How do you deal with a gay friend?

[Jack Shephard]

Originally Posted by scotty

Yeah, I'm not much on evil spirits brushing off on me either. But just the same as churches have a problem with marrying gay couples in their sactuary, I have a problem with it, or any other sin, in my home.

You have that right & I am fine with that - I truly am. I was asking all those things I asked for my own understanding to I didn't typecast you like all the other OP's.

For the record, if I were a minister I would perform the nuptuals for my friends. However, if I were to marry again in a church I woudln't have them be in the wedding perhaps. Not because I don't want them to be a part of it, but I know how many ministers think & how many others think too. I don't want to subject my friends to any ridicule or problems. How do you feel about that, Scotty? I would love to have your opinion on this too.

[Hoovie]

J S "Love" is not conditional is what I hear you saying...

I think it is quite conditional. There are times when God's love is at work when we can love beyond the normal human response. However, even God himself, though willing to die on our behalf, is not forever unconditional in His love.

To perform the nuptials of homosexuals would mean to bless that which God calls abomination. I would fear for the faux minister more than the couple.

[deafdriscoll]

all sins are equal except blashemy of the holy spirit. treat them the same as you treat liars, murderers, rapist, and yourself.

[bishoph]

Originally Posted by Jack Shephard

There is a clear line one must draw about morality. I know how I feel about human rights, marriage included. I know how I feel about homosexuality too. Neither of the feelings I have, whether I be for same-sex marriage or against or whether I feel homosexuality is a sin or not, does not affect the fact that I MUST love people.

It is MY OWN experience that homosexuality will only be an issue between you and your openly gay friend if, and ONLY IF, you allow it to be an issue. I promise you that your friend would not choose to be gay if he or she didnt feel they were. No one would purposely choose to be outcast & hated - in some areas of the country. This person is a friend to you for a reason... don't let anything change that. Trust me, God doesn't care if your friend is gay anymore than He cares if you are straight. He just cares that you show forth Him, God is love - yes? Show people love for He is love.

(edited the quote for space sake)

My friend there are several issues that are apparent to me with this post. However, I will address what I see as the most grievous. (The bolded section)

In the American culture we have been so incrementally desensitized to sin and wickedness that even in the "church" many do not see anything wrong with sin. Cursing, adultery, fornication, lying, arrogance, self righteousness, homosexuality, etc. I assure you however that God actually does care if a person is gay, (or any of these other offenses) and especially if that person says they are a Christian and completely at peace with the fact that they are living in direct violation of God's Word. (Can anyone say with Paul "and such were some of us, but......we were washed...sanctified....justified through the blood of Jesus Christ)Whether we treat them with respect/love is not even a question.....of course we do.....because we love them and hate the sin. Respect and love, however, are not the same as acceptance or approval of their sin.

Later you actually mentioned that you could perform a marriage uniting the two as one, which again is a violation of God's Word. The only way for you to say/do that would for you to believe that their lifestyle is NOT an abomination to God, and that it is acceptable according to the scriptures.

[scotty]

Originally Posted by Jack Shephard

You have that right & I am fine with that - I truly am. I was asking all those things I asked for my own understanding to I didn't typecast you like all the other OP's.

For the record, if I were a minister I would perform the nuptuals for my friends. However, if I were to marry again in a church I woudln't have them be in the wedding perhaps. Not because I don't want them to be a part of it, but I know how many ministers think & how many others think too. I don't want to subject my friends to any ridicule or problems. How do you feel about that, Scotty? I would love to have your opinion on this too.

It appears all the post above me have voice my opinion for me.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by Jack Shephard

Do either of you love your children any less because of what they do or who they are?

I love all children, but not all children are my children.

If there was a child professing to be mine, but he wasn't, it would be irritating after while and simply a lie.

Some children do lie.

God loves all children, but not all children are His.

Christianity is exclusive-- and I'm not even speaking in the Oneness Pentecostal sense.

[TGBTG]

Please, let us get the context of 1 Cor 5 clearly. The person who committed INCEST was not repentant and claimed to be saved. On the contrary, the act was being glorified. Hence, the admonition to STAY AWAY from such a person.

Yet still, verse 5 says "...so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord." Even the brother in Corinth could still be RESTORED...Amazing Grace.

1 Cor 5
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.
2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?
3 For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this.
4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present,
5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,[a][b] so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?
7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—
10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.
11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you

When it comes to those who are outside the faith (as stated in this chapter), we are not to judge them. We are to let our light (Jesus in us) shine towards them to bring them to Christ.

If the person is a believer and fell into sin, we are told what to do in Gal 6:1. (WHILE being careful also, because the SIN which was committed by one could become a temptation for the "restorer")

Gal 6
1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted

So we see there are 3 categories:
1. A brother/sister who claims to be saved, yet is not repentant from sin:
Do not associate with such if they DON'T REPENT.

2. A brother/sister who claims to be saved, but fell into sin:
Restore with GENTLENESS (emphasis on GENTLENESS)

3. A person who does not claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ:
Reach out to them in love.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by TGBTG

Please, let us get the context of 1 Cor 5 clearly. The person who committed INCEST was not repentant and claimed to be saved. On the contrary, the act was being glorified. Hence, the admonition to STAY AWAY from such a person.

Yet still, verse 5 says "...so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord." Even the brother in Corinth could still be RESTORED...Amazing Grace.

1 Cor 5
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.
2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?
3 For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this.
4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present,
5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,[a][b] so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?
7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—
10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.
11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you

When it comes to those who are outside the faith (as stated in this chapter), we are not to judge them. We are to let our light (Jesus in us) shine towards them to bring them to Christ.

If the person is a believer and fell into sin, we are told what to do in Gal 6:1. (WHILE being careful also, because the SIN which was committed by one could become a temptation for the "restorer")

Gal 6
1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted

So we see there are 3 categories:
1. A brother/sister who claims to be saved, yet is not repentant from sin:
Do not associate with such if they DON'T REPENT.

2. A brother/sister who claims to be saved, but fell into sin:
Restore with GENTLENESS (emphasis on GENTLENESS)

3. A person who does not claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ:
Reach out to them in love.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by scotty

I couldn't do this. I don't feel convicted or wrong for saying so.

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

I have a cousin who is lesbian and legally married in the state of Maryland.

When they come down for a couple days visit, they sleep in seperate rooms.

They know that I love them and there is nothing I wouldn't do for them if they were in need, but they know my beliefs and I will not allow an abomination to go on in my home.

I believe that a man's home is his castle. If you feel convicted not to allow them to sleep in the same room, that's perfectly fine. Others might feel differently. It doesn't mean that they fully condone the lifestyle, it only means that they have a different approach.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

I don't know what Scotty's answer will be, but in our home, couples who aren't married are given separate bedrooms. We have children in our home, and if an unmarried couple wants to sleep together, they'll have to check into a hotel. Or sneak out to the barn.

Or you could kinda put them on the spot... at breakfast ask if they plan on getting married. lol