I know that effrontery is not the answer because effrontery is not love. Acting and speaking as if somehow we are better than the homosexual, because we are not guilty of the particular sin of homosexuality, and yet we are guilty of so many other sins. Protesting against gay pride events. Speaking out against taking pride in the sin of homosexuality all the while taking pride in ourselves.
I know that immorality is not the answer either, because immorality also is not love. Denying homosexuality as even being sin. Excepting of homosexuality as an alternative life style all the while knowing that it goes against all created order. Leading men to believe that they can keep their sin and have eternal life too while knowing that eternal life is freedom from sin.
This issue must be handled with grace and holiness. Grace is the opposite of effrontery and holiness is the opposite of immorality. The ones that are trying to be holy are not gracious in their approach and the ones who are trying to be gracious are not holy in their approach.
One of my favorite passages in all of Scripture is found in Exodus 34, because it demonstrates the glory of God. Moses was commanded by the Lord to make two stone tablets and come up early in the morning with those tablets to the top of Mt. Sinai. The Lord would then write on those tablets the words that were on the former ones (The Ten Commandments) that Moses had thrown down and destroyed. "Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations." (Ex 34:6-7 [NASB]). So what did Moses do having seen and heard the glory of the Lord? He made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship.
God is both gracious and holy at the same time which if one really thinks about seems impossible. If God acts graciously forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin He becomes unholy; if God acts holy punishing the sinner, He is not gracious. These two sides of God's nature seem contradictory to one another. How can God be both gracious and holy at the same time? The only answer my friends is found solely in the cross of Jesus Christ. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor 5:21 [NASB]).
The issue of homosexuality and homosexual unions that has come to dominate the minds of so many must be handled with godliness; that is both grace and holiness at the same time. How do we do that? The answer is we don't. We don't because we can't. Only God can be both gracious and holy at the same time and He does so solely through the cross of Jesus Christ. So if this issue most be handled with both grace and holiness and we are unable, do we do anything at all?
I have come to understand as of late that I can do nothing to cause someone to hate their sin. The Lord told His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all nations, making disciples, teaching them His commandments, immersing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Mk 16:15 & Mt 28:19,20). He never said at anytime go and convict the world concerning sin, righteous, and judgment. He did, however, say that the Holy Spirit, the helper, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father would convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment (Jn 16:7-11). If conviction is the job of the Holy Spirit then what are we to do? The only thing that we can do, and is what He gave us to do; make much of Jesus and the gospel.
A slave of Jesus Christ,
Mike Peek
