Returning Love for Judgment

Do not judge, or you also will be judged.  - Jesus

I hurt for many of my brothers and sisters in Christ right now.  The heat and duration of the marriage rights debate along with the amplified religious diatribe have created a genuine perception of crisis for many conservative believers.  Some of them are confused and heartbroken.  Still others are concerned and afraid.  For those who support the High Court’s ruling on marriage, I would remind you that Jesus’ command not to judge falls now on you.

Many who are now celebrating have borne a great deal of pain over the years.  Some who have experienced the worst hurt may now feel justified in returning judgment for judgment.  I believe they are tragically mistaken.  Wrong doesn’t magically become right when you achieve the legal upper hand.  For any who follow the Way of Christ, his command remains now what it has always been:  “love one another.”  You may not always have received love, but you are called to give love.  You may not always have received grace, but God has still called you to be a vessel for grace.

I can’t say this will be easy.  Following in Jesus’ footsteps rarely is.  His followers are called to love, called to be peacemakers.  Dare I even say it... we are called to reconciled to one another.  It may take time, but we must all move in that direction if we hope to truly participate in the redeeming work of Christ.  I know this will take time, but I believe that the love of Christ is strong enough to overcome any obstacles, even our own selves.  The discussion isn’t over and I pray for those on both sides to continue working toward some middle ground, founded on mutual love, respect and grace.  If we cannot yet walk together, let us walk in the same direction.

To any person on either side who can only see through eyes of hatred or malice, I cannot judge you except to say that we walk opposing roads, you to your god and I to mine.  However, we may never be closer to each other than we are now, so forgive my presumption in this moment to make an observation.  When I look down this road to the horizon, I see the sun rising full and hopeful on the horizon.  At the end of your road, on the other hand, I can see only darkness.

Why Christians Shouldn’t Fear Legalized Gay Marriage

Because Christians didn’t actually lose anything.  

Some Christians have been so entrenched in the “culture war” mentality that they feel an irrational sense of loss.  The only thing that Christians have lost is the right to withhold a legal privilege to a minority group.

Let that set in.

There is currently a lot of talk about “free exercise” of religion.  At what point did following Christ’s commandments require punishing other people?  I have spent most of my life studying Jesus’ teaching and I just don’t see that anywhere.  If the free exercise of your Christian faith requires denying a blessing to someone else, you’ve misunderstood Jesus… and the Constitution.

Because scared people get crazy.

For better or worse, a significant component of Christian identity is based in martyrdom.  Some church leaders will capitalize on this.  Nothing forges unity like the fires of fear.  Even now, there are believers gathering in bible study classes, coffee shops, prayer groups and social media sites fanning the flames of paranoia with visions of authorities storming their sanctuaries and forcing them to host homosexual marriage ceremonies under the threat of hostile action.

Listen to me.  That’s irrational fear.  It’s crazy talk.  The ruling legalized gay marriage.  That’s it.

“Sure, but the implications…”

The implication is that homosexual people have the same rights as other people.  The end.

Pastors and churches refuse to perform and host marriages every day for any number of arbitrary reasons.  I know.  I worked in a church where the pastor required a period of abstinence before the marriage prior to the wedding.  It isn’t uncommon for ministers to refuse to perform a marriage because both parties aren’t Christian.  That is a “free exercise” of religion that cannot be denied.

The absolute worst any Christian or Church really has to fear from the “implications” of this ruling is the loss of their “tax exempt” status.  In this extremely unlikely event, I remember Jesus saying something about “giving unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar.”  The last thing we need is people drawing dividing lines and creating battle camps.  That never ends well.

Because you have an opportunity

Christians are meant to influence the world through lives lived in hope and example.  Let your own marriage reflect the love of Christ in all its love, grace, hope, faithfulness and selfless love.  You will share more joy that way.  You never had any control over anyone else anyway.  Even God doesn't exercise that kind of control.  Trust that the Redeemer of the universe knows his business better than you.  The Redeemer is always working.  Look carefully and you will find Him busy here too. 

Jesus on Human Sexuality

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says something profoundly interesting.  In the fully redeemed creation, says Christ, “people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.”  The passage doesn’t explicitly tell us very much.  However, it IMPLIES something of critical importance for the discussion on homosexual relationships.  It hints that human relationship and sexuality have not yet reached their final destination.

The scriptures say that God created and it was good.  They say that this creation was broken somehow.  They tell us that God is redeeming that creation.  Do not misunderstand this point.  Redemption does NOT mean that God is returning creation to its original state.  In fact, the unity of God and humanity in Christ shows us that redemption is moving us to something BETTER than the original creation.

I would be lying to you if I said that I understand same-sex attraction.  I just don’t.  I don’t even understand what makes me attracted to the opposite sex.  Maybe it’s genetic.  Maybe it’s psychological.  I suspect it is of divine purpose, intended to drive the principle of multiplication - of species preservation and propagation.  A fundamental religious opposition to homosexuality is that it goes against this divine purpose.  Abstinence, celibacy and birth control in all its forms, all of these function in opposition to that purpose.  This is not a sustainable argument.    

Portions of the scriptures speak against homosexuality.  No intelligent person would argue against this point.  Larger portions of the scriptures also speak against gluttony, pride, wealth, hatred, inequity, eating shellfish, tattoos and sewing different fabrics together.  Portions of the scriptures also affirm slavery, infanticide and genocide.  I don’t base my faith on any of these components of scripture.  I base my faith on the redeeming, gracious, life-giving love of Christ.  I practice my faith in hopeful anticipation of the Kingdom that bears the name and character of that same Christ, Jesus.

What will sexuality mean in that Kingdom?  Christ didn’t see fit to tell us.  I am of the humble opinion that it will mean more and less than anything we find in the crumbling remains of this present kingdom.  One thing, however, is certain. Redeemed human sexuality in the coming Kingdom will be infused with the elements of grace, forgiveness, humility, truth, hope and selfless love that characterize Christ himself.  To the degree that any relationship embodies those elements, it participates in the redeeming work of Jesus here and now.  We do more and better good by fostering such relationships than forbidding them.

   

An important decision was made today.  I agree with that decision.  I don't agree with it because "everyone else" agrees with it.  I don't agree with it because I "want to avoid conflict."  I don't agree with it because I have a "vested interest."  I agree with it because I believe in Jesus.  Christ summed up all the Law in two commandments:  1) "love God with everything you are" and  2) "love others as you love yourself.”  In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, “If you love me, follow my commandments.”  This is the essential ethical principle of Christ’s teaching.  I choose to follow Jesus.

   

The one man Jesus turned away...

was not gay.  Once again, I find social media active with Christians posting their opinions on homosexuality.  Why?  Because another well-known evangelical (Tony Campolo) invited homosexuals to the party.  “You can’t just do that,” say some of my evangelical friends, “some people don’t belong at the party!”  Here are two things I would offer my brothers and sisters for consideration.

The one man Jesus turned away was not gay.  He was rich (Mk 10:17-31).  American Christians live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.  Many churches spend far more money on their buildings, programs and worship services than they spend on giving to the poor.  Yet Jesus said to the rich man, “Go and sell all your possessions and give money to the poor and you will have treasures in heaven.”  This is the passage that keeps me up at night.  This is the issue of obedience that I struggle with daily.  I… we… look a lot more like the rich man than Lazarus.*

Secondly, please recall that there was a time when you weren’t invited to the party.  Peter went against direct testimony of the scriptures when he opened the door to the Gentiles who wanted to follow Jesus.  You may be tempted to say, “But that’s just because the religious community misunderstood the point of the OT statements about gentiles.”  I agree with you, but the religious community was upset for the exact same reason: “They aren’t invited to the party!”  

Peter was skeptical, but what convinced him was seeing the love of Christ and the power of the spirit moving in the house of Cornelius.  Is it possible that we have misunderstood the point of some passages of scripture?  Is it possible you are ignoring the movement of the spirit in people because you have judged them?  Are you “standing for Christianity” or standing in Jesus’ way?

I’m not God.  I’m not here to judge you.  I find the judgment seat uncomfortable… and crowded.  These are questions I’ve asked myself along the journey to understand and love Christ.  This is not ultimately about agendas on one side or the other, not about political or religious ideologies.  This is about real people who are trying to love Christ and follow him with their lives.

*Technically, Jesus didn’t even turn the rich man away, he walked away of himself.  There was also the demoniac, but Jesus didn’t turn him away so much as redirect him to a different purpose.