More than just Gaither

I've been sitting here on my computer reading all these different posts concerning Bill Gaither's stance on homosexuality. But I believe this issue has far greater ramifications than merely some guy's stance on homosexuality.First of all, why are we spending so much time worrying about what Bill Gaither thinks about it. Many of these posts have seemed downright judgmental and condemning towards him. Mind you, I don't agree with the stance this article says he has if it is indeed true. Nonetheless, as Christians why are we spending so much time judging other people, specifically with homosexuality. It is easy to label someone as homosexual and talk about their "perversion" and "wickedness" and forget that they are human beings created in the image of God. Instead of condemning them and the people that might have some shaky theological doctrine about them, why not show them the love of Jesus? Isn't the greatest commandment to love your neighbor as yourself, after loving the Lord your God? Then we wonder why people that struggle with homosexuality run away from the church. Because the only people that say and imply that something is wrong with them is the church. The church says "love the sinner and hate the sin," a sound theological doctrine, but where is this love? A person struggling with this, however, may go into the secular world and find other people who accept them and say "you're messed up? me too." If we could take that stance and accept that there is nothing wrong with them and are simply sinners just like you and I, then maybe there could be real freedom for that person. Jesus said, "HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED." (Luke 4:18 NASB) This is the message of freedom we have by the cross of Christ and his resurrection. Yet, we presume to judge (kind of like the Pharisees did) and not see that Jesus loves them. And because Jesus loves them so must I. It's easy to say, "Jesus loves you," and leave it at that. It's harder to "LOVE ONE ANOTHER JUST AS I HAVE LOVED YOU." (John 15:12 NASB) How did He love us, He gave His life for us.Now, let me be clear. I am not condoning homosexuality. However, I am saying that judging and condemning other people is not the Biblical response to this important issue. We need to love and accept them, just as Jesus loved and accepted those nobody else wanted. Loving them does not mean going up to every person struggling with homosexuality and saying, "Repent" because it's the "loving" thing to do. It means taking them into your home, eating with them, talking to them, laying you life down for them. Is that easy? No. But Jesus did not say imply it was easy when He said to "take up our cross and follow Him."

we wonder why people that struggle with homosexuality run away from the church.So true, Aleandrew.Those struggling with homosexuality need a lot of love, and good role models of healthy relationships - not only marital relationships, but also the relationships between God and his followers. If the church is not able or willing to demonstrate the beauty of a repentant life, where else will they find it? Welcome to SI. I look forward to hearing more from you. Diane

aleandrew wrote:Then we wonder why people that struggle with homosexuality run away from the church. Because the only people that say and imply that something is wrong with them is the church. The church says "love the sinner and hate the sin," a sound theological doctrine, but where is this love? A person struggling with this, however, may go into the secular world and find other people who accept them and say "you're messed up? me too." If we could take that stance and accept that there is nothing wrong with them and are simply sinners just like you and I, then maybe there could be real freedom for that person.If a thief were to come into your church, tell you that he got saved that night, but he continues to steal, what do you think?The Christian will stumble, especially when he first is learning to walk, and just as a parent wouldn't spank a baby for falling down after a few steps, we too must be careful in dealing with new Christians. But those who publically profess Christ and still LOVE THEIR SIN are not born again! There is NOWHERE in the Bible that refutes that.The woman that Gaither said he accepted fully - Gaither was wrong not becuase he showed love to her but BECAUSE HE ACCEPTED HER AS A CHRISTIAN WHO IS SUPPOSED TO SAY WITH PAUL, "CHRIST LIVETH IN ME." Jesus said, "HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED." (Luke 4:18 NASB) This is the message of freedom we have by the cross of Christ and his resurrection. Yet, we presume to judge (kind of like the Pharisees did) and not see that Jesus loves them. One of the greatest lies circulating in the church today is that we are not to judge.JESUS CHRIST NEVER SAID WE ARE NOT TO JUDGE, JUST NOT TO JUDGE HYPOCRITICALLY (LIKE THE PHARISEES.)While there is a stench of hypocritical judgment eminating from many "christians" today, and homosexuality is somehow labeled a "special" sin, we cannot, I repeat, we cannot stop exercising righteous judgments because of that. We are still called to do what Christ says in John 7:24: "Judge with righteous judgment." And that doesn't mean that we condemn people, for their sin already condemns them. What we are to do is be very careful in calling people saved until we see the evidence of such. Otherwise, Christ will be blashpemed, and the Gospel loses its reputation for making dead men live!And because Jesus loves them so must I. It's easy to say, "Jesus loves you," and leave it at that. It's harder to "LOVE ONE ANOTHER JUST AS I HAVE LOVED YOU." (John 15:12 NASB) How did He love us, He gave His life for us.Now, let me be clear. I am not condoning homosexuality. However, I am saying that judging and condemning other people is not the Biblical response to this important issue. Condemnation and judgment are not always the same thing. You are excerising judgment when you chose one ice cream flavor over another, but it's ridiculous to say that you were condemning the ice cream flavor you didn't choose.Again, we can reach out to the lost and love them, but we are also called to be a separate people. One read through James 4 makes that clear.We need to love and accept them, just as Jesus loved and accepted those nobody else wanted. Loving them does not mean going up to every person struggling with homosexuality and saying, "Repent" because it's the "loving" thing to do. It means taking them into your home, eating with them, talking to them, laying you life down for them. Is that easy? No. But Jesus did not say imply it was easy when He said to "take up our cross and follow Him."Then you need to also tell homosexuals, adulterers, fornicators, liars, blashemers, murderers, idolators, and every class of sinner that they, too, should take up their cross. That means they need to die to self so that they can know the resurrecting power of everlasting life in Christ. How can a person be born again if they don't first realize they are dead on the inside - that their nature is to rebel against God, not serve Him.You will never convince me that a sinner who loves their sin and expects the church to accept it has ever had their old nature replaced with the new nature of Christ.You know, I think the real problem is the church in America today is so full of its own sin it lacks the authority to call sin what it is and deal with it. Now I know why Christ's harshest words were against the church, and almost always in the form of a rebuke for failing to be what God called them to be.Image Peter confronting Ananias & Sapphira if he had unconfessed secret or public sin in his life!There wouldn't be any dead bodies carried out of there that day!Holiness has got to return or we are doomed. Where did Jesus say salt that lost its saltiness would go?He said it wouldn't even be worthy of being mixed with DUNG for fertilizer! (Luke 14:34-35)Please let us love and reach out to the lost, but we MUST preach repentance and not just remission of sins."John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." (Mark 1:4)"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Jesus speaking in Luke 24:47)-Chris