It is easy to spot when others do not do as we think they should – to shake our heads in disapproval. I have been guilty of this many times. <br /><br />Jesus says: <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5 (NLT)</span> <br /><br />Paul says: <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?” Romans 2:1-3 (NLT)</span> <br /><br />It is easy to see the deeds of others and disapprove. Jesus and Paul say that we should be wary of judging others based upon their deeds. Salvation is not based upon deeds! None of us want to be judged by God based upon our deeds – because all of us will be found guilty. <br /><br />When we as Christians look at our own lives, we can recognize that we need God’s grace for us to be saved, but when Christians look at the LGBTQ community, then we as part of that community are judged and condemned by Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:5. <br /><br />Jesus says: “The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.” <br /><br />I guess it is natural to want to apply the literal letter of the Word when it suits us, but not when it is an inconvenience, or not in line with our understanding and interpretations, like not working on a Saturday, circumcision, eating bacon, mixing fabrics, owning slaves, allowing women to speak in church, head coverings for women, and allowing people born out of wedlock in our religious meeting places. <br /><br />The letter of the law kills. It is exclusive. It places unbearable burdens upon people, and it is unattainable. But God’s love and grace brings freedom and life. <br /><br />Justin Lee, author of Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs-Christians Debate, writes: <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“Paul was right: Truly living out God’s agape love for others always led to doing the right thing. Sin always resulted from selfish desire in one form or another.”</span> <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“Yes, we’re saved by grace, but I’d usually thought of righteous living in terms of following rules about what you could and couldn’t do as a Christian. Yet Paul seemed to take the opposite view…”</span> <br /><br />Lee references the following scriptures: <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? Colossians 2:20–21 (NIV)</span> <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“Before this faith [in Christ] came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.” Galatians 3:23–25 (NIV)</span> <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Galatians 5:13–14 (TNIV)</span> <br /><br />Lee continues… <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“…the way of living out our freedom without sinning, is by serving one another humbly in God’s agape love. If we live out that love in selfless service of others rather than indulging our own selfish desires, we will automatically do what God has called us to do. Sin comes from our own selfishness, not from selfless love.”</span> <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“From a Christian perspective, everything in the Bible—Old and New Testaments—points toward Jesus. The sacrifices, the rituals, the rules—all of these are just shadows of the reality in Christ.” Colossians 2:17 (NIV)</span> <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“Christians usually understand the Holy Spirit as the “Helper” Jesus promised to send, the indwelling of God in the hearts of all believers. The Holy Spirit knows the purpose of God’s laws and can guide us in interpreting and applying them to our situations, superseding the letter of the law when appropriate, and helping us to fulfill God’s ultimate desire for us on earth: not to be slaves to a set of rules, but to live out God’s unconditional agape love in every moment of every day. “</span> <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“That’s why Paul says: If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.” Galatians 5:18 (NIV)</span> <br /><br />So, instead of judging others for the deeds they do, we are called to love others and to live by the Spirit. <br /><br /><span class="quote-text">“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)</span> <br /><br />I am still mostly closeted, so I have been within hearing distance of people who have said very hateful and hurtful things about me, without them even knowing that they were speaking about me. I’ve heard friends say things like: “All gay people go to hell!” or “Gay people are an abomination!” or “All gay people should be killed!” and all kinds of comments regarding the “gay agenda.” These statements are quite hurtful, to me and many others, and I do not find this in line with living a life being led by the Spirit. <br /><br />I believe that when God’s judgment comes, His grace will be enough for me! I am no longer a slave to the law, but called to love my neighbor no matter who they are – what nationality, what race, what sexual orientation, what status they have in society, no matter how rich or poor – everyone!
💕 They love it! 💕
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