Love the sinner, hate the sin.

Good morning everyone. I am going to say before you read today's devotion that there will be some controversy over the topic. Just know that I didn't pick the topic. God laid it in my lap. Ok, I walked downstairs and got my morning cup of joe. Then I walked down to the mailbox to get today's Knoxville News Sentinel. On the front page is a story about The Lenior City's Yearbook Controversy. A letter/article was printed in the yearbook "IT'S OK TO BE GAY"  written by a student that professes to be gay. So, let's dig into the good stuff and see what it shows us............

Bible Verse: 1 Timothy 1:8-11 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,  knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,  for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.

Before we go any further. Let's remember God loves the sinner but, hates the sin. For the record, there is other scripture both in the old testament and new pertaining to homosexuality. I will list them later. Know this, there is super wide disagreement about the meaning of biblical texts regarding homosexuality. Such material as appears in the Old and New Testaments should be understood in the wider framework of teaching about creation and the purpose of sexuality. There is no support for the judgmental view that the Scriptures condemn the homosexual (I know this probably angers some people by me saying this), but there is clear teaching about involvement in homosexual practices. Again the sin not the sinner! Not the person just the behavior.

Homosexual practices do receive mention in both the Old and New Testaments. The majority of churches interpretation of passages such as Genesis 19:5-9, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Judges 19:22-28, Romans 1:26-32, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, and 1 Tim. 1:8 is that there is a clear condemnation of homosexual behavior that goes beyond the commands to Israel and has binding significance for Christians today.

Now, here is some more hard stuff to hear for some people. God's Word also says that there are other things listed as abominations - adultery, gluttony, homo. In Proverbs 6:16-19 God lists 7 things which are an abomination to the Lord. Haughty eyes, a Lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, heart that devises evil plans, feet that run rapidly to evil (I see that as people running to stone, etc. someone), a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brother" As we can see homosexuality is not the only one that is an abomination. There are others that the Bible lists that we sometimes overlook.

I am closing with this. I have a family member that has professed to be homosexual and has lived this way for many years. Do I turn my back on him? Maybe I should stone him. No, I think not. I think I will love him and hate the sin. I think I will lift him up constantly to God and share the gospel with him as often as possible. Please hear my heart through this devotion. It was not easy to write nor will it be accepted my some. This has been my conviction through the reading of God's Word and praying about what I should share. Let's share God's love not a condemning or judging eye. I pray you have a good day and God bless.