How should Christians respond to homosexuality?
Before jumping into the answer, let's first look at the issue at hand. Many people think Christians are opposed to sexuality. In reality, quite the opposite is true. God created sex - it was His idea! Therefore we are to embrace it, while keeping in mind its created purpose.
There is only one form of sexuality that God jealously protects: the one man, one woman, one flash marital union. Since we know God designed us and knows what's best for us, we can know that when we live by this model, it works for the best. The farther we stray, the more problems we face.
Paul's letter in Romans 1 tells of God's wrath against sinful humanity. "Women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones...and men committed shameful acts with other men." These are practices looked down upon by God as they are not the way God intended. There are parallels that can be drawn between idolatry and same-sex intercourse. The primary one being the denial of God's created purpose. 1 Corinthians 6 says our bodies aren't meant for sexual immorality, but are meant for the Lord.
Now to the question at hand: With all this information, how can we as Christians reach out to people struggling with homosexuality? First off, we must realize the true source of the struggle. According to Alan Chambers (God's Grace and the Homosexual Next Door), Homosexuality is not about sex - it's about the need for love, affirmation, and acceptance. It is truly an identity crisis. This is where some might use the phrase, "love the sinner, hate the sin." But this doesn't work for a homosexual, because a homosexual's primary identity is in their sexuality.
We must learn to respond as Jesus would. In His day, Jesus broke many religious and cultural boundaries. He began His interactions with sinners by loving them and offered them something better than their sin - the hope found only in Him.
The bottom line: homosexual individuals need love. We shouldn't shy away from interaction with them, but rather seek to develop healthy relationships. We must also be reminded of our own sin and need for restoration. Our goal in relating to homosexuals should not be to convert them from their sexuality, but to show them God's love and allow Him to work in their lives.
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This is a difficult issue, especially in today's culture. Homosexuals have gained prominence in our society, and the practice is viewed with widespread acceptance. Because many evangelicals refuse to accept it as a valid lifestyle, we are becoming increasingly marginalized by our society. That is a problem! At some point—and perhaps we're already at that point—we won't be able to speak to the issue because our culture will refuse to listen to us or refuse to consider us as worth paying attention to.
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