ODJ: an apology
November 10, 2010
Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye (v.42).
READ: Luke 6:37-42
A pastor friend of mine recently said that the Christian church ought to apologize and repent of the hurt it has caused to the homosexual community. That’s a pretty radical statement, but I happen to agree.
Now, before you label me as someone going soft on sin, please understand that I believe the Bible teaches that homosexuality is wrong. Romans 1:26-27 plainly states that homosexual behavior is unnatural and against God’s created design for sexual expression. But to reach out and show God’s love to those involved in homosexuality requires much more than simply telling them it’s wrong.
Unfortunately, some Christians have stigmatized and self-righteously singled out homosexuality as the worst of all sins. Many of us have acted as if this sin is greater than our own sin and condemned those who indulge in the lifestyle. It’s as if we’ve tried to get them completely changed before we get them into God’s family—let alone welcome them to sit in our pews on Sundays.
Sadly, we’ve responded out of an “us versus them” mentality. We have failed to understand that when the Bible tells us that Jesus was known as a friend of sinners, it didn’t say, except for certain kinds of sinners (Mt. 11:18-19).
As believers in Jesus, we need to acknowledge that the homosexual community feels alienated by the church partly because of the words and behavior of some people who claim to be Christians. Yes, we are to uphold God’s original design for sexual identity and expression, but we’ve been wrong to use the truth as a club.
Jesus, help us to see and own the mistakes we’ve made so we can offer a safe haven for men and women to receive the grace of Jesus—grace that can repair any life that is broken by sin. —Jeff Olson
How have you acted self-righteously toward those in the homosexual community? How do you need to change the way you share God’s truth in love with people who are involved in homosexuality?
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