An LGBTQetc Matter

[Delphinium]

With all the hype these days about love is love, love trumps hate.. etc, with gays pushing their agenda to normalize their lifestyle, what do you think is the best way to react to those around you who are friends or family members who have opposite beliefs about the gay lifestyle?
Do you believe it is ok to be friends with, visit, hang out with friends or family members who are gay, and if so, do you talk about your beliefs if the subject comes up (without them asking your opinion) about gay marriage, gay adoption, etc. Or do you remain non-judgmental and just be an example of Christ-like love?
Or do you just avoid these relationships altogether?
What do you say to children, or grown children who now believe the worldly view that the gay lifestyle is normal, after being taught this in school and listening to peer influence?

 

[Huglife]

I don't discriminate. I will not hate someone just because they are gay. Sure I don't agree with them. But I will not judge them because of that. I will judge them based on their character. Not their beliefs. Same with muslims and anyone else. Jesus told us to "Love thy neighbor as thy own." And "Love each other, as I have loved you."

This is not excluded to gays. And in all honesty, Kids should be allowed to learn the rights and wrongs, and then decide which is right or not. Tell them what the Lord says.
"Thy shall not lie with a man, as you would a woman, for you have committed a detestable sin." Leviticus 18:22

 

[RickyZ]

If they are not saved, love the sinner but hate the sin. You should be around them because thru you the Holy Spirit can convict and woo them to salvation.

If they are saved, it is ok to have gay leanings but not to act on them. satan has had thousands of years to sow infirmity into our very DNA, thus having those tendencies is not always a choice. I have gay friends who struggle with this conundrum. The more they stick with God the stronger they get, so it is imperative that we support them.

If they are saved and act on their impulses, the Bible is clear. Offer them correction, by yourself and with others, and if they do not accept it then shun them until they do return to Godliness.

 

[Ugly]

Just go about your normal business being yourself. I've worked with gays and never felt compelled to being the subject up, but if it had come up I would have spoken my mind.

Let me ask you this. Replace the word gay with alcoholic, or sleeping around, or angry, or overeating or any other sin. How would you handle them?

 

[dcontroversal]

The Lord ate with publicans, sinners and whores.....you cannot win the lost if you never socialize with the lost......in the world, but not of the world.....we all have lost family, friends, co-workers, neighbors etc. that we deal with on a regular basis....we do not have to condone their lifestyles and if Jesus shines though us we my per chance get the opportunity to witness and lay bare what we believe and why without them immediately opposing us and the gospel we preach.

 

[graceNpeace]

The Lord ate with publicans, sinners and whores.....you cannot win the lost if you never socialize with the lost......in the world, but not of the world.....we all have lost family, friends, co-workers, neighbors etc. that we deal with on a regular basis....we do not have to condone their lifestyles and if Jesus shines though us we my per chance get the opportunity to witness and lay bare what we believe and why without them immediately opposing us and the gospel we preach.

Brilliantly put!
I would kiss you if I could (not be taken the wrong way)...

 

[dcontroversal]

Brilliantly put!
I would kiss you if I could (not be taken the wrong way)...

Amen and that gives a whole new meaning to greet the brethren with a holy kiss HAHAH all I will say is God designed a master piece when he made a woman.......

 

[Adstar]

If they are not saved, love the sinner but hate the sin. You should be around them because thru you the Holy Spirit can convict and woo them to salvation.

If they are saved, it is ok to have gay leanings but not to act on them. satan has had thousands of years to sow infirmity into our very DNA, thus having those tendencies is not always a choice. I have gay friends who struggle with this conundrum. The more they stick with God the stronger they get, so it is imperative that we support them.

If they are saved and act on their impulses, the Bible is clear. Offer them correction, by yourself and with others, and if they do not accept it then shun them until they do return to Godliness.

Sin is not only in the doing of sin.. It is also in the thinking of sin.. If a man even thinks of having sexual relations with a woman then Jesus said he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.. Therefore thinking of it is the same as doing it..

Likewise if a homosexual thinks about having sexual relations with another man then in the eyes of God he has already done it..

Therefore both these people need to acknowledge the sin of their thoughts to God and rely of the Atonement of Jesus to cover these sins of their thoughts..

People being born with the tendency to sin is irreverent to the issue.. Sin does not suddenly become ok because a person is born with the tendency to sin.. We are all born with the inherited sin nature. But that does not make our sins good and ok.. Likewise the tendency towards homosexual sin is not suddenly good and ok but it is still sin in need for the atonement of the LORD Jesus Christ..

Teaching people that they are ok having sin tendencies is preaching death to them because they will think their sin is not sin and will not acknowledge it as such to God and thus they shall not be forgiven their sin..

 

[graceNpeace]

Sin is not only in the doing of sin.. It is also in the thinking of sin.. If a man even thinks of having sexual relations with a woman then Jesus said he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.. Therefore thinking of it is the same as doing it..

Likewise if a homosexual thinks about having sexual relations with another man then in the eyes of God he has already done it..

Therefore both these people need to acknowledge the sin of their thoughts to God and rely of the Atonement of Jesus to cover these sins of their thoughts..

People being born with the tendency to sin is irreverent to the issue.. Sin does not suddenly become ok because a person is born with the tendency to sin.. We are all born with the inherited sin nature. But that does not make our sins good and ok.. Likewise the tendency towards homosexual sin is not suddenly good and ok but it is still sin in need for the atonement of the LORD Jesus Christ..

Teaching people that they are ok having sin tendencies is preaching death to them because they will think their sin is not sin and will not acknowledge it as such to God and thus they shall not be forgiven their sin..

Very insightful post, again brilliantly explained!

 

[Depleted]

With all the hype these days about love is love, love trumps hate.. etc, with gays pushing their agenda to normalize their lifestyle, what do you think is the best way to react to those around you who are friends or family members who have opposite beliefs about the gay lifestyle?
Do you believe it is ok to be friends with, visit, hang out with friends or family members who are gay, and if so, do you talk about your beliefs if the subject comes up (without them asking your opinion) about gay marriage, gay adoption, etc. Or do you remain non-judgmental and just be an example of Christ-like love?
Or do you just avoid these relationships altogether?
What do you say to children, or grown children who now believe the worldly view that the gay lifestyle is normal, after being taught this in school and listening to peer influence?

Did I miss another memo? Are we supposed to be giving surveys to people before deciding if we like them first? Before we deemed them the right kind of people to hang out with? And how many questions into that survey before the, "Oh, BTW, are you heterosexual" comes up?

I tend to go with be nice to people at first. Once I get to know them a little better, then I start deciding if they're my kind of people. And "my kind of people" doesn't usually go to sexuality, politics, or whatever. It tends to go to plain-talking, low-maintenance, give-and-be-willing-to-take, can-joke-around-or-be-serious, non-perfectionist kinds of people. "My kind of people."

And, since they are my kind of people, they aren't offended because I'm conservative, aren't offended because I'm not housewife material, aren't offended because my house is dusty, (no longer messy though lol), aren't offended that I'm a Christian -- a real Christian -- with all that entails.

So by the time that's established, I'm also not offended if they are liberals, are home-bodies or job-workers, like clean houses, and disagree with my on Biblical/God issues. They already know I'll argue them by that time, but that's probably how we became friends. They didn't think I was a jackass simply because I disagreed with them. And I don't think they're jackasses because they disagree with me. AND we both surely know exactly who is right and wrong with these arguments. From both sides, the mantra is set, "I am right and you are wrong." Since we're low-maintenance, we don't think that changes the relation. Matter of fact, it adds to it, because neither one of us is getting a Yes Man deal out of this relationship. We'll know both sides of the argument, and yet we can still get along and enjoy ourselves.

Basically, that is the ability to tell the godly message. All my homosexual friends over the years completely understand I do not agree with it and have not kicked me to the curb for that. And if they do kick me to the curb, it wasn't much of a friendship to begin with. There is more to life than sexuality. I don't go blabbing my sexuality to them, and they don't blab theirs with me. But we both know what each other thinks.

Much easier that filling out a survey to determine if I'm allowed to have that person as a friend.

 

[Rockrz]

I don't discriminate.

Well, you don't decide who enters in to the Lord's Kingdom... He does, cause it's HIS Kingdom!

Those that walk after the flesh will not enter in... so they need to get saved and forsake their sin, or spend eternity apart from God.

Galatians 5:18-21
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9,10
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

 

[88]

With all the hype these days about love is love, love trumps hate.. etc, with gays pushing their agenda to normalize their lifestyle, what do you think is the best way to react to those around you who are friends or family members who have opposite beliefs about the gay lifestyle?
Do you believe it is ok to be friends with, visit, hang out with friends or family members who are gay, and if so, do you talk about your beliefs if the subject comes up (without them asking your opinion) about gay marriage, gay adoption, etc. Or do you remain non-judgmental and just be an example of Christ-like love?
Or do you just avoid these relationships altogether?
What do you say to children, or grown children who now believe the worldly view that the gay lifestyle is normal, after being taught this in school and listening to peer influence?

***pray for those in these lifestyles***discuss with family members if they are open to it***being around sinners is a challenge, but we are called to be salt and light***presenting your views in a firm yet loving way is a challenge***some are not ready to discuss these topics***

 

[graceNpeace]

Well, you don't decide who enters in to the Lord's Kingdom... He does, cause it's HIS Kingdom!

Those that walk after the flesh will not enter in... so they need to get saved and forsake their sin, or spend eternity apart from God.

Galatians 5:18-21
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9,10
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

That was hardly the point of her post, now was it.
She was not making any reference about who gets to go heaven, merely that she wouldn't discriminate against a gay person in her personal life.
Seems you didn't get that.

 

[trofimus]

There are sins and there are detestable sins.

It is detestable to be sexually attracted to the same gender, to animals, to children, to dead bodies, to excrements, to blood etc.

Because they rejected God, God has given them over to unhealthy mind to do what is not natural so that their stupidity and perversity is visible to all.

 

[PennEd]

The Lord ate with publicans, sinners and whores.....you cannot win the lost if you never socialize with the lost......in the world, but not of the world.....we all have lost family, friends, co-workers, neighbors etc. that we deal with on a regular basis....we do not have to condone their lifestyles and if Jesus shines though us we my per chance get the opportunity to witness and lay bare what we believe and why without them immediately opposing us and the gospel we preach.

I heard a very interesting take on Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham's bartering with God the other day.

The Pastor said, since we know Abraham was a righteous person, and it can be assumed that he had at LEAST 10 other righteous in his land, why didn't Abraham move into Sodom?

God told him if there were 10 righteous He would spare the city. He gave Abraham the key to at least temporarily save them.

Should we separate ourselves completely from the world? Or rather be salt and light to the lost?

 

[dcontroversal]

That was hardly the point of her post, now was it.
She was not making any reference about who gets to go heaven, merely that she wouldn't discriminate against a gay person in her personal life.
Seems you didn't get that.

Of course not....he and his legalistic, working for, sinless perfectionists pals always default to their hypocritical stance that mirrors the Pharisee of old...........cake takers

 

[RickyZ]

Sin is not only in the doing of sin.. It is also in the thinking of sin.. If a man even thinks of having sexual relations with a woman then Jesus said he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.. Therefore thinking of it is the same as doing it..

Likewise if a homosexual thinks about having sexual relations with another man then in the eyes of God he has already done it..

Therefore both these people need to acknowledge the sin of their thoughts to God and rely of the Atonement of Jesus to cover these sins of their thoughts..

People being born with the tendency to sin is irreverent to the issue.. Sin does not suddenly become ok because a person is born with the tendency to sin.. We are all born with the inherited sin nature. But that does not make our sins good and ok.. Likewise the tendency towards homosexual sin is not suddenly good and ok but it is still sin in need for the atonement of the LORD Jesus Christ..

Teaching people that they are ok having sin tendencies is preaching death to them because they will think their sin is not sin and will not acknowledge it as such to God and thus they shall not be forgiven their sin..

As long as we are in the flesh we will be subject to the flesh. We may subdue it and control it but it is, in the end, still flesh. Science has proven that sexual deviancies can be had wired into our minds and thus the onl way to be rid of it once and for all is to leave the flesh.

Having a thought is not sin. Harboring those thoughts is. Acting on them even more so.

The Bible lists sexual sins as a 'special category', being judged and punished to a greater degree than other sins like drunkenness.

Those who think these sins are a choice have never had gay friends, and do not accept scientific evidence.

 

[Grace777x70]

As long as we are in the flesh we will be subject to the flesh. We may subdue it and control it but it is, in the end, still flesh. Science has proven that sexual deviancies can be had wired into our minds and thus the onl way to be rid of it once and for all is to leave the flesh.

Having a thought is not sin. Harboring those thoughts is. Acting on them even more so.

The Bible lists sexual sins as a 'special category', being judged and punished to a greater degree than other sins like drunkenness.

Those who think these sins are a choice have never had gay friends, and do not accept scientific evidence.

I agree with you Rickyz. The flesh which has the law of sin still in it has a "voice". Rom. 7:17-22

We can just ignore that voice when it rises up and say "That's not who I am in Christ" . Sin shall not have dominion over me because I am under grace and not law. I am alive to God in Christ.

If we acted on and believed every thought that came in our minds - we'd be basket cases.

I heard a guy say one time - "Thoughts are like birds - you can't stop them from flying by your mind but you can stop them from making a nest in your head."

 

[Meggido]

Sin is not only in the doing of sin.. It is also in the thinking of sin.. If a man even thinks of having sexual relations with a woman then Jesus said he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.. Therefore thinking of it is the same as doing it..

Likewise if a homosexual thinks about having sexual relations with another man then in the eyes of God he has already done it..

Therefore both these people need to acknowledge the sin of their thoughts to God and rely of the Atonement of Jesus to cover these sins of their thoughts..

People being born with the tendency to sin is irreverent to the issue.. Sin does not suddenly become ok because a person is born with the tendency to sin.. We are all born with the inherited sin nature. But that does not make our sins good and ok.. Likewise the tendency towards homosexual sin is not suddenly good and ok but it is still sin in need for the atonement of the LORD Jesus Christ..

Teaching people that they are ok having sin tendencies is preaching death to them because they will think their sin is not sin and will not acknowledge it as such to God and thus they shall not be forgiven their sin..

James 1.13-16

[SUP]13 [/SUP]Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. [SUP]14 [/SUP]But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. [SUP]15 [/SUP]Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. [SUP]16 [/SUP]Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

2 cor 10.3-6
[SUP]3 [/SUP]For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, [SUP]4 [/SUP]for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. [SUP]5 [/SUP]We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, [SUP]6 [/SUP]and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

A thought as shown above is not SIN unless it is acted upon in your heart.


I remember doing a church visit one Sunday and a woman walked in, of the world, and was wearing a low cut dress.

A deacon was next to me and the wise old Pastor of the church and the deacon said, That Jezebel should not be wearing that to church!
The wise old pastor replied, and the deacon should have renewed his mind against lusting over women in low cut dresses.

 

[tourist]

With all the hype these days about love is love, love trumps hate.. etc, with gays pushing their agenda to normalize their lifestyle, what do you think is the best way to react to those around you who are friends or family members who have opposite beliefs about the gay lifestyle?
Do you believe it is ok to be friends with, visit, hang out with friends or family members who are gay, and if so, do you talk about your beliefs if the subject comes up (without them asking your opinion) about gay marriage, gay adoption, etc. Or do you remain non-judgmental and just be an example of Christ-like love?
Or do you just avoid these relationships altogether?
What do you say to children, or grown children who now believe the worldly view that the gay lifestyle is normal, after being taught this in school and listening to peer influence?

I've been friends with several gay people in my life. Yes, hopefully I set a good example. Gay lifestyle is definitely not normal however unless it's the new normal. I must be abnormal then.