We are working our way through Philip Yancy's "What's So Amazing About Grace" and that week"s discussion was on how to show grace in maintaining a relationship with those who refuse to acknowledge their sin. Although not the only sinful practice discussed, homosexuality was a focus of the discussion since Yancy had a deep friendship with Mel White who was an avowed homosexual and the lesson centered around how Yancy handled their relationship.
It was then that one of the participants chimed in with what I thought was an excellent Christian response to the homosexual. A response filled with grace while not denying truth. It went like this:
"This is what I would say to the homosexual: "Given the things that I have done in my life, I am a much worse person than you. There is a difference between us though. I am broken. I have acknowledged my offenses against God, have confessed them before Him, have asked forgiveness for breaking His heart and thrown myself on His mercy by trusting that Jesus paid my debt. Moreover I have turned from my sin because I have come to love Christ more than I loved what I was engaged in and because I love Him, I want my life to be one of obedience.
You on the other hand are not broken. You want have it both ways. You want to trade on the love of God while refusing to acknowledge that the behavior that you are engaged in is an affront to Him when He clearly says that it is. God loves the sinner, but will not welcome the sinner who trades on His love to remain in sin. God is holy and those who seek His friendship must strive to be holy also. Our right of access to God through Christ does not give us the right to do whatever we like.
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