I never really speak about this issue publicly.. in person or on social media. I guess the reason why I never do is exactly what draws me to write this post.
My eye was caught this morning by a headline stating, “Vatican official says homosexuals welcome. “ I am not Catholic but that headline could be interchanged with any headline from a Christian news website.
The whole idea that..” I’m a Christian. . I don’t like gay people, ” is an unfortunate brand that has been placed upon the church.. And it saddens me to say, that many times, for good reason. But the truth of the matter is – of course homosexuals should be welcome in our churches! Any follower of Jesus who thinks any different should examine their relationship with Him.
Now I understand that for a lot of people it’s just the changing of the social tides that make them uncomfortable with the statement that gay people should be welcomed into our churches and that is the force that drives Conservative news providers to publish articles like the one aforementioned in this post. We must remember that we live in a fallen world. We live in the enemy’s domain. Regardless of how life was in the good ol’ days. . We should not expect the world to follow the light. . Because without Jesus..There is only darkness. History is beginning to repeat itself and the prophesies from the word of God about the end of the age are being fulfilled. Early Christians were tortured, persecuted, and despised. Followers of Jesus should never expect the world to adhere to Gods plan because Gods plan brings forth happiness and life and the evil one who has temporarily usurped Gods throne over this world doesn’t want his subjects to have life. . But only sadness and death. Our mission is not to force the world into our Christian box but to show them the unrelenting and never failing love and mercy of Jesus Christ.
In the past I have sat on the pews of the F.M. Church of God as a drug addict.. I have sat on the pews of the FMCOG as a thief.. A liar. .as a person addicted to fornication and sexual immorality. . As a defiant and proud sinner. All of us have and still continue to do so every Sunday because we are all sinners and it’s only by the grace of God that we have been made right with God through repentance and by the blood of Jesus.
I will never apologize for calling homosexuality a sin. It is what it is. But good lord! I’m glad that there was never a stigma within the church that said liars, drug addicts and thieves were not welcome to enter into God’s house. Because, if so, I would probably be dead and my soul eternally dammed to hell right now. Jesus came for the broken hearted.. Jesus came to set free the captives trapped in a bleak and lonely wasteland of sin. . Not for the righteous.
I pray that the pews of my church will be filled by gay people. Before I was married, I sat beside my partner in sexual sin many times in God’s house. Before i was redeemed i sat under the influence of drugs many times in church. . Actually, in the past, when i would finally relent to my parents pleading and go to church . . I used to make it a point to get high before church so to numb myself to the conviction of God’s presence. But you know what? God still reached me and planted seeds of life within me.. even though i would walk right out that door and continue in my selfishness and in my refusal to serve God. . He still loved me and wanted me in his house and in his presence because He had other plans for me!
Let us all look at life not through a temporary eye piece but through an eternal one.. Not with a proud heart but with a heart humbled by the love and mercy of Jesus.
The Refurbished Rogue's Blog 
Well said, Briana.