The world has changed. Gone are the days when you could say the word “marriage” and know the genders of the persons involved. In many countries you can no longer assume that a person that stands before you is male or female. Homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism aren’t just accepted, they are fads, media obsessed and in many cases school-taught fads.
Fads which go hand in hand with intimidation, hostility and ironically, intolerance towards anyone who disagrees with such behaviors, of coarse in the name of “love”, tolerance and inclusivity. This social environment has set the stage for a significant challenge to the modern day church, which was once an almost unchallenged bearer of morality and truth.
This post-modern world believes it to be absolutely true that there is no absolute truth; making concepts of morality irrelevant at best and oppressive at worst. How should the church function in such a world?
The Word of God is clear. 1st Corinthians chapter 6, verses 9 and 11 says “Do not be deceived, the sexually immoral, homosexual offenders” (and a long list of persons) “will not inherit the kingdom of God, and that is what some of you were.” It’s harsh, but gives hope; “that is what some of you were.” But what do we do with these biblical sexual ethics when they are so emotive and irritating to the people we are called to reach?
The Ostrich Approach
At the sight of danger the ostrich sinks it’s head into the sand, it disengages altogether. The Church of Ostrich (not a real name) does the same, it avoids the topic. “We don’t teach on homosexuality here” a Tanzanian friend reported his elders said, “it makes people too uncomfortable”. Many times fearful that persons who are struggling with homosexuality or transgender issues will be pushed away from the church, we try to protect them from the Word of God by hiding it's offence and using strategic avoidance.
This is a recipe for disaster, the Church of Ostrich is a sitting duck waiting in immaturity for a mature problem to cause chaos.
Hooked by Fake Love
At the sound of trigger words like “love”, the world falls in love; even if what is being said has nothing to do with actual love. The devil and LGBT advocates know this; hence a flurry of slogans like “Same Love”, “Love Wins”, “Love is Love”. But 1st Corinthians chapter 13, verse 6 says “Love does not delight in evil”, so how can homosexuality be involved in real love? The Church of the World has been hooked by demonic, shallow and emotionally manipulative arguments into becoming no different from the world.
We distort God into someone who’s goal is to make us happy, not whole, not mature and certainly not holy. These kinds of “churches” thinking themselves wise, exchange the truth of God for a lie. Entire denominations have committed to promoting homosexuality as good and normal! The Church of the World loves people more than God and have found themselves in the clutches of idolatry.
A Holy Addiction
At the taste of Jesus, the Church of Jesus Christ hungers and thirsts for more! The seduction of being liked, the desire to seem progressive and regard for the faces of men are consumed by the blazing passion within our hearts: a Consuming Fire of Love for God! We are clenched by the all surpassing greatness of knowing Christ and a profound desire that His Name would be honoured among men; a fire shut up in our bones!
We do not attempt to be more harsh or more loving than the Perfect Word. We love people with a passion, and we love God with ever overflowing and increasing passion! Our hearts, souls, minds and strengths wait excitedly for the return of the King of Kings and we labour to prepare the whole church and the whole world to meet our Lord. We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, storming the gates of hell and like Jesus, destroying the devil’s work.
The challenge that we face can be rightly viewed as complex, multifaceted and difficult. At the very base of it all though, a fundamental fork in the road persistently arises and each person and each church must choose.. Who will we love more: men or God?
Dr. Daniel Thomas is a medical doctor and Christian Advocate who loves the Lord deeply. He currently leads a youth organization called the Love March Movement which is committed to empowering the youth to fight for sexual purity and the family in Jamaica.