“Rob”:http://www.unspace.net has been sharing a series of articles about a friend of his that has had a significant impact on his life. “Part 3”:http://www.unspace.net/2006/03/deb-3-struggle-on-a-golf-course/ of the series received the following comment:

bq. Sorry, but I’m not okay with someone loving me in spite of their belief that homosexuality is wrong. God loves me because I’m a flawed human being, not in spite of it. ((“http://www.unspace.net/2006/03/deb-3-struggle-on-a-golf-course/#comment-1118”:http://www.unspace.net/2006/03/deb-3-struggle-on-a-golf-course/#comment-1118))

I realize, first of all, why a homosexual would object to being loved by someone despite their belief that homosexuality is wrong. Naturally, it isn’t so much the affection that they object to but the belief itself. No one likes to be told that they’re wrong. That’s part of why we tend to make friends most easily and most commonly with other people who believe like we do. So, of course, homosexuals don’t like to be told that their way of life is wrong, and they take offense at such beliefs. This is probably not helped along by the fact that there are many people, both Christian and non-Christian alike, who have a deep, abiding hatred of homosexuals.

Now, say for example, you know of someone who disagrees with you on one of the most fundamental tenets of your worldview, someone who insists that they love you in spite of that difference. I would imagine that this love is perceived (and received), then, as pity rather than genuine love, due to the knowledge that this individual disagrees with you. And since you feel like you are receiving pity for a perceived difference, that in itself adds to the intial offense, compounding it to painful levels. At least, I think that’s the way I would probably see it and react to it.

The major problem with the above comment is its poor theology. God loves us first and foremost because we are His. He made us, and so He loves us _because_ He created us. We are His handiwork, a reflection of Himself. He never intended us to become sinners, even though He knew we would. Therefore, He most certainly _does_ love us in spite of our sin, in spite of our flaws. He will one day redeem His children, those who believe in Him and have accepted as Savior, and renew us by making us perfect and sinless again.

So, much as the sentiment that God loves us because of our flaws _sounds_ nice, it’s actually an inaccurate and dangerous view of God.

I do wish that more Christians could be like Rob, though, and reach out to the homosexual community with love and understanding. Doing so does not mean that we accept their lifestyle as good and acceptable, but it does mean that we view them just as God views them, as sinners like ourselves, in need of salvation and redemption. It would mean that we could break the cycle of hatred and violence and work to bring more of the homosexual community to Christ. Isn’t that what we are here for, after all?

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