Starting the Conversation

In Colossians 3, we see the contrast between our life in Christ and the cultural trends and activities that lead to death.
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

The choice is very clear, and it is stark:  we can choose to embrace the attitudes and activities of this world, we can participate in calling right what the Bible calls wrong, or tolerate areas of sin in our hearts and minds.  OR, we can recognize that Christ is our life, and allow the abundant, freeing life of Christ to flow through us, so that we can experience and enjoy our capacity to walk in triumph over the ways of the world that would hold us captive.

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Because we believe in the Lord Jesus, we regard Him as our Redeemer - sin keeps us from enjoying a right relationship with God, but Jesus died on the cross, taking the punishment for our sins, so that we can share in that victory. He came to right what was - and is - wrong. 1st Corinthians 6 describes a sinful state:
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Pop icon Katy Perry told Vogue magazine recently that she "started a conversation."  And, I would encourage caution when you hear those three words - not across the board necessarily, but it does seem that some people who want to start conversations are wanting to force others to change their hearts and minds.  That's not a conversation.

So, we're in this conversation these days about sexuality and people finding new ways to twist the Biblical standards that we find in the Word.  The hottest conversation is about transgenderism, you know, the practice of saying that you were born into the wrong body, that you were "assigned" the wrong gender.  You had Bruce Jenner, former Olympic star, who now goes by the name Caitlyn and has attempted to change his biology, on prime-time cable last night - I didn't catch the whole thing, but what I did see featured Jenner exhibiting concern for the "youth," you know, those who are so conflicted.  He, like so many, it seems, think that youth struggling with gender issues are miserable for what is being done to them; I would contend it is because of what they are doing to themselves by embracing a harmful and unbiblical mentality; so, I 'm concerned, too.

I'm concerned when Katy Perry, who should know better, according to USA Today,  in a speech accepting the Human Rights Campaign National Equality Award, referred to her hit song, "I kissed a girl and I liked it..."

"Truth be told, A) I did more than that, but B) How was I going to reconcile that with a gospel-singing girl raised in youth groups that were pro-conversion camps?" she continued. "What I did know is that I was curious, and even then I knew sexuality wasn't as black and white as this (ruffled Rasario) dress. And, honestly, I haven't always gotten it right, but in 2008, when that song came out, I knew that I started a conversation that a lot of the world seemed curious enough to sing along, too."​

The article starts out by saying:

Katy Perry's religious upbringing is an essential part of the pop star's mythology. The daughter of evangelical Christian pastors, Perry was sheltered from the modern world until she was a teenager, she explained in her new Vogue cover story.

"(I wasn't) allowed to interact with gay people,” she said, recalling "some generational racism."

So, the conversation is continuing, and we have to be concerned with where it leads.  The so-called LGBT advocates have a desire to normalize their behavior, those who follow the Bible continue to say it is not normal behavior.  And, because Christians believe in approaching people with whom we disagree with the compassion of Christ, we can continue to be motivated to reach out in compassion, present the truth, pray, and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work.

That is one takeaway from these stories today - people are being influenced by the Perrys and Jenners of this world, and that's unfortunate.  And it can be discouraging.  But, we also recognize they are not our enemies.  2nd Corinthians 10 tells us the nature of our battle, and the opponent in our battle - it's not flesh and blood.  Unfortunately, they have become casualties, hopefully temporary, but have been captivated by radical ideas that are not only contradictory to the Scriptures, but dangerous to the soul.

In their attempt to be compassionate, there are Christian leaders who have shied away from confronting sins surrounding the LGBT agenda.  One in particular told women struggling with gender issues that there was nothing "wrong" with them. The fact is, there is something wrong with all of us, with the world, as Greg Koukl pointed out on The Meeting House program recently.  We are all born into sin, in desperate need of a Savior.  Jesus came to right what was wrong.  In dealing with sinfulness, Jesus didn't say, "hey, you're OK," no, he said, "Go, and sin no more."  Sin is no longer a death sentence; Jesus offers an invitation into life - but we have to come on His terms. Experimentation with ideas and practices that do not line up with His truth is not an acceptable path to the abundant life.