Accept One Another: Devotions From Time of GraceSample

Does God Hate Gay People?

Perhaps you have seen pictures or video clips of the protesters. They travel all over America from their small Kansas church, and though they picket many different places and occasions, they seem to favor military funerals. Their placards shout that God hates gays.

Nobody's personal opinion on human sexuality needs to mean a hill of beans to you, including mine. But God's does. The Creator of people, of gender, and of marriage itself reserves to himself the right to define the purpose and parameters of sexuality. Romans 1 (have you ever read it?) leaves no doubt about God's intent for marriage and sexuality as being limited to one man and one woman, committed to each other for a lifetime.

But it is a terrible mistake to identify one sin as somehow greater or more grievous than all the others. God condemns heterosexual sin as well. In fact, 1 Corinthians 6 lists a whole range of rebellious human behavior that brings God’s judgment. "That is what some of you were. . . . Flee from sexual immorality" (1 Corinthians 6:11,18).

The glorious gospel reveals to us that in mercy Christ died and rose again to bring forgiveness for all sins to the world. Those who believe it, have it. They also have God's promises and God's commands and God's power to make changes in their lives.