A group of young adults recently ended their 6 week journey through Adam Hamilton's book, When Christians Get It Wrong with a discussion on Homosexuality. We began the study by noting that young adults outside of the church perceive Christianity to be judgmental hypocritical, too political, sheltered/closed-minded, and above all anti-homosexual. In research done by Dave Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons in 2007, 92% of young adults polled believed Christian people were against homosexuality. Today, the controversy has only escalated as we are dealing with nation-wide debates on the sanctity of marriage and the world-wide Christian Church is experiencing polarization over this sensitive ethical issue. One key difference in today's culture compared to generations in the past is that nearly every young person knows and loves someone who is openly gay. Often people are deeply troubled by the idea that their best friend, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, or child would be called an abomination by God, or alienated from the family of God. Its no longer hypothetical - its real - and its personal, leaving all of the affected caught in a web of confusing thoughts and emotions.
It is natural to struggle with how to reconcile Christian tradition, biblical teaching, experience, and logic. In fact, it is often in our doubts and challenges that God meets us where we are and guides us toward the light. In my own struggles, I have felt God move me to respond in love to people who find themselves compromised in some way with Christian tradition, not just in the sexuality debate, but in marriage, divorce, politics, war, and science. Praying diligently and relying on the Holy Spirit for the necessary words and guidance is essential in reaching out to anyone with love and respect. The greatest gift we can give others is an invitation into healing relationships with the Triune God. Although there are many questions and uncertainties about God's morality and justice, we can move forward trusting that God is holy and good and working to make all things perfect and beautiful. In this spirit, we have the freedom to offer relationships of redemption and wholeness in the grace of Jesus Christ to all people, even in the midst of disagreement.
Over the last six weeks our focus has not been to find a black or white answer to the complex ethical dilemmas in the 21st century. Instead our goal has been to learn how we can differ intensely over crucial issues such as our beliefs about the afterlife, politics, science, and even sexuality, while remaining united in
In our Wednesday night discussions, a group of people filled with love for Jesus and a desire to share it with others, came together and shared personal and theological challenges with one another. We thought critically about what we believe and why we believe it. We asked ourselves tough questions. We discerned how God speaks to us and guides us. Most of all, we considered how Jesus reveals the fullness of God and asked questions about what Christ would do if he were living our lives. We remembered that although Christ came to fulfill the law, he did so with compassion, mercy, understanding, forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation, consistently valuing people as children of God; as his own brothers and sisters. When Christians get it RIGHT - we become the living Body of Christ untied in a powerful witness that can powerfully change the world for the glory of God. We love sacrificially, unconditionally, and selflessly inviting and welcoming all of us who are broken to a place where Christ can make them powerful in their weaknesses.
As we go forward from our conversations about when we get it wrong and how we get it right, my prayer is
