the freedom that comes from a Biblical perspective on their sin. We are “enabling” their sin by not standing up for the Bible. SHAME on us for doing so.
Soldier4Christ on September 28, 2010 at 12:06 pm
This devotion hits at the heart of what I have felt for a long time is a serious problem in the Christian community. The world is trying to tell us that we have to be politically correct and that we need to be tolerant of others lifestyle choices. It is time as followers of Jesus Christ to stand up and say enough is enough. Yes we must love the sinner and work to bring them into the kingdom, but a sin is a sin no matter what it is. One of the most outspoken groups of sinners are the homosexual community, since when are we as Christians supposed to say that murder is wrong but it’s ok if your homosexual? Satan is at work hard in this area, to the point that the federal government who is supposed to be neutral when dealing with things that are religious have deemed that even preaching against the sin of homosexuality can be called a hate crime?? Really?? Now we are supposed to allow the government into our churches to monitor what sins we are preaching against?? When a minister preaches that it is wrong to commit adultery he isn’t saying that he hates the person that had committed that sin any more than he is saying that he hates the homosexual for the sin they commit. But yet the government doesn’t step in and say that preachers can’t preach on the topic of adultery.
God will judge our nation if we who are Christians don’t stand up for what is right and it isn’t going to be pretty. I believe that the things you see happening in America today are just the beginning of judgments based on how people in this nation are living and how we who claim to be followers of Jesus are rolling over and letting the world tell us how we must act and what we can and can’t do. We are subject to Christ and as such we better start living it.
Gary4orphans on September 28, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Amen Eagle4two; lindagma and soldier4christ.
For two of the others; I love you in the Lord but I frankly don’t understand your confusion. The teaching of the Bible is CRYSTAL clear. On this subject there is NO quarter. So, to me, it is not confusing. The Bible is not a cafeteria menu. So either you embrace the Bible’s CLEAR and CONSISTENT teachings about homosexuality or just go ahead and throw your Bible in the trash. If you are qualified to EDIT the parts you don’t agree with, you don’t need the Bible at all, you’ve written your own, LOOSELY based on the real Bible. You have your own religion. Go with that. To say that people are “born” that way is to agree with the false doctrine of the people with the problem. What do you think they are going to say? AND, that means that God INTENTIONALLY sets people up to go to hell. According to that doctrine I mean, you are saying God, who is sovereign, ALLOWS people to be “born that way” and then sends them to hell for being that way. That doesn’t describe the God of the Bible. God says don’t do something and we have the capacity to obey or disobey but don’t accuse God of setting people up to fail. The doctrine of being “born that way” is a lie straight from the pit of hell.
Peanut20 on September 28, 2010 at 2:28 pm
I believe homosexulaity is totally wrong. The ones that want to say “I was born this way” are not being honest to themselves or anyone else. God don’t make mistakes and he wouldn’t say it was totally wrong and even destroy a city for that very sin and then turn around and make a child of his like that. It is a choice they make.. Just as anyone with a dependency problem. Yes it may run in your family and you have stronger temptations but it still your Choice to make those decisions about how you will live your life and God will help you through it. The ones that say they can’t help it they have tried.. Are still not being honest.. they are looking for something but chances are they are living their lives for God. I am believer and a testimony that you can overcome things (If you give them to God and trust him). I was addicted to food and now I have lost 150 lbs by giving it to God and I feel better about myself and my life.
Now as far as what the bible says.. Read Romans. You will see plain as day that it is wrong. And the we are not to pick and choose what we want in the bible and think “oh that doesn’t mean it for me” The bible is straight to the point on this and you will be wrong if you try to take it out or overlook it — Your conscience will get to you now you know its there and don’t turn from the wicked ways.
daisymarygoldr on September 28, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Poh Fang Chia and the rest of the gang, good thoughts and great sharing!
Speaking the truth is a tough call especially within the church that has compromised with a pluralistic society. It provokes the same reaction today as it did in Jeremiah’s day.
Whenever he opened his mouth to speak the truth, people laughed at him and he was beaten, thrown in pits, placed in stocks and publicly ridiculed. And if he chose to shut his mouth he felt the fire of God’s word burning in his bones.
For followers of Christ, speaking the truth in love will not be perceived as love rather it will make them highly unpopular. It will cost us a life of incurable wounds and perpetual pain. We will be misunderstood and hated by the very ones we love and want to protect.
And even though this reluctant young man relentlessly warned his people of God’s judgments, not a single soul stirred in response. Sadly, Jeremiah did live to see the destruction of his beloved nation.
What was required of Jeremiah and his nation back then, applies to us even today. In his lamentations, he reminds his people of God’s steadfast love and that the Lord will surely show mercy and grace to restore and rebuild, only when they repent of their sins and return to Him.
mikan on September 28, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Hello everyone…
Praises to God!
The devotional for today is truly worth to be reflected upon. I don’t think that it’s just all about homosexuality but it’s all about sin.
All of us have sin and nobody is exempted. We don’t have any right to condemn nor judge anybody. God forgive us again and again and He never condemn us, instead He showed more goodness and create a good example of what we should also be towards our neighbors.
There are people who were still seeking of their true identity, they’re seeking for something and we should keep in mind that God has created us for a purpose. It could be that He will used me/you to help these people discover the mission that the Lord has prepared for them. It is never to late for anyone else. It’s never to late for a change and return into the loving arms of our Father. ^_^
Let us remember that “God has loved us first and we also have to do the same”.
God bless us all!^_^
Gary4orphans on September 28, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Hi Mikan: I have to differ on one point you raise. You say we have no right to judge. I am a Bible teacher so I cover this a lot. I tell people to read BEYOND Matthew 7:1. Read the REST of that chapter. How do we know who the swine are if we can’t “judge” (evaluate)? How will we know them by their fruit if we are not allowed to be fruit inspectors. Look at Corinthians. We will do WHAT with Angles? We will JUDGE them! Judge in the sense of evaluation; in the sense of leadership. We are not only “allowed” to Judge, we are actually COMMANDED to do so. What does the rest of that passage say about judging angels? Since you WILL judge angels are you not qualified to judge small matters? Works for me! You are correct that “we” don’t “condemn” anyone; that’s not up to us to condemn, but we must Judge so we can sound the alarm. Which of course reminds me of Ezek 3 and also 33. How do we know to warn the wicked man if we aren’t allowed to recoginize a wicked man when we see one?
Daren on September 29, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Because today’s society is so politically correct, the homosexual “movement” has made its way into the mainstream. 20 or more years ago while we knew that homosexuality was somewhat prevalent even those that participated “knew their place” in society.
God, said in Leviticus as well as Romans that man shouldn’t sleep with man as he would a woman. If you can read then you can comprehend the scripture. It’s in black and white and there isn’t any grey area. Yes, a sin is a sin no matter what it is as its already been mentioned by previous posters. God loves the sinner but, not the sin.
The media has been at the forefront of portraying being a homosexual as okay. In movies, books, magazines and television its okay to be a homosexual. We as Christians sit on the sidelines. If a Christian speaks out about homosexuals then he/she is labeled as a “hate monger’ and the Christian faith is attacked. I understand that there are other types of sins but, none has been such a hot button topic as homosexuality.
I hope & pray that those who participate in the homosexual lifestyle would change their ways.
God Bless
mysavinggrace on September 29, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Homosexuality is a sin, no doubt. And I do believe in speaking up when we have to. But I also believe that gays are just as lost as the others. They are entangled by the web of lies Satan has spun. Therefore, I believe in reaching out to them, in love and speaking up about how wrong it is. The Holy Spirit will do the rest.
swalke01 on September 29, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Thank you for your thoughtful comments daisymarygoldr. Amen
Invisible on October 4, 2010 at 4:36 pm
Until recently I vehemently disagreed with most of what has been said, but some have shown me what the bible (God) has to say about this subject and I can no longer deny that before God it is sin.
It is the treatment of them by many loving Christians that I still can’t reconcile in my mind. I had a close friend all the way through school. He had never engaged in homosexual behavior but a couple of weeks shy of his 16th birthday he went to his Christian father to tell him that he had been having homosexual feelings towards a guy he knew. He knew his father would be upset but risked going to him with something that was tearing him up inside. His father told him that in God’s eyes he deserved to die, and that he was to change his way of thinking or he would no longer have a place in the family. Todd had dated two girls before going to his father, trying to be what God and his father accepted. I’ll never forget talking to my friend three nights before his birthday.
We walked home from school together and I asked what was wrong. He no longer hung out after school or on weekends. Everyone was wondering what was up with him. We loved him for who he was, a once happy kid who loved life and was there for everyone. He told me what he’d disclosed to his dad. I was suprised, good looking guy who had about 6 girls falling over themselves to to be noticed by him. He was my buddy and I had secretly been attracted to him as well. I was shy and never had the guts to say so, and was kind of glad at that moment. I looked him in the eyes and told him that his dad was wrong. He wasn’t worthless because he had feelings that his dad didn’t approve of. I had never understood his or his parents religion but he had accepted my friendship regardless of whether i believed what he believed.
As we went our seperate ways home he said “I don’t know how to change who I am.” That was a Friday.
Monday night their was a sweet 16 party at his home for him. We were all there. His mom was there. His sister was there. His father was not.
At the end of the night we all hugged him and celebrated his life. Tuesday morning when we arrived at school we were all instructed to go directly to the auditorium. After all of the students had come in the principal stood at the lectern , and he was crying. Not just a tear in his eyes, but tears rolling down his cheeks as he told us that the school had received a call that morning. Todd was dead. He’d commited suicide.
After everyone had left the party the night before, he’d kissed his mom goodnight, hugged his little sister and went off to his room. When his father went out to the detached garage to leave for work the next morning he found Todd’s body in his birthday gift he’d received the week before talking to his dad. His track jersey stuffed up in the tail pipe.
No note, but I could have written it for him. It would have said…”I’m sorry. I don’t know how to change who I am.”
It’s been 26 years and the memory still makes my heart ache.
No one understood the pain that he was wrestling with and the one person he went to rejected him for his sin.
Is this Christian love? Yes, it was sin, I accept that now, but worth death? If so, I deserve death as well. I may not struggle with the same things Todd did, but I was and am no better.
swalke01 on October 4, 2010 at 8:40 pm
The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakes me morning by morning: awakes my ear to listen like one being taught Isaiah 50:4
swalke01 on October 24, 2010 at 9:08 am
An thank you too Mikan
swalke01 on October 24, 2010 at 9:23 am
Dear Invisible
Thank you for sharing your story. It is my son’s 16th birthday today and I pray that he feels loved and accepted.
God bless
joanith on April 14, 2011 at 7:25 pm
When it comes to homosexuality, I admit that it is a sin for those who participate in it, but it is no different from any other sin that anyone, who does not participate in this lifestyle, commits. All of us, christian or not, sin in one way or another.
Even though the bible says that we must help a person turn away from that particular sin, that person may not want to listen.
So, in the end, it will be up to God to judge a homosexual person.