Christian singer admits he's gay

I really struggled about whether to post this because I dont want it to appear as gossip or like I'm pointing fingers at someone.

1) it can't be gossip since he has already gone public with this and is proud of his sin.

2) I'm not pointing fingers, but rather asking the brethren to be in prayer for this deceived man.

Ray Boltz, who is famous for the songs "Thank You (For Giving To The Lord)" and "I Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb" has admitted to having struggled with homosexuality for decades, and has embraced the lifestyle as a gift from God.

This is tremendous deception and delusion, and we need to be in prayer for this man.

Here is what has been written about it.

[color=FF0000][i]September 12, 2008 4:24PM

[b]Ray Boltz Comes Out[/b]

ChristianityToday.com
Mark Moring

Ray Boltz, who sold about 4.5 million records before retiring from Christian music a few years ago, came out of the closet Friday to announce that he's gay.

In an interview with the gay magazine The Washington Blade, Boltz said he came out to his family and some close friends in December 2004, but only now decided to go public with the news.

“I’d denied it ever since I was a kid," Boltz, 55, told the magazine. "I became a Christian, I thought that was the way to deal with this and I prayed hard and tried for 30-some years and then at the end, I was just going, ‘I’m still gay. I know I am.’ And I just got to the place where I couldn’t take it anymore … when I was going through all this darkness, I thought, ‘Just end this.’”

One reason Boltz decided to come out now might be because he's performing Sunday at Jesus Metropolitan Community Church in Indianapolis, and then next Sunday, Sept. 21, at the Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, D.C. Both congregations are a part of a denomination that embraces the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community.

Boltz is perhaps best known for his song "Thank You," about a dream in which a Christian thanks the Sunday school teacher who led him to Jesus. It was the GMA song of the year in 1990. Other Boltz hits include "Watch the Lamb," "The Anchor Holds," and "I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb."

Boltz also told The Blade that [b]he doesn’t want to get into debates about Scripture[/b] and has no plans to “go into First Baptist or an Assembly of God church and run in there and say, ‘I’m gay and you need to love me anyway.’”

For him, the decision to come out is much more personal.

“This is what it really comes down to,” he says. “If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live. It’s not like God made me this way and he’ll send me to hell if I am who he created me to be … I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself.”

Earlier, Boltz had alluded to the issue on his official website, saying that if people “knew who I really was, I would never be accepted."[/i][/color]

Interesting that he doesnt want to debate scripture. "Don't confuse me with the truth!" When the Word of God convicts you of your sin you have two choices... repent, or dump the Word of God.

Unfortunately in Ray Boltz's case he has chosen to ignore God's Word.

It's very sad, especially considering his sin led to his divorce, and caused much hurt for his 4 children.

We should pray that God will lead him to true repentance... which is going to be a miracle because now Boltz is playing in gay churches where no doubt he will be raised up as their poster child. He will find human acceptance there and it will be like herion to a junky.

Krispy

I think because most of us can't relate to the struggle at all, it is easier to point fingers

Yes, and thats why I have tried to address this with some sensitivity. I dont understand what gay people go thru. But that also doesn't mean that we should not declare what God says about such sins.

I have to die to myself daily on a number of different things. Lust of the eyes being one of them. Most Christian men won't admit they struggle with this, but hey... I'll be honest about it. I do!

So on some level I can relate to Boltz's struggle.

I will say this tho, homosexuality is one of the few sins that the Lord specifically calls an "abomination". So I do think there are certain sins which the Lord considers more serious. All sin is serious, but some more than others. I dont know how else to explain what I'm trying to say... but hoping y'all catch my meaning.

Krispy

He left a comment on his websight:

http://www.rayboltz.com/

I know of a "evangelical" chuch that allows gay people serve in the church and sing in the choir. The church doesnt stop them because they feel "we all have sin" and if we stop them from serving in the church then they wont hear the gospel and ruin the chances of them getting right with God.

I've heard and seen that reasoning before too... and it's utter foolishness.

First off, yes we all sin. However there is a difference between being a sinner saved by grace... and a sinner not thinking that his sin is a sin.

I struggle with sin in my life. We all do. But when someone stands up and says "God made me this way... and so I will embrace this", that is absolute rebellion against God. In fact it is an accusation agaisnt God. How cruel for God to create people gay, and then call it an abomination!

When someone ebraces a sinful lifestyle, no matter what that sin might be... and refuses to repent, then scripture actually exhorts the church to put them out, not let them participate.

If the church lets them participate it gives that sinner a false sense of security... that what they are doing is acceptable to God. It also sends a message to others within that church that a little bit of sin isnt so bad.

Thats exactly why scripture says "put them out".

I exhort everyone here to pray for Ray Boltz and his family... especially his ex-wife. However, at the same time, unless he repents he is not welcome (as a brother) in my church. If he came sincerely seeking the truth then our arms are open, but if he remains unrepentant and claims he is living as God meant for him to live, then for the spiritual protection of the church... he would not be welcome.

Does that make sense?

Krispy

At a church our family attended awhile back they had a youth leader who my oldest kids discerned was gay. He would not openly say he was gay but you could discern that he was by his behavior ect..One time he suggested that we make all of the kids shirts pink.

The pastor of the church even preached (I believe prophesied)once that he believed eventually homosexuals would push their agenda on the church not realizing it was happening in his own congregation. I told the youth pastor about it and warned him to do something so the blood is not on my hands.

I don't know if they ever did do anything about it but it's in the Lord's hands now.

Yea, I know a guy who was the music director at a Pentecostal church. I consider him a friend. I know there had been some rough patches in his marriage, but he never has gone into any detail... but by his mannerism I get a real sense that it had to do with him struggling with homosexuality.

Now, I can say pretty safely that he is dying to those desires daily. In that particular case I dont have a problem with that. There is no difference between him seeking the Lord's strength to die to homosexual desires as there is me asking God to give me the strength not to look upon a woman with lust.

You can't really control what tempts you. Some are tempted by alcohol, some lying, almost all lust. The issue is what we do about it. If we hit our knees and rely totally on God's strength being sufficient for us... then we are clean before our Lord. If we gleefully indulge in our sinful desires with no repentance at all ... we are seperated from God.

Krispy

Can you imagine if we all decided that it was ok to just live out our desires... because after all, God created us like that (with those desires)?

It would be total chaos!

This whole idea that we should live out who we "really are" is absurd. If I lived out my own desires I would have murdered someone by now... be living inside a whisky bottle, coon doggin' after every short skirt I saw... etc etc. But hey, I would be who I truly am!

Thank God we have been set free from who we truly are! No one is righteous, yet that is what we are called to. God didnt call us to be ourselves, He called us to be like Him.

Krispy

Joan, good post!

Just would like to point out that everyone here that has posted has said only caring things about Ray Boltz. I cant imagine the struggle he has had... and the fact that as you pointed out, no one picked up on it and helped him. But as Boltz said, he worked hard to keep it from everyone. So it's not exactly the church's fault.

Also, this is exactly what the church gets when they put someone up on a pedastol. We put so much pressure on these people to be perfect and almost super human. We cant continue to do that. The church did that to Bob Dylan... and drove him away.

Krispy

I will say this tho, homosexuality is one of the few sins that the Lord specifically calls an "abomination". So I do think there are certain sins which the Lord considers more serious. All sin is serious, but some more than others. I dont know how else to explain what I'm trying to say... but hoping y'all catch my meaning.

I do catch your meaning but wanted to lovingly point out that there are a few other sins that we ourselves could be committing that are an abomination to God . . . Like eating shark, swordfish, catfish,shrimp, crabs, lobsters, clams, oysters, and many others. Oh, and of course, bacon!!! (Pork and rabbit, just to name a couple.) Leviticus says, "they shall be an abomination unto you:"

Lest anyone get caught up of the words of "an abomination 'unto you'," here are some that are very serious abominations UNTO God . . .

And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Luke 16:15

Let me ask myself and everyone else . . . Since we have been born again, have we EVER misled anyone, exaggerated the truth ever so slightly, or just flat out deceived or lied? These are an abomination UNTO God. Proverbs 11.1; 12.22; 20.10; 20.23; Rev 21.27.

So I do think there are certain sins which the Lord considers more serious.

And last but not least, lest any think their abomination is any less than a homosexuals is: A proud heart is an abomination to God. Proverbs 16.5

"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone..." John 8.7b

I really like what Joan said, I can see two good things that might come out of a discussion of this issue: FIRST, examining ourselves (individually and as the Body of Christ).

This is just my personal opinion; I know we may not like homosexuality, but no one said loving the sinner would be clean and pretty!! I honestly think if we cannot present the truth in love (like Joan did for 4 hours), then we should not even attempt to confront anyone in sin until we've first examined ourselves in light of Scripture.

Having said all that.... Joan said again, If homosexuality had any part in God’s character there would be no creation. Maybe God particularly hate lies and liars because of Truth (Christ, the Word of God), and drunkenness because of His Holy Spirit.

I've never seen it like that but I'm leaning towards agreeing with you. 2 Thess 2.10b says, "because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Here is the rest 2 Thess 2.11-12 - And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

I'm not talking about Boltz or homosexuals in particular here. I'm talking about ANYONE in any walk of life (from the pastor, deacon, blog owner, blog reader, and teacher to the lay person). I'm seeing for myself, that I must be in prayer continually to have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying unto the Church so that I might know what the love of the truth is AND receive it. The love of the Truth is not usually in the Best Selling Chrisitan books either!! (huge grin)

God bless, I just dropped in!! Gotta go.