I wasn’t going to reply to your post as there’s nothing there (taken in the abstract, as you’ve presented it) that I really disagree with or found worthy of comment. But I found it ironic that you chose to quote *that* Evangel lyric because the song that it comes from also includes these lyrics:

“They go on technicality
There are choirs with men in it, effeminate, sinning with their
homosexuality
But the Savior ain’t having it, He won’t play averages
Or pragmatist, nor okay gay marriages
God’s blood purchased us with a purpose
It hurts us when they lead in worship at churches
Which is probably confusing
They could view sin as okay as a logical conclusion
1 Corinthians 5:12 shows in this verse
That we’re to judge those in the church
Put him out, not so that we got him on the run
But so he comes to his senses like the prodigal son” – Evangel (on the song ‘Hilltop Housing’)

Which is a pretty amazing coincidence because I quote Evangel fairly frequently and I’ve only ever heard him speak on this particular subject at length in the very same song that you chose to quote (while, I’m sure, being unaware that the rest of the song contained such lyricism).

I suspect you are now intimately familiar with the meaning of Paul’s exhortation, “Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind from within.” Clergy (both liberal and conservative) are so very blind to how thoroughly worldly the church is. “If thine eye be dark, how great is that darkness.”

Regarding your critics, I think Paul’s attitude is a good one to adopt:

“Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.”

“As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority.”

On a different site, Nathan quoted an Evangel lyric: “Cause the end of our lives we will answer to God.” I, too, glad that we answer to God.

I think every good scriptural interpretation requires both good exegesis AND theological sensitivity.

Theologically speaking… Marriage is a social contract that’s been defined by those of power in society. So, your quote does not address systemic oppression.

Exegetically speaking… I don’t recall Jesus explicitly stating anything about homosexuality. I know Paul mentioned it, but that was really to challenge celebrated Greco-Roman culture, rather than singling out gay community.

God bless your ministry in Nebraska Bob!!!

My heart breaks that people think that I am outside of God’s love because I’m a woman who loves a woman. I’ve waited my whole life for God to convict my heart that this is wrong- and yet, I hear nothing. And believe me, it would be so much easier to be accepted in society if I were straight. But God is bigger than all of that- God is bigger than all of our interpretations, God is bigger than my human foibles and inconsistencies and sins, God is bigger than our lack of love and understanding.

I am so very thankful that you were willing to make a statement and stand up to the ususal “Love the sinner, hate the sin” commenters. I wonder what people are afraid of- why are they so scared to open their eyes and hearts and see that God’s love is for all people? Criminals and Muslims and GLBT and divorced people and poor folks and rich folks and literalists and so on… Why are they afraid to look at the studies that have been done about the clobber scriptures? What took them so long to oppose slavery and rights for women? For those opposed to sharing God’s love with me, a member of the LGBT community, I can only hope one day you will be ready for an honest conversation like Bob has obviously had.

Also, this piece rather shamelessly conflates two separate issues: 1) being loving toward gay people, which virtually all Christians agree we should do and 2) whether homosexuality is a sin, as though those who think it is are therefore incapable of #1. The logic of the piece, such as it is, seems to suggest that thinking homosexuality isn’t a sin and loving the homosexual community are inextricably linked. How so? I can love a liar without loving lying, can I not?

We are to speak the truth in love. You admirably desire the latter; you seem confused about the former.

For me, the gospel in a nutshell is that I am called to learn to love as God loves. In my experience, that love is truly unconditional.

What’s more, science has proven over and over that GLBTQ people are truly born that way. What God has created, God isn’t going to then reject!

Blessings!
Melanie

That’s not the position of a Christian pastor; the Bible is crystal clear it is a sin of sexual immorality.

If you truly love LGBT people, for whom Christ died, then you’ll tell them the truth and preach the Gospel to them.