A call came in to our organization, Mission America, leaving this message. “I just came across your group and your viewpoint,” the 
young girl said, “and I just want you to know that I am proudly gay, and I and many others intend to keep fighting for the rights of LGBT people and for the human rights of everyone.”
After listening, the cynic in me immediately thought, “Well, Mission America fights for human rights, too. And would she defend the rights of faithful Christians or Christian business owners?”
But then, the mom in me paused and remembered how young she sounded, recalling my own foolish teen ideas. I took a minute to pray for her, and I urge those of you reading this to do the same. Please pray for all the tragically deceived young people out there.
Because they really think they are bravely doing what’s right, since that’s what they are being told. Those who have homosexual attractions and gender confusion are reassured by the culture’s voices of influence that they are “being true to themselves” to pursue this path. Their allies defend these harmful behaviors as well.
They feel noble, empowered and righteous. The annual April “Day of Silence” in schools will milk the “LGBT” victimhood narrative for all it’s worth, even though this movement is hardly silent but screams its demands as a reckless, ruthless bully throughout American culture.
But the sinfulness doesn’t disappear with power and popularity. The reality of separation from God does not change, and no Supreme Court or fawning media can stand in that gap.
The good news is that Jesus can. He bled on the cross on Good Friday and rose on the third day to save those who repent and seek Him, the most serious sexual sinners as well as people conflicted over gender. All it takes is a heart of repentance after a full recognition of God’s authority and truth.
Telling the truth when it’s out of season is a lesson I fervently wish our churches would teach, and not just on this issue. We need specific training about how to be courageous.
“There will be times when all the signs around you, and everyone you know, will be lined up on the other side,” our ministers need to tell their congregations. “And the only armor you may have is the unchanging word of God, the historical testimony of the saints, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, to reaffirm what is true and what is false. And the Lord will be calling you to stand despite the cost.”
In America, we Christians often don’t expect this faith to cost much. But anguish over your child’s choice of a homosexual or transgendered life, or whether to attend your sister’s ceremony attempting to unite her with another woman—these may throw you into inner turmoil and family conflict.
But we Christians must not affirm these grave sins. Here’s a sober truth gleaned from my wise pro-family colleagues as well as the mature believing ex-homosexuals I know: this rebellion is far more than sexual. To weave the spell of deception that takes a person into desiring someone of the same sex reaches beyond romantic and sexual fantasy.
It’s a repudiation of God as Creator, of the heritage of parents, grandparents and all who came before.
It’s trying to stand alone, with no creator but self.
It is, in other words, as Paul eloquently explains in Romans 1, the idolatry of self-wisdom as opposed to that of God, believing in one’s ability to create nature (i.e., one’s own body and function) rather than understanding that a Divine Hand has already made these decisions, and that they are good.
People often comment on how vicious and intolerant the homosexual movement has become. “Where’s the ‘respect’ they said they wanted for everyone?” But it’s easier to understand--- and even more scary--once we see what is going on at a deeper level in the anti-God orientation that produces same sex attraction in the first place.
They repudiate heterosexuality. They resent marriage, motherhood and fatherhood as designed by God. Newly-legalized homosexual couples sometimes want a family, but it will be of their own crafting, eliminating either a father or mother in the process.
It moves beyond sexual sin into a rejection of the design of God. And let’s not forget that it’s actually Jesus being rejected, because it is through Him all things are created (John 1:3, 10, Colossians 1:16, Ephesians 3:9, Hebrews 2:10).
The nasty emails I receive frequently mention Jesus, but their sin-affirming god is not the Jesus of Scripture, the one who explained marriage in Matthew 19, that “from the beginning” people were created male and female, and will leave father and mother to become one flesh.
No mention of leaving one’s “mother and mother,” or “father and father.” In fact, this same Jesus, who was present at the beginning, also issued the Ten Commandments. There’s the commandment, “You shall not commit adultery,” which includes all sexual expression outside male/female marriage as God crafted it.
There’s also, “Honor your father and mother.” I ask progressives who identify as Christians, what do you do with this? It’s another of the many passages that presume heterosexual complementarity. There is no honoring of “father and father.”
Here’s the essential question. This isn’t the only sin in Scripture, but when homosexuality or gender identity confusion comes up, what do you say? Is it still sin in your eyes? God has not changed, Scripture has not changed (see Genesis 19, Leviticus 18:22, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Homosexuality is still an abomination that human design negates. Jesus still creates us as male and female for the framework of authentic marriage, and these are still the only gender identities we will ever truly have.
Why aren’t we proclaiming from the rooftops that on Easter and every day, Jesus is the answer all these people desire?
It’s not hate, but the greatest love of all.
