And such were some of you

No laughing matter

If you haven’t been following this “Pride Comes Before The Fall” series and have just dropped into the conversation, let me bring you up to speed. The LGBTQ+ agenda, or the Rainbow Mafia, is hell-bent on domination in our culture, and that includes the media, the education system, the healthcare establishment, and even legislative bodies (see here). They have attempted to steal the rainbow (God’s symbol of mercy and evidence of His wrath toward sin), and turn it into a symbol of power and a celebration of sin (see here). Because sodomite unions cannot produce children, they desire to both murder babies before they are born as well as capture the hearts and minds of children, turning them into activists for the cause (see here).

There are several understandable responses to this reality. First, we can get angry and resentful. We can become vitriolic in our speech, wishing harm upon others, and gritting our teeth at what has become of our once Christian nation. Second, we can become hopeless and discouraged. We can look at this cultural behemoth as unbeatable, and we can mourn what our children and children’s children will be forced to endure. Third, we can become apathetic and disinterested. We can say, “What’s the point in fighting; it’s a done deal,” slinking back into our church clubs, waiting for Jesus to “poof” us into the clouds.

Gospel engagement

There is still one more response for which I would advocate. It’s simple in concept, difficult in practice, and desperately needed in our country. I recommend that we arm ourselves with the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, that we have our feet fitted with the Gospel, and that we go after godless ideologies with the blessed and enduring truth of God’s Law. Let me break those up.

God’s Law, codified in the Ten Commandments, reveals to us God’s nature and character, communicates to us God’s expectations for life and conduct, and displays God’s good and gracious design for humanity. In a world confused by defining ‘man’ and ‘woman,’ God’s Law is indispensable to set the foundation for culture.

But where do we find the Law of God? Where has it been revealed to us? The answer is the Word of God - the Scriptures - breathed out by God, clear and authoritative. God’s Word is eternally true and powerful (Isaiah 40:8), it is effective at changing hearts and minds (Hebrews 4:12-13), and it can grant knowledge and wisdom to the one who engages it (Psalm 19:7-8).

What is the message we declare? The Gospel – the Good News that God the Father has, through the obedient life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, reconciled all things to Himself and is making all things new by the power of His Holy Spirit.

A real hope for change

Why would we, in the face of the LGBTQ monster, stand firm upon the Scriptures, hold fast to the Law of God, and proclaim the Gospel? Because we believe it is powerful to save any sinner, including the sodomite. The Gospel “is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). No sinner is too far away from the long arm of God to save. No wretch is so deep in sin that God cannot lift them out into eternal life. God has always been in the business of taking His greatest enemies and bringing them into His family.

I know what you might be thinking. “Andrew, have you seen what LGBTQ activists are doing? They hate God. They profane God. They blaspheme God. They engage in all manner of sexual sins. There is no way they would ever bow their hearts and knees to King Jesus.” Well friend, I am going to have to disagree with you, and so is the Apostle Paul. You remember the Apostle Paul, the blood-thirsty Pharisee that was seeking to murder Christians in the first century? Right off the bat, if God can save a murderer, He can save a sodomite.

The most glorious Good News

How does the Apostle Paul speak of God’s saving and transforming power? We read this in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (emphasis mine).

This must be the posture of our hearts when engaging with the LGBTQ activists and agenda. We must believe that the Gospel is able to save sodomites too. We must believe that within the ranks of the rainbow army are the elect of God, waiting to hear the glorious Good News that Christ has made a way for them to be reconciled to God and have hope of eternal life. We must believe that Heaven will be filled with men and women who at one time embraced unnatural sexual sins, and yet, repented of those sins and put their trust in Jesus Christ alone.

I know it is difficult to have this perspective, especially when we see the indoctrination and mutilation of children, and when God’s good and gracious design for marriage and sexuality is profaned in glad rebellion. However, please do not forget that before God brought you into His marvellous light, such were some of you. Maybe not with regard to the same sexual sins, but sins that earned you the wrath of God nonetheless. “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).