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This Page - Gay Christian, Gay Christians, Lesbian Christians Bible Scripture study without debate on Christianity and homosexuality, historical, cultural context.
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THE CAUSE
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GOOD NEWS
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(Helpful Scriptures For Life Arranged By the Fruit of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Self-Control, etc.)
HOW TO BE GAY!
GAY CHRISTIAN SELF-ESTEEM
(Build Healthy Gay and Lesbian Self-Esteem and Adult Development - The Need for a Firm Life Foundation in Jesus Christ; Sources and Effects of Dysfunction; False Guilt And Shame; Stereotypes and Misinformation About Homosexuality; False Coping Skills; Destructive and Dysfunctional Behaviors; Sexual Compulsions; Positive Self Development; Positive Relationship Development; Coming Out; Beyond Coming Out; Creating Healthy Choices and Behaviors; Inner-Healing; Self-Love; Self-Image; Self-Actualization; Following Christ; Christian Principles For Life, etc.)
OPEN LETTERS
(Common Letters and My Replies, Among the Many Are: Is Being Gay Wrong?; Why Sodom Was Really Destroyed; The Role of Women, Cultural Stereotypes; Gay Stereotypes; Should I Come Out?; My Spouse Is Gay; Sex Outside of a Relationship; I'm a Battered Spouse; After a Relationship Ends; What If My Church Finds Out I Am Gay?; Does God Accept or Reject Me?; What About Pornography?; My Parent Is Gay; I Need Help Finding a Church; Is Masturbation OK?; The Role of Reproduction; I'm Gay and Married; Should I Leave My Church?; How to Understand Scriptures; Is Change Possible?; What Does Being Gay Mean?, etc.)
LIVING THE GAY CHRISTIAN LIFE
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REFERENCED AND RECOMMENDED BOOKS
(Books on - Being Gay and Married; Coming Out; Straight Parents and Families of Gays; Gay Dating and Relationships; Gay Parenting; Gays and Christianity; Gay Youth; Children; Gay Medical, Health, and Sex; Gay Legal, Social, and Psychological Issues; the Lighter Side to Being Gay; Other Gay Topics; Recommended Christian, Fiction, and Other Style Books, etc.)
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 ome people take this article out of context, misunderstand it, or read into it things that are not written. Their comments revolve around two things: First) Supposedly picking and choosing what verses of Scriptures to follow, believe in, and supposedly ignore other Scriptures; and, Second) writing about "love" and "grace," means believing in "doing your own thing," "everything is lawful," etc.
 This document is the result of a challenge. The challenge was to "prove or disprove the validity and compatibility of Homosexuality and Christianity without using Scripture verses generally believed to discuss the topic." The lack of such verses discussed herein is NOT a deliberate attempt to avoid or "explain away" other verses. Belief in the entire Bible is this author's following.
 Following Christ's Law of Love does not condone sin, nor justify permissiveness, or lawlessness. Love reveals sin, error, dysfunction, and unhealthy choices, behaviors, and attitudes. Belief in holiness, sanctification, and responsible living is this author's following.
So, as you can see, the following is a condensed version of how I don't debate but rather "wash feet."
| Oh, by the way... I know this article is several pages long, but you'll find reading it from beginning to end to be worth the time and effort. These pages are here to help and inspire you. So, please continue on to the next page, read the entire article. You can even download it, and read it offline. Thanks, Ben |
(All Scriptures quoted herein are KJV modified gender neutral).
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Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses, and all the King's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.
 umpty Dumpty is an egg right? I mean, after all, we've all been taught this from our childhood. For years and years, this Mother's Goose rhyme has been interpreted as meaning an egg, and was immortalized as such in Lewis Carroll's, Through the Looking Glass. But look at the text; it never says Humpty is an egg.
I am sure many of you, right now, are either perplexed, confused, or willing to argue with all your soul that Humpty is an egg, but the text is plain to read. It is so easy to believe something to be a certain way because that's the way it's always been, always interpreted that way, or because we trust those who teach us; we never think to question, or seek or research the answer for ourselves.
Gay, or homosexual, Christians are like Humpty Dumpty. We've been taught that they don't or can't exist, they are broken, fallen. We've been taught it's impossible for Humpty to be anything but an egg, or in this case, a heterosexual Christian. But, Gay and Lesbian Christians do exist, and unlike the real Humpty, they are put back together, now unbroken, healed, accepted and able to be themselves fully, loved and blessed by their Righteous King, Jesus Christ.
This is a discussion of the acceptance of being both Homosexual and Christian without the use of the common Scripture verses used in discussing or debating this topic. Through the use of basic Christian Doctrines, I shall show a person can be both homosexual and Christian, the two are not contrary to each other. A detailed analysis of Scripture and Scripturally used words and phrases in their original languages relating to the topic shall not be used; such has been covered extensively, dialogue readily available elsewhere.
The common texts usually analyzed or believed to concern homosexuality are, but are not limited to:
Genesis 19:5-8; Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Deut. 23:17; Judges 19:22; I Kings 14:24; 15:12; 22:46; II Kings 23:7; Ezek. 16:46-56; Romans 1:24,26,27; I Cor. 6:9; I Timothy 1:9, 10; II Peter 2:6; Jude 7
These Scriptural passages are analyzed as to their interpretation, meaning, and relevance to foundational and/or modern Christianity. These verses are debated about what they and the whole Bible does or does not say about homosexuality. In this discussion, I shall refer to none of these Scriptures. Instead, I shall present the validity of homosexuality through foundational Christian Doctrine.
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 ou cannot use Old Testament Scriptures to prove or disprove homosexuality for two basic reasons: cultural and fulfillment.
First, cultural differences. Accounts of perceived homosexual behavior or activities in the Old Testament must be reviewed in the context of the type of culture and social structure of the time. Debate continues on these cultural differences. It is these cultural differences which bogs down the discussions of the Genesis and Judges verses as to whether or not they refer to persons engaging in homosexual rape, orientation, or not sexual activity at all but some other behavior.
 Second, the Law. The Old Testament Law continues to be debated as to whether or not it is fully fulfilled, done away with, whether or not sections of it apply today, its relevance and use. Currently, many Christians teach the Law may be divided into sections, and the Civil Laws, including the perceived prohibition of homosexuality, still apply today. However, foundational Christian Doctrine teaches ALL of the Law was fulfilled in Christ.
The Apostle Paul, in the New Testament, laid to rest the arguments of cultural differences and the Law. In his ministry, Paul rightly proved the foundational truths of Christianity.
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"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male or female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28.
 aul destroyed the argument Gentiles needed to adhere to Jewish Laws. To Paul, slavery was not an issue; in fact, he sent a Christian slave back to a Christian master and told both to treat each other rightly. To Paul, gender was not an issue; declaring here there is no difference in sex.
When Jesus sent the seventy out to spread the Gospel he commanded them to eat whatever was given them and to stay in whatever house was offered them. To tell Jews who were required to obey dietary laws and refrain from fellowship with Gentiles was radical. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for being zealous for the Law but "missing the heart of the Law;" to Jesus, people were more important.
 But, how quickly people forget. After Jesus returned to Heaven and gave the Holy Spirit to the new believers, the birth of the Church, the new Church was suddenly confronted with Gentiles, born again and Spirit-filled just as they, showing forth the evidence of sanctification and hearts of Love. This was contrary to their theology, who could or couldn't be saved; they were forced to rethink their theology. But, they did so with conditions; they accepted the Gentiles, accepted they could be Christians though uncircumcised, yet they felt it necessary to place some rules and restrictions upon them. These restrictions were instituted out of fear, fears of differences in values, cultures, etc. and fear of contamination or corruption. Among these restrictions were certain dietary laws, including the eating of foods sacrificed to idols.
It took the Apostle Paul to free the Gentiles, and all Christians from such rules and restrictions. To Paul, all people were the same no matter their race, sex or culture, all equal in Christ even though they may live differently or have different values. Paul destroyed cultural differences in I Cor. 8:4-13, the discussion of eating food sacrificed to idols. Paul says we know there are no idols, only God, and food offered to an idol is acceptable to eat. To Paul, it made no difference to him what was the food, how prepared or presented (see also I Timothy 4).
Yet, Paul admits there are those believers of "weak conscience" who are offended by those believers who freely eat food offered to idols, and says, therefore, in difference and love for them, he/we should not so eat in their presence; "only use not your liberties for occasions of the flesh, but by Love serve one another."
Paul stood firmly in his liberties in Christ, yet out of love he tempered himself, not flaunting his liberties around those who were "weaker," unable or unwilling to understand or accept. Yet, if Paul would have been ordered to forsake his liberties in Christ, I strongly believe he would have resisted, for to do so would have meant compromising himself. To compromise self means to be less than Christ desires, not operating in the gifts and callings, talents and abilities, and all other aspects that makes you who you are in Christ.
To temper oneself is Love, to compromise is not Love. We, as Gay Christians or Lesbian Christians, can walk in who we are and temper ourselves around other people, but we should never compromise ourselves, for to do so would not be showing Love to self or to other people. We are called to be who we are in Christ, without compromise, but ever in Love. This Love is Christ's single commandment to us, whereby we fulfill all He desires and walk in holiness.
In this discussion, Paul touched on the second reason for not using or referring to Old Testament Scriptures, i.e. the fulfillment of the Law and the institution of the Law of Christ.
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 hose who try to justify the forbiddance of homosexuality through the use of the Leviticus or other similar passages of Scriptures bind themselves to the requirement to adhere to all Old Testament Law. To skirt this, many scholars attempt to divide the Law into categories, i.e. governmental, social, religious or even dietary laws, saying some of the Law is now void but other sections still remain in effect because of their "type" within the legal code. This is invalid.
Paul states whosoever desires to follow any "part" of the Law is "a debtor to do the whole law." (Galatians 5:3). Thus, if you forbid the eating of pork, you must also follow all the other Law, including those such as the "mixing of various fabrics in the same garment."
We interpret the Old Testament through the New Testament, not the other way round. Further, we interpret the Old Testament and the New Testament through the Living Word of God, the Person, Jesus Christ.
The foundational truth of Christianity is Christ fulfilled the Law, believers, gay or straight, now under a new Covenant or Contract, a different code. What code?
"Owe no man (woman) any thing, but to love one another; for he (she) that loveth another hath fulfilled the law...if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' Love worketh no ill to his (her) neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law." Romans 13:8-10. "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." Galatians 5:14,18.
Believers are under only one law, the Law of Christ, the Law of Love. If you try to live under the Law, you shall fail, but if you live under the Law of Love, you shall fulfill all Law. Learn by this example:
 Parenthood. One day, through the birth or adoption of a child, you become a parent. With the title of parent comes all manner of duties and/or responsibilities (Law) you must fulfill. You must be responsible in the child's care and welfare, providing food, shelter, clothing, teaching and training how to live properly in the Faith and Society. If you make it your goal each day to fulfill all parental duties, your focus shall be on those duties, and your child will never acknowledge your love for him/her. Why? Because your child was not your focus, rather your focus was on all those duties. Yet, if you make it your goal each day to do nothing but love your child with all your heart, your child would believe he/she was loved; AND, you would have naturally and without effort fulfilled all parental duties. If you love your child, you will feed, cloth and care for your child.
So, too, when we are birthed as Christians, with the title of "Christian" comes all manner of duties and responsibilities, some Scripturally ordained, others cultural or modern day Pharisaism. If we determine to live up to these duties, whether real or imagined, we shall miserably fail. Yet, if we determine to Love in accordance with Christ's Law of Love, letting the Holy Spirit power and enable us to so live, we shall succeed.
And what is this Love? I do not refer "emotions or feelings," nor to the love of this world which says its ok to do anything in a "loving way;" no, I refer to godly Love as defined in Scriptures. I shall not get into a discussion of the various original language words of Scriptures translated into English as "Love." Instead, I refer you simply to Christ Himself in His life and activities, Love in the Flesh (Christ, the Word of God made Flesh), and to Paul's discussion on Love in I Corinthians 13 for the true definition.
See also: True Verses False Christianity, Jesus, God's Love, The Law of Christ, The Law of Love, Being Gay Is Wrong, Why Sodom Was Destroyed, Gay Stereotypes, How to Interpret Scripture, Living the Gay Christian Life, Books Gays, Lesbians, and Christianity, Affirming Churches, Denominations, etc., Christian Resources Links
 | et's continue to Part Four, and the Conclusion to this discussion... |
  
o further assist you, I suggest you read a companion piece on a similar topic I've written called, "True Verses False Christianity," which can assist you in understanding what the difference is between Christianity and religion, and as a Gay or Lesbian Christian understand your proper relationship with God, yourself, and other people...
Copyright 2008-1998, Revised 1997, 1990. BBCB. All Rights Reserved. USA.
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