Wow.
I'm completely overwhelmed by the amount of readers that touched my last post on gender. I'm humbled by your honesty, and quite frankly, grateful that you all didn't leave me hanging on such a hard topic to touch with written words. A new season is nearing, and I am pressing on to finish the work of this season..... Work I'd still rather do face to face instead of screen to screen.
We are all equal at the foot of the cross. This is the place I write you from again today. Seeing my own sin, my own struggles, and trusting that in my own weakness, He is strong.
Our sin affects our world.
It destroys.
It separates.
It is self seeking.
It has consequences.
It hurts those around us.
It is terrible for our soul.
Most of us have struggled with being angry at some point in our lives.
Be it full blown rage or just mild irritation, we've succumb to the temptation that when we are upset by something we should take our anger out on another, or at the very least we've wallpapered our minds in angry thoughts and schemes. Truth is, often times as we give way to sin in that moment, we feel good. It is a release. Whatever was out of our control in our life we, if only for a brief moment, felt a little more in control. But it is fleeting, temporary. Only God is in control, we are not.
Truth is anger doesn't make us any more in control of our own little worlds.
It is an illusion. It is sin. It destroys, separates, is self seeking, has consequences, hurts those around us, and is terrible for our soul. It is sin. And the world is a worse place because of it. Not because I said so, but because God said so. Anger, hate, bullying... they are all a perversion of the passion God designed in us to use to worship Him.
We all can agree on that. It's wrong. It's sin.
A world without anger, hate, and bullying would be better.
But often we struggle to see other sins the same way.
Like casual sex.
Like pornography.
Like homosexuality.
Most of the world is struggling with a sexual sin of some kind today.
Casual sex, pornography, homosexuality, and lusts of all kinds no longer need to be sought out, they are a huge part of today's world. Be it a full blown lifestyle or just passing thoughts, we've bit into the temptation and engaged in sexual sin with another, or at the very least wallpapered our minds with it. And, just like anger, when we give way to lustful sin in the moment, we feel good. It is a release. Whatever void for love and acceptance we had, if only for a brief moment, felt a little fuller. But it is fleeting, temporary. Only God can fully fill that love void, another person cannot.
Truth is that twisted sexuality doesn't make us any more loved or more accepted.
It is an illusion. It is sin. It destroys, separates, is self seeking, has consequences, hurts those around us, and is terrible for our soul. Sin.... and just like anger, the world is a worse place because of it. Not because I said so, but because God said so. Homosexuality, pornography, casual sex, lust are all a perversion of the beautiful sexuality God designed in us.
Just like anger, hate, bullying.....yet,
Yet, unlike anger we cannot all agree on one thing:
That a world without homosexuality, lust, casual sex, and pornography could actually be better.
Maybe this is you.
Chances are good it is many of us.
We live in a broken world.
We all know that homosexuality is a sin.
We all know that pornography is a sin.
We all know that casual sex is a sin.
We all know that _______ is a sin.
But not very many of us know what to do with that.
Beautiful one desiring to follow Jesus and struggling with sexual sin.....
I ask you to think hard on this.... The God of the universe has written His word not just to us, but for us. For our good, and for His glory. Could it be possible that the very God who created you might actually know what is best for you? Could it be possible that He took the time to leave us with far more than just a list of do's and don'ts... that he left us with practical timeless directions on how to navigate this broken world best, as full and whole as possible? Could it be possible God knows the why and why not's that we were never meant to understand..... that Almighty God might actually know exactly what lies ahead on those paths of sexual sin and how they will destroy us, and out of perfect love He's trying to protect us when He tells us about sin?
Young ones navigating this sexually broken world....
You are not gay because of something that has happened to you. You are not a pervert if pornography has it's grasp on you. You are not stuck in a lifetime of casual sex because of your past, including yesterday. You are not gay if something you have seen on a screen caused a response that you did not expect. You ARE a young one navigating a sexually broken world who may need help, healing, or accountability. Do NOT let that define you. I'm here if you need to talk.
Parents with struggling children, and children with struggling parents.......
When you talk about this, above all else, try to remember that more than likely no one on this earth wants what is best for you more that these people, even when they have a hard time showing it. Err on the side of grace, but never ever abandon the truth. You have my prayers today.
Church, dear church......
Could we be the place and the people who could possibly say.... It's okay that you struggle, really it is. I, myself, after all I am not choosing a lifestyle of anger, but one of grace and mercy. Yet, when the temptation to become angry becomes a reality, you are who I turn to for prayer, accountability, and hope. Might we do the same when the temptation of pornography, homosexuality, casual sex, becomes real in the life of one of us desiring to follow Jesus too? Are you ever temped in the things you put off to follow Jesus? I know I am. How would sexual sin be any different?
Above all else, there is one thing I am confident of...... His ABSOLUTE truth is never far from His ABSOLUTE grace. He never intended one to leave the other. We need truth. We need grace. Only in Jesus do we find both.
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