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kdet
Guest
Our Tuesday night Bible study is discussing witnessing to homosexuals and I thought I'd share some of what we talked about with you all.
What Helps the Homosexual
(Taken from Homosexual Struggle by Nancy, IVP booklet):
People who will call sin sin. I didn’t need any help in my attempts to condone or rationalize homosexuality. I seemed to do that quite well on my own. I needed people who would bring the truth of Scripture to me in my confusion. I needed advice such as that a friend of mine wrote:
"When you’re involved with a woman in a gay relationship, you may feel there is no greater joy in the world. You will love her and be loved in return, you’ll share at a deeper level than you’ve ever known before and she will return your sharing with tenderness and compassion. You’ll think that there was never a better love than this and never will be. You’re wrong. You’ll think that your love is different and unique and goes beyond the morals found in the Bible. You’re wrong. You may even feel that your love for each other is equal to if not better than the love between a husband and a wifeâ€â€or you may even feel married to each other. But you’re wrong again. You could never give each other the greatest love possible. You may love each other, yes, but you are not giving each other the love that Jesus gave us (Mark 10:45)."
Realizing that there was a difference between homosexual orientation and the activity of homosexuality. Orientation is a condition. It is the way that my brain and thoughts are presently wired. Homosexual activity is what is forbidden in Scripture and labeled sinful.
Someone who would listen with God’s patience and compassion. Good listening ears were few and far between. Find one who will listen and won’t give pat answers.
Staying away from tempting situations. In other words, talk to female friends in broad daylight on the lawn, rather than after midnight in your bedroom. "Flee from youthful lusts" applies to homosexual as well as heterosexual temptations" (2 Timothy 2:22).
Realizing that homosexuality is not the unforgivable sin. All sin is equally deserving of condemnation, yet equally touchable by grace. I was freed to deal with my sin more realistically when I realized that homosexuality is no worse than envy or rage (Galatians 5:19-21).
I needed to not only be willing to let God make changes inside me according to His will and timing, but also to endure some loneliness and discomfort in the meantime. My goal in life has become holiness (Hebrews 12:1-13) and the means are obedience and the power of the Holy Spirit. There is hopeâ€â€we have a big God! And He has assured us of his forgiveness and cleansing.
In dealing with lust, I found Philippians 4:8 to be extremely helpful. Rather than focus on my own struggles and inner conflicts and confusion, I tried to let my mind dwell on what is true, honorable, right, pureâ€â€namely the Lord Jesus himself. We are programmed by our preoccupations. If your mind is "set on things above" (Colossians 3:2), your actions will follow appropriately.
I have become content with being single and celibate. There is nothing second-rate about singleness! God does not always choose to change the orientation of a Christian homosexual. But Jesus has become my "first love" (Revelation 2:4) and I am really enjoying life.
I have also become open to and more interested in the possibility of eventual marriageâ€â€an indication of changes in my heart that I hardly dreamed possible. There still seems to be some ambivalence, mixed motives and confused emotions to resolve in this area, but I sense that God is at work.
"I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8). Whereas once I felt deprived of the "freedom" to act on my homosexual desires, I now count those experiences and momentary pleasures "as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:8 TEV). That which I have given up is so little compared to what I have gained. My overriding feelings are not ones of being ‘deprived’ or ‘punished,’ but rather of being progressively liberated, gentled, and strengthened.
http://www.new-life.net/hmsxl01.htm
What Helps the Homosexual
(Taken from Homosexual Struggle by Nancy, IVP booklet):
People who will call sin sin. I didn’t need any help in my attempts to condone or rationalize homosexuality. I seemed to do that quite well on my own. I needed people who would bring the truth of Scripture to me in my confusion. I needed advice such as that a friend of mine wrote:
"When you’re involved with a woman in a gay relationship, you may feel there is no greater joy in the world. You will love her and be loved in return, you’ll share at a deeper level than you’ve ever known before and she will return your sharing with tenderness and compassion. You’ll think that there was never a better love than this and never will be. You’re wrong. You’ll think that your love is different and unique and goes beyond the morals found in the Bible. You’re wrong. You may even feel that your love for each other is equal to if not better than the love between a husband and a wifeâ€â€or you may even feel married to each other. But you’re wrong again. You could never give each other the greatest love possible. You may love each other, yes, but you are not giving each other the love that Jesus gave us (Mark 10:45)."
Realizing that there was a difference between homosexual orientation and the activity of homosexuality. Orientation is a condition. It is the way that my brain and thoughts are presently wired. Homosexual activity is what is forbidden in Scripture and labeled sinful.
Someone who would listen with God’s patience and compassion. Good listening ears were few and far between. Find one who will listen and won’t give pat answers.
Staying away from tempting situations. In other words, talk to female friends in broad daylight on the lawn, rather than after midnight in your bedroom. "Flee from youthful lusts" applies to homosexual as well as heterosexual temptations" (2 Timothy 2:22).
Realizing that homosexuality is not the unforgivable sin. All sin is equally deserving of condemnation, yet equally touchable by grace. I was freed to deal with my sin more realistically when I realized that homosexuality is no worse than envy or rage (Galatians 5:19-21).
I needed to not only be willing to let God make changes inside me according to His will and timing, but also to endure some loneliness and discomfort in the meantime. My goal in life has become holiness (Hebrews 12:1-13) and the means are obedience and the power of the Holy Spirit. There is hopeâ€â€we have a big God! And He has assured us of his forgiveness and cleansing.
In dealing with lust, I found Philippians 4:8 to be extremely helpful. Rather than focus on my own struggles and inner conflicts and confusion, I tried to let my mind dwell on what is true, honorable, right, pureâ€â€namely the Lord Jesus himself. We are programmed by our preoccupations. If your mind is "set on things above" (Colossians 3:2), your actions will follow appropriately.
I have become content with being single and celibate. There is nothing second-rate about singleness! God does not always choose to change the orientation of a Christian homosexual. But Jesus has become my "first love" (Revelation 2:4) and I am really enjoying life.
I have also become open to and more interested in the possibility of eventual marriageâ€â€an indication of changes in my heart that I hardly dreamed possible. There still seems to be some ambivalence, mixed motives and confused emotions to resolve in this area, but I sense that God is at work.
"I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8). Whereas once I felt deprived of the "freedom" to act on my homosexual desires, I now count those experiences and momentary pleasures "as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:8 TEV). That which I have given up is so little compared to what I have gained. My overriding feelings are not ones of being ‘deprived’ or ‘punished,’ but rather of being progressively liberated, gentled, and strengthened.
http://www.new-life.net/hmsxl01.htm