• Home
  • About This Blog
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
  • Comment Policy

Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Christianity and Culture Let’s maintain some perspective

Let’s maintain some perspective

Posted on March 29, 2013 Written by Mark McIntyre 6 Comments


Tantrum

While I support the Biblical definition of marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman for life. I also think that we need to maintain some perspective when debating this issue.

Homosexuality is a symptom and not the disease. It is a symptom of unbelief as is every other sin that the rest of us commit. We all, Christian or non-Christian, gay or straight, sin. There are no exceptions to this according to St. John (1 John 1:8). Paul tells us in Romans 1:18 that apart from Christ, we suppress the truth in unrighteousness. We hold down the truth under the surface of unrighteousness in order to drown it.

Does homosexual marriage have negative consequences? I believe it does. But so does a marriage with an alcoholic spouse. We have abusive marriages. We have marriages that are so geared toward financial success that the children are neglected. There are many ways to make marriage less than it ought to be. Some “Christian” marriages are as dysfunctional as homosexual unions. This understanding does not justify homosexual marriage, but it should give us reason to clean up our own mess before we start throwing stones at others.

The solution to the ills of our society will never be a political one. Politics seeks to change people’s behavior, not their hearts. Politics and government may achieve external conformity, but it will never bring unity.

It is the business of the Church to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. That good news tells the story of how Jesus can free us from bondage to all sin, sexual or otherwise. We are all in need of that freedom. If we start living in that freedom and lovingly reach out to those who desperately need it, then we have the beginnings of real change in our society.

But this change comes at a cost. The cost is that we have to acknowledge our own unbelief and pride, humble ourselves and admit that we have the same need of a Savior as those on whom we look down. If God has the power to save a ragged lot like us, then he can reach into society and change anyone.

We should stand on our convictions and unapologetically teach what the Bible teaches on every issue, including that of homosexuality. But we need to do this in humility. We need to let those to whom we teach know that we have not got this all worked out and that God has a lot of work left to do in us, reclaiming the damage done by the fall of Adam.

Instead of pointing at others as the cause of societies ills, we need to first come to terms with our own contribution to the chaos.

If we do this, we will earn the right to be heard.


Filed Under: Christianity and Culture Tagged With: Church, homosexuality, marriage, perspective, pride

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

Follow Attempts at Honesty

Honesty in your Inbox

One flesh and inseparable – does your church view marriage this way?

When the divorce rate in the church is little different than in society in general, we must be honest about how well we support marriage. Church leadership has the responsibility to not allow ministry to be a cause of division in a marriage.

2nd Place

Second place is first winner

In leading the church, we need to understand that second place is first winner when we surrender to Christ and allow him to build his church. We win because Jesus can make something more beautiful than we can even imagine.

Already Compromised

Already Compromised – What You Should Know About Educating Your Child

The Opportunity I have seen some students emerge from Christian colleges with a passion to live for Jesus Christ. I have seen others come away from their learning experience discouraged and disillusioned about their faith. As a result of this, when given an opportunity to read Already Compromised on the condition that I do a […]

Rejoice

Rejoice is a command

The Apostle Paul was confident that he was in Prison for a purpose and in prison he practiced what he preached. He rejoiced in the difficult circumstances and demonstrates that I have no excuse for not doing the same.

Evil and Death

Evil and death

I ran across this quotation from Nicholas Wolterstorff while reading Philip Yancey’s book Vanishing Grace: When we have overcome absence with phone calls, winglessness with airplanes, summer heat with air-conditioning – when we have overcome all these and much more besides, then there will abide two things with which we must cope: the evil in […]

Post Series

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
April 2023
SMTWTFS
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30 
« Feb    

Categories

Archives

Blogger Grid
Follow me on Blogarama

Copyright © 2023 · Focus Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in