Thursday, April 4, 2019

Unequal

In Galatians 2, we can read about our spiritual position and supernatural power that enables us to live
a life that reflects the power of Christ. We see these verses:
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."

Christ lives in us, and because we have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, we can experience His cleansing power in our lives.  We are no longer called to tolerate sin or accommodate it, but to allow the power of God to work in our hearts and minds, to empower us to put to death the deeds of our sinful flesh.  His mighty power is available to every believer so that we can walk in victory from the sin that would weigh us down and render us less productive in our Christian life.

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We are called to align ourselves with God's principles, to embrace the power of the crucifixion, and to crucify the power of the flesh.  While we cannot force others to deal with the sin in their own lives, we can certainly set an example and speak truth. Romans 8 says:
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Talk about overly broad.  Less than a month ago, the Public Religion Research Institute, or PRRI, released a survey that coincided with the introduction of the so-called Equality Act, that is being considered by Congress.  This Act, according to Family Research Council, would...
...give special privileges to people based on homosexual behavior or based on gender identity dysphoria by adding “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” into a number of federal laws. These changes affect “any” provider of goods, services, and programs. This is sweeping legislation.
It goes on to say, "the Act would force people to affirm homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and transgenderism, despite their religious objections in various situations, including the provision of public accommodations."

So, when one considers so-called "non-discrimination" for LGBT individuals, you have to consider the baggage that comes along with it in the area of religious freedom.  Take with a grain of salt these PRRI findings, reported by The Christian Post:
But even though white evangelicals are largely seen as theologically opposed to homosexuality and transgender identity, 54 percent of white evangelical Protestants surveyed said they support LGBT nondiscrimination protections.
71 percent of white mainline Protestants, 65 percent of black Protestants, and around 60 percent of several other Christian groups were also supportive, according to the article.

And, PRRI's website also points out: "White evangelical Protestants (55%) and Mormons (54%) stand out as the only religious groups where a majority supports allowing small business owners to refuse to serve gay and lesbian customers if doing so violates their religious beliefs." 54% of white mainline Protestants and 66% of Black Protestants "oppose religiously based service refusals."

In the Christian Post article, Greg Baylor of the Alliance Defending Freedom is quoted. He said: "All Americans should be treated with dignity and respect and our laws should protect the freedoms of speech, religion and conscience of every citizen, no matter who they are." But, he rightly points out: "Unfortunately, the polling presented by PRRI fails to accurately portray the views of conservative evangelicals and fails to reveal the implications of so-called ‘nondiscrimination’ laws.”  So-called, indeed, because the LGBT agenda proponents are not just advocating for a level playing field, but for special considerations and essentially for the punishment of those who do not buy into their point of view.  It seems the endgame is to silence Christians who stand on Biblical truth regarding sexuality.

The Post also points out:
...in 2017, LifeWay Research found through a survey of over 1,000 Americans that when issues of sexual freedom rights and religious freedom come under conflict, about 90 percent of white evangelicals believe religious freedom is more important. In total, 68 percent of Protestants and 48 percent of Americans said the same.
And, Baylor referenced a recent Heritage Foundation poll that found that “a majority of Americans do not support forcing transgender ideology on others, including parents, doctors, nurses, business owners, charities, and women.” 

It seems sensible that all Americans should have equal opportunities under the law, but that's generally not what we're talking about; the discussion is centered around special considerations for gay people and not considering that there are religious objections to homosexuality.  That's not equality and certainly not mutual respect.  And, it's not "Fairness for All," to reference a concept that some evangelicals have embraced, trying to balance acceptance of homosexuality with religious objections.

Be very cautious: just because something sounds right, tolerant, and fair, doesn't mean that it is.  While "anti-discrimination" laws have sprung up all over the country, one has to wonder where true, legitimate discrimination is taking place regarding sexual orientation or gender identity.  Where are gay people suffering economic harm because of their homosexuality?  They have marital rights as the result of Obergefell.  The endgame is apparently special rights and a suppression of opposition to their lifestyle, which is still morally abhorrent to many people, including Bible-believing Christians.  They want their abnormal behavior to be normalized.  As people of faith, we cannot be for the normalization of sin in our culture - nor in our individual lives.  And, that's important for our spiritual growth; we cannot be content with sinful thoughts and behavior as people who are crucified with Christ

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