What is our response?

For the past couple of days, I’ve been part of discussions about homosexuality. What does the Bible say about it? What is the response of our church or our denomination to it? Many questions are tossed around. Is it a sin? Is it a choice? Is sexual orientation a design of God – so that we are made homosexual or heterosexual?

What do I think?

I think each of these questions is the wrong question.

Steve and I were at Starbucks the other night with friends of ours – JtM and his wife, M. We were discussing something else entirely, but the conclusion of the story was this: When the rules and grace conflict, err on the side of grace.

Worth remembering. Worth applying.

How are we called to respond to a homosexual person in our church? We are called to respond to that person in the same way that we are called to respond to any person in our church…

Matthew 22:37-40: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

What does the Bible say about the way we should respond to homosexuals in our community or in our church? That’s it – the greatest commandment. Before we offer that love, are we asked to declare the sinful nature of another? Are we asked to judge whether his or her actions fall into line with what God commands? No, we are not. Jesus places no criteria on the love that we are to show, and we should be eternally thankful that he doesn’t place conditions on the love he shows for us.

We are all sinners. Whether you believe homosexuality is a sin or not, whether it is a choice or not, is not the question.

What was Jesus’ response to us? He loved us so much that he died for us. What more worthy response is there for us to make to that kind of love that to obey him and what he told us to do?

There is a song by Michael W. Smith called Come to the Cross.

Hallelujah, everyone
Everyone can come to the cross.
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done
Everyone can come to the cross.

Sinner, come today
Come today, at the cross there is room
Blessed thought for everyone
For everyone can come to the cross.

I thank God that there is room at that cross for me and for sinners like me. We are all sinners. When I try to push someone else away, judging him for what I perceive to be his sins, I find that I am farther away from God. I have denied someone else grace, and I find that I have denied myself grace.

It is our calling. It is our purpose. It is why we have been made, and what we were created to do. To love each other. No matter what. We are not given the job (thank God) of deciding who is worthy of love or acceptance – we are just called to love.

So the question becomes “How can I love this person?” It’s a heavy responsibility, but it’s all we are asked to do.