"Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don't have to compromise convictions to be compassionate." - Rick Warren
Today, FaceBook has been a sea of rainbows. Everywhere I look, I either see complete acceptance and celebration, or emphatic rejection and horror. With the SCOTUS decision to legalize gay marriage in every state, the intensity of the debate has skyrocketed. I would propose that the issue is not what has been done, but what we are to do moving forward.
This isn't a post about homosexuality being a sin. Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and 1 Timothy 1:9-10 are all clear on that, and that's really not the problem we're facing right now. The media, the LGBTQA+ community, and everyone embracing this decision have unanimously decided that if you don't support gay marriage, you are a hateful and bigoted person. Hateful and bigoted people certainly exist in this world, and some of them are even Christians. The Westboro Baptist Church is a prime example of this, and have handed the LGBTQA+ movement the paintbrush they've used to color all Christians.
Somewhere along the line, people forgot that love and acceptance are not synonymous. My disapproval of your sin does not in any way hinder my love for you. I have friends and co-workers who are gay. Some I have known for years, and others I met recently. I care about them all. We have had great conversations and nothing about them causes our friendships or professional relationships to be any different from anyone else I know.
If you ask me to validate your sin and 'accept' you, then reject my friendship when I refuse, you show me your fundamental misunderstanding of love. I have never and will never hate or be afraid of anyone in the LGBTQA+ community, but neither will I call God a liar by saying homosexuality is not a sin.
I will love the homosexual people in my life the same as I always have, and welcome any more I may meet in the future. Everyone was created precious in God's sight, and repentance and an open heart for the redeemer will always be met with His joyful welcome.
To the LGBTQA+ community, I have one very simple message. The Bible is clear about sin, but it is also clear about love. Please don't ever assume that Christians universally hate you because of your choices. We are not intolerant to you, only your sin. We love you, and we are praying for you.
Christ's love wins.