From time to time I get in those phases of thought on issues that concern more than me.
Recently, I was informed by a close personal friend that someone I knew was struggling with their sexual identity. Sadly for the individual in question they belonged to certain church-folk who … to put it politely … were not necessarily tolerant to the idea of an individual struggling with their sexual identity.
As I heard my close personal friend relate the issues, I began to become very sad, because this personal friend of mine was talking in such a way as to make struggling with sexual identity right up there among the worst sins that could ever afflict mankind. A lot was talked about in terms of concern for people’s reputations and how those close to the individual would be viewed by others. I was very sad indeed.
What made me sad was the following. Let me be clear, my understanding of scripture at this time regards homosexuality as a sin. I know it’s not fashionable in this ever changing liberal society legalising same-sex relationships as virtual ‘marriages’ and promoting homosexuality and the exploration of various sexual preferences as healthy aspects of moder living. I know there are various labels that would be attached to me for seeing these things as a sin and indeed as somehting that God finds abominable. (Yeah, I went there, I used that term and I’m not drawing back.)
Having said that, I also think gossip is a sin and the type of communication that undermines individuals and is nothing less than malicious character assassination masked as ‘concern for a brother’ or ‘just needing to say so we can pray about the sister’. I also read that this kind of divisive communication is also considered by God to be an abomination. So serious is He about this kinda thing that He goes to some extent in informing us that it is the kind of thing He hates.
While I’m there, we also have lukewarmness, which I’d refer to as apathy, as another that God despises so much that apparently it’s the sort of thing that He’d spit out of His mouth were He ever to come across it. I get the impression from that kind of consideration that dull, bored, can’t-be-bothered type of Christians or people are really an eyesore and … get this … an abomination to God.
What puzzles me then, is why are those genuinely struggling with their sexual identity castigated and ostracised (yeah I’m in that sort of word mood), whereas gossips get to leadership or influential places in church and must be appeased to make progress and as for the apathetics, well nothing’s done with them at all, it’s just a pleasure to have someone warming the pew, let’s not get all crazy and actually challenge them to do something for Christ’s sake!
When I say it puzzles me, it probably doesn’t puzzle me at all. In fact, it probably makes only too much sense that in areas of culture and life that are happy to persist with the stigma attached to certain types of people, it would be almost sacriligious to defy that with issues like it being ungodly, unholy, contemptible and … dare I say it, oh go on then – an abomination to God.
I get the impression that church is made of people who are struggling with sin only discovering any semblance of victory not in ‘will power’ or ‘self-help’ gimmicks, but in the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To me that suggests that the church is meant to be the confessing and covering community of believers among whom there is liberty to worship, liberty to proclaim the power of Jesus’ name and also the liberty to share our burdens with each other as we bear with each other so that we can mature together as our characters are conformed into the image of Christ.
That confessing thing is quite crucial, because there is liberty in knowing your identity in Christ gives power to overcome the areas of lack and struggle. So with that ability to confess to God and one another, there’s also an ability to address issues head on and together work through that. Does that mean a community believers automatically have the counselling ability to take issues on? Of course that. It is where we’re growing towards, however, if we’re intentional about being that kind of community.
Which brings in the covering thing. I’ve learnt and am learning that there is great benefit in introducing people based on their positive attributes. It’s not about lying, boasting, bragging or flattering, it is about making sure that people know you’re not bothered about exposing flaws and deliberately flattening people, you’re more into being constructive and celebrating the godly qualities, gift and abilities with which they have been abundantly blessed. Essentially the credit goes to God, but the person also realises that they have a role to play in expressing the nature of God to others.
I’d rather be doing that and then covering the issues that the individual has confessed and is working on with the help of the Holy Spirit. That doesn’t condone sin, it doesn’t make church a make-believe area with happy-clappy people. (I was thinking about writing ‘happy shiny people’ but I gave that up in case I was losing my religion. That one was for the REM fan in me … and with that that’s all there is for the REM tribute, shall we move on.) It is about sharing in the liberating power of the love of God that … get this … covers a multitude of sin. Now what’s going on under the covers is the sanctifying work in life, but over the covers why do people need to know what’s going on underneath? Especially as they may just behave like the sad people that I’d refer to earlier.
There is a better way to be church. There is a better way to be a community of people who welcome and embrace people struggling with all types of sin – indeed they are becoming a part of a community who are doing the same thing. And as the struggle goes on and the beauty of Jesus is seen in us although we’re not sinless, hopefully we’ll sin … less. That’s not being the type to condemn and speak overtly seriously. It’s about calling sin what it is and then saying ‘well what are we going to do about it?’ Will we throw our brother to the side or ask our sister to sit on the back row? Or will we rather be the community that Christ died for?
Well until then, pray for me and help me to become more Christlike in being compelled by His compassionate to share His tremendous love with others and allow His love to shape my life and character.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
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