As Christians, we are confronted with a world shaped differently to that of the time of the bible. We face different issues and an open society that is nothing like the one Jesus lived in. The Old Testament has been hugely quoted to say that homosexuality is an abomination. Others extend that idea to anyone with sexuality outside of the male/female stereotype or heterosexual in the blandest sense. Gender identity is a whole step beyond for those stuck in the law of the Old Testament.
As Christians, we are taught and told by our saviour Jesus Christ to love our neighbours, never to cast the first stone, to judge not lest we be judged, to accept all who truly repent, to forgive and that out of love, hope and faith the greatest is love. In romans St Paul writes “but now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive”. Jesus set us free from the law of the Old
Testament as so as his followers we are follow his lead. He didn’t say ‘love the good ones and leave the rest’, He told us to love our enemies, to heal the sick and to treat everyone with respect and kindness.
There will always be those who choose to interpret the bible to fit with their own view of the world.
Those that teach that to be a Christian is to be better than others. That we have the job-lot on grace and it is for no one else. That unless you are in a heterosexual marriage you are not “OK”. That if you are gender fluid, transgender, non-binary or label-adverse the love of the Lord does not apply to you.
Does Jesus love you no matter your sexuality or gender? Yes, definitely.
Will you be judged by God for your sexuality? No, as long as everything you do is from a place of true and honest love.
Will a church accept you as part of their family no matter who you are, where you are from, what your gender status or who you love? If they are true followers of Jesus, yes.
Sometimes it can feel like decisions we make cause God to punish us – or even things beyond our control like our sexuality or gender identity. The book of Job teaches us that good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people but through Faith alone we know that God is always with us. Keep calm and pray – He will never forsake you.
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