A Note on Homosexuality

A note on Homosexuality.
I try not to comment directly on any group of people in these blogs. I strongly feel that all people are equal in the eyes of God. That he does not play favourites and that all people everywhere need to come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Still someone questioned me the other day asking, can a homosexual get into heaven. I knew the correct answer, but I ran it past my pastor anyway. He agreed with me saying without hesitation, yes.
That being said I believe the Christian community and especially those who espouse to be evangelical Christians are doing at the very least a disservice to the Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) community.
Sadly all too many treat members of this community as if they have a so called “special sin” nothing could be further from the truth. No one is born with or acquires a special sin.
The Apostle Paul writing to the Romans wrote,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
                                                                          Romans 3:23.
By all he means all, every, man woman, child, pope, priest, minister, Christian, president, Prime Minister and anyone else who ever lived.
I believe sin separates us from God. That all sin no matter how big or small is equal that there are no special sins.
Sin is simply falling short of God’s ideals for one’s life. Not doing what God want’s us to do.
I believe the Psalmist who said,
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” 
                                                                     Psalm 139:13-16.
According to the Psalmist God knit us together in our mothers womb. That to me tells me God knows our DNA. God also knows our heart and wants all mankind to draw near to him. That I believe is why he said to his disciples and to us not to Judge.
Jesus made it clear,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 
Matthew 7:1,2
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” 
Matthew 7:12.
I certainly would not want mortals judging me. No man or woman however wise truly knows the heart and mind of another person.
Our churches should be a place where anyone can come to learn about Christ. A place of safety a place of understanding.
Sadly they are not always that way. I certainly have experience people who have been harsh with me and failed to accept me for what I am.
 I live with Bipolar Affective Disorder (manic depression) and I have actually had a person in the church come up to me and say mental illness is an excuse for being weak a person who claims to have it needs to pick themselves up by their boot straps and get on with life.
A second person even accused me of being demon possessed. What Garbage!
I heard and interesting comment on a Christian radio show this morning. The commentator apparently asked people if they were caught drunk driving and their names appeared in the news paper the next day, would they feel comfortable about going to church that Sunday.
The majority of people sadly said they wouldn’t. That they’d wait for several weeks until the dust settle before returning to church.
The commentator noted that it should not be this way. That it was the equivalent of a man breaking a leg and not wanting to go to a hospital because they didn’t want the doctors to see them injured.
Our churches need to be all inclusive. They need to reach out to all people no matter their way of life. And by “All” I mean all should feel free to come into our churches and feel accepted.
For me as a Christian I have, I believe, one job to present the good news of Jesus Christ to people.
Yes I believe members of the LBGT community can get to heaven they are like anyone else in the world subject to the same rules as everyone else they I believe must believe the following,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 
John 14:6
I believe everyone must confess their sins to God. That it is God who convicts people of their sin. He shows them the sin in their life. God shows the individual where they fall short of Him. No man can do that.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 
1John 1:9-10
In short everyone sins even if it’s just driving one kilometre over the speed limit or failing to be completely honest for whatever reason or for that matter judges someone.
I believe that Salvation comes from God that he reached down to mankind. That we must receive his saving grace. The apostle Paul writes,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” 
Ephesians 2:8,9
I believe that man could never be good enough to meet God thus he sent down his one and only son do die for us,
Paul writing to the Romans saying,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 
Romans 5:8
Ultimately all of what I believe comes down to faith. The writer of Hebrews saying,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 
Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.’
Hebrews 11:6
For me it’s not a matter of whether you are strait or gay. It’s a walk of faith that saves us.
We ALL must admit we are sinners in need of God’s saving  grace and we must accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior for it is he who died to save us.
Therefore I leave this thought with you.
No matter who you are, gay, lesbian, transgendered, a cross dresser, a heterosexual man or woman, a high profile televangelist, the pastor of a local church, the person who sits in the pew or for that matter someone sitting in a row boat, all need to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.
Have you accepted Christ into your life?
For it was Jesus who said,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 
        John 14:6
Think about it.