While reflecting on all the buzz about Bruce Jenner, several passages came to my mind. Aside… My guess is that those who support Mr. Jenner, in their mind, think the reverse of why I suggest them to be contemplated. If you are one of those, please finish reading this entire post. You might be surprised.
Is 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!
Pr 30:12 There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth.
Ro 1:20 They are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools..
First, I am troubled over my own blind spots… the things I have rationalized as acceptable but in God’s sight but are deplorable. All I can do there is ask Him to reveal to me my own blind spots (Jealousy? Unforgiveness? Covetousness? Impatience? Being judgmental or unloving? Etc) and deal with them as He would have me to. Until I have done that I cannot help anyone else see clearly. With that said…
Some matters of morality are clear and revealed in Scripture as things God hates. Gossip, lying, causing dissension, et al. Honestly, I don’t hold ill will toward Mr. Jenner for what he has, is, or will do. My problem is with those who support and affirm him with lies for truth… ministers of the Gospel that should know better. AND those in the church who are so acerbic toward those in the LGBT community. Supposedly Mr. Jenner is a Christian (CLICK). But we have forgotten a few things…
When it comes to Mr. Jenner’s decision to “become a female,” God condemns it just as much as: Fornication, adultery, drunkenness, greed, being argumentative, jealousy, envy, etc (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21). THE CHURCH (Church People) have been less than loving, caring, gracious, merciful, forgiving, and inclusive… which puts them in the cross hairs of Scripture. Church members have been contentious, divisive, and condemnatory which has destroyed their ability to set forth winsomely the Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ alone. In other words, CHURCH MEMBERS have not been a positive herald of salt and light in a world full of sin and rebellion.
Is there hope… for America… for the church? Yes, and it is called: Repentance, Revival, and Awakening. Not by throwing condemnation toward a world full of sinners doing what comes naturally, but beginning with those who call themselves Christians. Those of us IN the Church need to take a mirror and look at ourselves! We need to ask God to reveal to US OUR moral and spiritual blind spots SO THAT we can rightly help a lost and dying world with the true message of restoration in Jesus Christ. It is CHURCH MEMBERS who need to SERIOUSLY contemplate the three passages I quoted at the beginning of this post.
Right on target Ron! Well stated, as with the Jenner issue, that which troubles me most is the overwhelming support that people have supported this perversion such as with the recent Arthur Ashe award for bravery that was awarded to Mr.Jenner. What is brave about choosing surgical procedures to change ones gender? Especially when there are countless veterans who have lost limbs, endured unfathomable pain yet have overcame the odds to ever walk again yet have surpassed their afflictions by participating in vigorous athletic events such as Sgt Nash was overlooked by ESPY for this award!
We as Christians are called to love the sinner (as we all are as you so well articulated) but hate the sin. That is a basic truth our Lord Jesus taught and practiced, but somewhere even the Church has been influenced by this current culture of acceptance and tolerance of sin (especially over the past 25 years) and have lost the understanding of loving the sinner but hating the sin.
As Bill Gothard so well stated in 1989, “What one generation allows in moderation, the next generation embraces in excess”, which this issue is a prime example of his profound statement. Could you imagine this being celebrated in 1950, 1970, or even 1990?
While there are those that would say, “times have changed”, but we must remember that while “times have changed ” the Word of God NEVER changes! The absolute standard of truth never changes and we will all be held accountable before God regardless of the changing times!