Tuesday, July 07, 2015

Just a Tiny Slice of The Gay Marriage Thing




Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."   ... Mark 2:17



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Hey. This is one complex subject, indeed, so bear in mind it's only a blog post, not a thesis or book, ok?


A friend shared an article at Facebook in which a Christian couple who owned a bakery were heavily fined and given a gag order because they wouldn't bake a cake for a lesbian couple's wedding.

I believe the amount of the fine ($135,000) was ridiculous and the gag order snatched away this couple's 1st amendment's rights (which is scary). 

I also believe the bakery couple should have a right to do business according to their convictions. Oh, and I, personally, believe the verses in the Bible which clearly state how God feels about homosexuality (in case you wondered).

But. 

I also believe sometimes God shows us our convictions may not be His-- so stuff starts to happen which, hopefully, will open our eyes.

In Today's world we must constantly ask, "What would Jesus do?" And we must remember how He talked and ate with 'sinners' like the Samaritan woman (Jews totally discriminated against Samaritans) at the well, tax collectors and prostitutes (etc.)-- all people who the religious folk believed it was holy to shun. 

Jesus, I believe, spent time with the 'unlovely' to:

Show us what God's love looks like (so we could learn and change).
Illustrate that love seeks not its own kind.
Prove to us that He came not for the perfect, but for the confused.
Show us that the highest thing (greater than being 'right') is sacrificial love for others.

On the cross He said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." And mostly? Homosexual couples do not realize what they're doing. They've no clue of their great pride in rewriting God's design for marriage, nor where that will take them.

Who did Jesus get most upset with while here on Earth? The religious, hypocritical know-it-alls. And I believe it is hypocritical to offer services to people who sin one way, but not another. That would be like me saying, "You can only read my blog if you are straight and have never committed adultery, been greedy or drunk, etc. (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). If you've 'only' lied or cheated, though, you are welcome." (And that would be stupid-crazy. For me, anyway.)

But Jesus came to seek the lost and to bring light to all those wandering in darkness. And my goal for this blog is for anyone who reads here to become closer to God through what they read. To step out of darkness into light.

What matters is how we treat others and I'll not turn away those who need Him most. And I'll keep providing this blog 'service' for everyone, no matter who you are or who you are sleeping with. 









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Do I believe it's right for anyone to be fired from their job simply because they won't sign papers saying they agree with gay marriage? Or that pastors should be forced to perform gay marriage ceremonies? Of course not.

Do I believe someday we as Christians might be heavily persecuted (marched off somewhere?) because we won't voice our celebration of homosexual practices? Yes, I do. This decision is a much bigger deal than any of us now realize. Anytime anyone tells God, "Your ways need to be changed," they are in the greatest height of defiance known to man. And as the Bible says, God will not always strive with man. There will come an end.

So lately I'm preparing myself emotionally and spiritually for any hardship where my stance might take me. And should this happen someday, may I march there with joy and courage as Jesus, His disciples and millions of others have before me.



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"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal."... 1 Corinthians 13:1

"Love changes things."

"And they'll know we are Christians by our love"---not by our treating people like they're lepers.


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Free Kindle Books:


The Green Ember

Mansion of Meows

Healing Creek: A Love Story





4 comments:

Sara said...

Yes! Good on you, and may the Lord lead us with compassion and courage into the days ahead.

lorie said...

Such a good and thought provoking post Debra.

Bonnie said...

So much contention lately. And I'm afraid the "other" side isn't listening well....based on the responses I hear, anyway. Anyone who knows good biblical Christians know that we mean no harm to anyone, gay or otherwise. Love, Love, Love. Lot's of name calling and lots of anger out there. But we shall overcome!

Debra said...

Sara--thanks! Being led with compassion makes a huge difference which we can only find out about when we actually do it. (That's why it can be a secret sometimes... We don't often do it long enough to see the results.) :)

Dolores--thank-you so much!

Bonnie--yeah, it's pretty bad out there, right? But I like what one woman said on Facebook--it's good to remember that The News always tells us the bad news. She went on to say she saw one story where Christians stood on the side lines of a gay parade holding signs that said, "We love you. Free hugs!" And the parade people were running to them for their free hugs. Cool, huh? :)

Thanks, Ladies! Blessings, Debra