The Church’s Response To Those In The Homosexual Lifestyle

There are five responses the church gives to those involved in the homosexuality.

1.Confirming Response-This church accepts homosexuals as equal to or better than all heterosexuals. They believe that homosexuality is how God made certain people and it is God’s plan. In other words, you are born that way. The confirming church believes the homosexual should be allowed to marry. This type of church is militant in their belief.

2.Condemning Response-This church believes that the person and the behavior are non-redemptive and going to hell. Their position towards those in homosexuality is very hateful. They are extremely verbal and very militant as well.

3.Affirming Response-This church wants those who believe they are homosexual to just be celibate. This response says, “Don’t act on the behavior.” This position locks the person into a broken identity. We don’t define anyone else by his or her struggles. We have our identity in Jesus Christ. This position is one step away from the confirming response and also one step away from response number five.

4.Avoiding Response-This church says, “We don’t have that problem here.” This church is in denial. This position says, “If we ignore it, it’ll go away.” Friends and family that are affected are ignored. This church is one step away from the condemning response.

5.Healing Response-This church says, “Bring your struggle of sin to Him and recognize the transformation through Him. It will take time. Everyone is in the healing process regardless of the struggle. At the foot of the cross the ground is level. All have sinned. Homosexuals need to be brought back into the whole equation. The healing church is a safe place for the homosexual to start the process of healing, sustain the struggler, and help him get set free. Either Jesus is enough and He provides a way out, or we need to find a savior who can do that. JESUS IS ENOUGH!!! He’s sufficient. The following represents a healing church:

  • Love One Another-John 13:34-We must look beyond and realize that this person is someone for whom Jesus died. This person has value to God.
  • Greet One Another-I Peter 5:14-We must extend hospitality. We are all the family of God together. We need to greet genuinely.
  • Confess Your Sins One To Another-James 5:17-We all need people who care about us and we can trust. I John 1:9 says that we are to confess and forgive. We need the body of Christ who can extent mercy and truth and not judge the value of the person. There is healing that comes with confession. Confession brings behavior into the light. Bringing sin into the light makes you lighter.
  • Pray For One Another-James 5:17-This is the rest of our responsibility for healing to manifest.
  • Bear With One Another-Ephesians 4:2-This is not toleration. This says that we are locking arms together and we are going to stick by you. We’re going to bear with you until you get through this process. We are going to walk along side you.
  • Forgive One Another-Matthew 6:14-People are going to let us down. Sometimes our greatest hurts are from other Christian people. We are to forgive and help others to forgive just as God forgave us.