Passionate Grace

Love does not require that one accepts everything about a person. True love may require, in fact, that we speak to someone about the error of their ways.

As a parent, if my child wants to play on the railroad tracks, it is, in fact, unloving if I say “Sure, honey, do whatever you want.” If I correct my child for doing something that is harmful to them – it is not a rejection of them as a person if I seek to stop them from doing what they want to do. It is because I care for them that I tell them not to play on the railroad tracks.

I would like to apply this idea in light of the recent SCOTUS decision on gay marriage. The Bible is clear in its teaching on same-sex relationships.

Romans 1 says “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”

To embrace homosexuality as virtue is to place oneself on a path against God. Any sin does this not just homosexuality. The pursuit of our own pleasure in sin is harmful to all of us. And all of us tend to pursue sin to our own detriment. The Good News is that Jesus loves sinners. He intentionally hung out with sinners. He did not reject them. He did not push them away. He welcomed sinners. Jesus loves gay people. Jesus wants to hang out with gay people. Jesus even welcomes me in my sin to his side. I love this line I read this week, “Want to know how scandalous the Gospel is? God’s mercy is so great that even someone as sinful as me isn’t beyond the reach of God’s Grace.”

But in love Jesus does not want to leave us in our sin. The Bible tells us where we are wrong but then points to Jesus who, though perfect, died our death in our place. He did this, yes, to accept sinners, but also to bring us out from sin and death into a life that is truly life. He desires to rescue us from sin not just accept our sin.

So like I would say to my kids playing on a railroad track, or like God says to sinners in pursuit of their sin, “I love you – and I call you away from that dangerous pursuit. Come to me that you may have life and have it more abundantly.

For those of you who I know in this lifestyle, this post is not meant to say, “I’m better” or “God hates you” quite the opposite. I know that I am no better – and I know that God loves you and wants to give you the highest and greatest good He possibly can – which is the gift of knowing Him. This post is meant to say though your sin may be great as is mine the all-surpassing love of God is demonstrated in Jesus death on your behalf. I call this out not to make some political point (I have no hope in politics), but to say, I love you and desire your best and am convinced that your best is found in leaving a life of sin and finding hope in knowing Jesus the Great Lover of your soul.