True Freedom

With the presence of Jesus Christ in our hearts, we can walk in true freedom - He empowers us to resist the power of the enemy of our souls, manifested through sinful desires, so that we might walk in victory in the true identity He has provided. 2nd Corinthians 3 provides this reminder:
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Jesus has triumphed over the power of sin and death, and we can recognize that He has defeated the power of past ways in order to live a life that pleases Him.

But, there are those that do not believe that Jesus can set a homosexual free from desires and a lifestyle that contradicts the teachings of Scripture.  Homosexuality is regarded in some circles as a special condition that is to be accommodated rather than defeated.

Daren Mehl is not numbered among those with that set of beliefs. He is a former Meeting House guest, and serves as President of a ministry called Voice of the Voiceless. He wrote a piece for The Christian Post recently, in which he said:

As a pastor and a Christian who has walked a path from identifying as “gay Christian” to living faithfully as God desires, I’m troubled by the ongoing censorship of Christian ex-LGBT testimonies like mine in the digital public square. My journey is one of transformation and redemption, marked by a deep conviction that homosexual desires and behaviors are sinful, which then led to repentance and eventual marriage to my wife, who was identified as queer when we first married. Our marriage, an act of faith, has endured for 19 years, and we have found strength and guidance in the church that loved us as we sought God's truth.

He went on to say:

As I grew in my knowledge of God, I came to realize the traumas and lies I believed as a child. The truth of God’s Word broke those lies and brought healing to my broken heart — He set me free from the shame of being “less than” other men. At the same time, growing in intimacy with my wife, and in brotherly affection for my male friends, I found romantic and sexual desires for men disappeared.

But, he is concerned that stories like his are not being allowed to be told by the dominant media culture.  One positive development, as Daren related:

Amazon recently announced that they are allowing scholar Ryan Anderson’s book When Harry Became Sally, which is critical of transgender ideology, to be sold on its platform, after censoring it for years.

But, other books, he charges, are still being censored.  And, he provides a stirring reminder that there is still work to do in giving those who have been set free by Jesus in this area a voice in the culture.  Mehl wrote:

...LGBT activists still maintain their grip on the cultural discourse and many platforms. The exclusion of the ex-LGBT community and our testimonies is not just a matter of oversight; it is a direct affront to the principles of diversity and inclusion that these platforms purport to uphold. It was the work of a single homosexual activist on change.org to appeal to Amazon to delete the books of those who left the LGBT identity and life behind, even though he admitted that he never read them. A campaign that I ran in response to this to have our books restored was met with silence, highlighting the hypocrisy of those who preach inclusion but practice exclusion when it comes to voices like ours.

Voice of the Voiceless still does not have a presence on Meta. Neither does Restored Hope Network, which has a similar mission.  And Daren expresses legal and constitutional concerns, stating:

This issue transcends mere censorship; it is a matter of religious liberty and freedom of speech. The ability to share our testimonies and lived experiences with Jesus Christ is integral to our faith and our mission as Christians to evangelize and disciple and is protected by the Civil Rights Act and the First Amendment. By silencing our stories, our books, and our community, these platforms are not only stifling our voices but also undermining our civil rights as well as the fabric of religious freedom in this country.

Seemingly, those that shout the loudest about inclusion seem to also be devoted to silencing or attempting to discredit Christian voices. Daren stated: "True diversity and inclusion mean embracing all voices, even those that challenge popular narratives."

But, we can find that elements of the truth of Scripture are not being allowed to be communicated in the public square.  We can be devoted to making a bold declaration of what Jesus has done in a person's life, compelling stories that need to be heard.  And, no story is so insignificant that God can't use it to transform someone, to lead that person into a relationship with His Son. 

Daren Mehl's story is probably different from your story.  But how you came to Christ - described as your testimony - is significant, as well, and if you're confident in the work of God in your heart and your life, that can produce boldness to share truth.  Just because the world might reject you, your story, and your God, doesn't mean it's not worth sharing.  And, we have to make sure that we are focused on God's overwhelming power to overcome sin that is given to all believers.