Struggling w/ Bible/God on Homosx & desire to reach lgbt+ people too
Have you ever struggled with anything in the Bible that you didn't agree with? I know God hates homosexuality but as a progressive Christian, artist, person with gay friends and former lesbian, I don't have a problem with homosexuality at all. And I HATE that so many churches act like homosexuality is a worse sin than any other and harp so much on homosexuality, without ever talking about domestic violence, marital infidelity or incest. This is nothing but hate, because if you're really concerned about someone's behavior, you should WANT them in church, not do things to chase them away. Gay feel this persecution, and it does lead them AWAY from God!!!
Back when I was looking for my church, I wasn't looking for one that said homosexuality was okay. I believe in the Bible, and regardless of how I feel about homosexuality, the Bible says it's wrong. However I could never have anything to do with a church that was hateful towards gay people. My pastor knows homosexuality is wrong but doesn't look at it any differently as any other sin, and he always says, "I don't care who you date, what your pronouns are or what skeletons you have in your closet. Jesus loves you and we do too. Get in here and let us love on you and lead you to Jesus." I feel so blessed to have found such an amazing church.
What complicates my feelings about homosexuality and the church is that as a singer/songwriter, I feel that I am being called to create music that will appeal to the LGBTQ community in an effort to bring them to God. I have been creating club music with gospel lyrics and a heavy message of "Jesus loves you". Because many of them feel unloved and mistreated by their families, the church and the world in general. Not only that, but a huge number of gay men and women were sexually abused as children. So we're talking about lost, abused and confused people who really need Jesus. When I consider the deliverance of God's message to the LGBTQ community, I realize how complicated it is because there could be a fine line between trying to make them feel fully loved and accepted by God and accidentally portraying the idea that God doesn't mind if you're gay. My own personal feelings of wishing God didn't dislike homosexuality could cause the message to get skewed. Yet I KNOW I am called to do this! I understand their struggle.
Last week I woke up talking in my sleep. I heard myself say, "I don't personally have a problem with homosexuality, but God says it's wrong. I know you see the signs that Jesus is coming back soon, and when He gets here, we all want to be as much on the side of righteousness as we can so we can all go to heaven." Maybe that's what God wants me to say? Could it be that simple? But I'm scared to use "hell" and "homosexuality" in the same sentence. It's so cliche. I don't wanna seem un-loving.
A: I think its normal to struggle with what Scripture says, until one is saved and submitting to God's Word, they cant mature in the faith. Many need to have deeper understanding so they can fully grasp what and why.
First, [to get it addressed and out of the way for the main topic] you cant say a biblical church doesn't address various other sins, because they clearly do; in Sunday school, bible studies, and in the sermons. There's no way to address topics from the pulpit unless they are speaking on those, and they get addressed verse by verse, book by book as the pastors go through the Bible. These teachings not just teach us the surface stories in Scripture, but teach us who God us, who we are as fallen sinners, the extremely costly Gospel, and how to pursue holy living incl killing sin in our life. So go through church sermon archives, talk with other believers outside your church. If your church isn't addressing those issues, it's because they've embraced them, and you need to flee from it. Yours seems to be wanting people to come to Christ. And hopefully that means he preaches being saved transforms one into a new creature with new and right desires.
There is misunderstandings by some people on the main homosexual topic here, and yes regardless what we believe, we must align to Scripture for righteousness; both for renewing our mind to God's truth, and living by it. For those "claiming to be saved" but living in sin, Scripture is clear that we Redeemed need to confront and address it in truth and love, not embrace it or allow it in Christianity. God requires us to be holy. In addition its why Matt 18 (going to the person to address the sin) & if necessary, escalate publicly through Church discipline, is necessary to help keep us in line in righteous living. If the ones in sin continues to refuse to repent and turn to live right, eventually in the process, the church is to kick them out - and believers are not to fellowship with them and are to treat them as an unbeliever [until they repent and live right]. It has always good purpose. Holiness is serious business. We are different from the world.
But if it gets that far, to be addressed & dealt with in the pulpit; only biblical pastors can address it from the pulpit (and in personal counseling), but if your in a "church" that embraces sexual perversion, they're decievers who don't know God and thus aren't qualified to deal with this matter. They "make them [professers/congregants] twice the sons of hell that they are" as Scripture warns of false teachers and beliefs, [by embracing lgbt+ & not correcting it]. It reveals they [the pastor] don't know God or Scripture and thus can't properly Shepherd people who come into the church. Churches shouldn't be hiring wolves. And those in leadership or committee appointees hiring a pastor need to be vetted to be saved and not wolves themselves or the church is run by wolves [decievers, children of Satan].
But in biblical churches where they do call them out from the pulpit, it's so the church will rally around them in love to call them to repent to God, and get right do they can be restored to God and the church, and back to holy living, or else we must remove them among us. We can't act as if we don't know, see or care about their sin and walking off the righteous path, we're called to lead them to reconciliation & restoration. Something many churches have failed to so, thus progressive "churches" exist, and entire congregations [including kids that sadly grow up in it] are very much decieved. They don't know the truth as it isn't preached or taught in them.
If you go through this solid resource really well, you'll have a good understanding on this topic ... and can go forward armed with truth & how to rightly see this, & have godly convos with anyone. Even if they reject it - for the love of their sins. You've done your part.
On a side note: another misunderstanding to clear up is that "God doesn't love everyone"; only those whom Christ died for. And, "all humans are already Hellbound", but only when God comes to someone & they are saved in Jesus - they're transformed. Theyre saved from Hell and into a permanent right standing with God. This is why the Gospel is good news. Grace & forgiveness are available in the Gospel, but if they don't surrender and submit to God though it, they'll just live as idolators. God hasn't saved nor transformed them; they cant & dont live in righteousness. They're pretenders, and will be exposed when they produce bad fruit or leave to go live in sin.
There are many many idolators in churches, who made a god to suit themselves and are not following the true God through total surrender; they've never actually been born again by God, but live as moralists with some Christianity slapped on their beliefs. So there's a real danger of pretenders dying in their sins and going to eternal Hell. It's why the Gospel is vitally important to share, and share accurately.
Further, God has said there ARE certian sins he especially hates. Ones that are worse than others. One would be sexual sin, because its a sin against God and your own body. So sins done that are not between a man and woman are worse as it's farther outside God's design, and all that has been clear from Genesis [those with eyes to see, will]. What Jesus [who is God btw] believed as human, is what has been revealed through all of Scripture. He doesn't have to specifically call out certian things on this topic of sexual sins or perversions because it has been clearly known from the beginning, and held to by all even till then when He was here. He has spoken about marriage. It's very clear. Thus what's not 1:1 marriage, is sin. And as believers we are to live in righteousness, and kill any sin in our lives. We don't purposely continue in it as rebels; such show they're not saved. Especially those living in sexual sins on topic. Those who had a false identity before Christ, are transformed and follow the correct identity of humans (and further, their identity in Christ).
The resource above will go into this in broader & deeper so you have a very clear understanding, and can go forward armed with that to engage others but also hold to its Truth.
In the end if they leave the church it's because they love their sin, not God, and reveal "they left us for they were never of us" as Scripture says. You can only be a messenger and bring the message (of truth) as God says to, and in the manner we should. You'll find biblical churches and true believers are not hateful in any way to lgbt+ people, quote the opposite. Yet you'll find false churches [gay basher ones] who may act hateful, but used discernment cuz those "churches" belong to Satan, as their members do, *because Satan runs all false religions, sects, cults, faiths including progressive ones. Yet, God will call people out of those places and into true Christianity. Our job as Redeemed Ones is simply to lovingly truthfully present biblical truth, and leave them with/to God.
It will benefit you to dig into Scripture, study it deeper specifically about sins, and about what righteous living is, and you'll have a well rounded grasp a lot more on this, and be better equipped.
It sounds like your trying to find ways to reach them for Christ, like those who share the Gospel do. I'm not sure worldly places like clubs would play that kind of music at all. Clubs tend to play music that feeds sin. But Go the direction where you feel guided to do something to lead people to Christ. I do believe the teaching and info in the link will greatly help you, both in personal understanding & in any outreach to the lost.
Prayers as God leads and guides you.
God bless
