Need some direction

[Gary O']

This has been a bit of a poser for me;

How would Jesus react to a gay couple?
They're not of any faith.
Just my friends.

Before I search the scriptures on my own, I'd like some direction/input from my Adventist friends.
EG White's quotes are fine too.

......and no, I'm not gay.

 

[Freth]

This is my personal view, based on the life Jesus lived.

Jesus treated everyone equally. He didn't go out of His way to point out sin, unless a person came to him and had questions. He lived by example, and taught the word of God everywhere He went.

In my mind, the best thing we can do is love unconditionally, let our light shine, and be prepared if/when questions come, because they most certainly will if they see the person you are because of Jesus.

This is where we can make a difference. I've seen it in my own life, that because of my Christian walk, friends and even family members have taken notice and come to me with questions, which I answered using scripture.

I didn't have to speak a word, they came to me on their own, because the changes they saw in me gave them pause, made them think.

Regarding the gay issue, I wouldn't bring it up unless they do. If they ask, that's when you show them scripture in a way that isn't confrontational, but loving and gentle.

If they hear the truth, the seed has been planted. Let the Holy Spirit work on them.

If we make an effort to proactively approach people concerning such topics as homosexuality, I think, at least in this day and age of sensitivity, it would be considered as hostility. Christianity is already a sore spot for many, which is why I believe leading by example and showing them is a better approach.

We can say plenty in who we are.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

This has been a bit of a poser for me;

How would Jesus react to a gay couple?
They're not of any faith.
Just my friends.

Before I search the scriptures on my own, I'd like some direction/input from my Adventist friends.
EG White's quotes are fine too.

......and no, I'm not gay.

I think Jesus was loving and kind to everyone, but sin regardless of what the sin is, is sin. There is nothing wrong with being kind and loving to those who are openly sinning, we should show love and compassion and that can be in the form of teaching them about Jesus and His Word and His teachings. You don't have to start with the scriptures showing they are sinning initially. Encourage them to read the bible for themselves. When you care for them, you should care for their salvation and can do it in a loving non-judgmental way. AmazingFacts has a lot on this topic lately. I can look for the material if you want...

 

[BobRyan]

This has been a bit of a poser for me;

How would Jesus react to a gay couple?
They're not of any faith.
Just my friends.

Before I search the scriptures on my own, I'd like some direction/input from my Adventist friends.
EG White's quotes are fine too.

......and no, I'm not gay.

Rom 3:23 says "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God".

If you have a friend that drinks, smokes, is gay, chooses not to keep one of the commandments, etc the approach is generally the same. Pray for them, introduce them to Jesus. Introduce them to the Gospel and to scripture as the reliable trusted word of God. Share conversion stories with them, testimonies of people who accepted Christ etc.

 

[Freth]

Rom 3:23 says "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God".

If you have a friend that drinks, smokes, is gay, does not keep Sabbath, etc the approach is generally the same. Introduce them to Jesus. Introduce them to the Gospel and to scripture as the reliable trusted word of God. Share conversion stories with them, testimonies of people who accepted Christ etc.

I would agree with this as well.

 

[Gary O']

Thanks guys.
I'm distraught I hadn't known that.
Seems so obvious now.
Guess that's what happens when one takes one's eyes off The Lord.

 

[BobRyan]

Thanks guys.
I'm distraught I hadn't known that.
Seems so obvious now.
Guess that's what happens when one takes one's eyes off The Lord.

The sin problem comes in many variations but in all cases Jesus is the solution. Remember how Moses was tempted and tried by the people of Israel for 40 years and he just had to keep his focus on God even though those people wanted to run away from God and even wanted to kill Moses at times.

 

[Gary K]

I think this boils down to something very simple that we need to never forget. The very first sin on this earth was doing something God said don't do. Eve was deceived into eating a piece of fruit of which God said don't eat. Adam chose to sin because he didn't think he'd make it without his wife. We've all experienced doing something God said don't do. It doesn't matter what it is it is all sin. None of us are guiltless of something. Satan has specific temptations designed to reach all of us and our only escape is Jesus.

There is only one problem and one solution for all of us. None of us are superior to any other of us.

 

[Gary K]

I've been thinking a lot about this thread ever since I read it early this morning.

I think one of the most important lessons Jesus came to teach us was humility. He's the only human being that has ever demonstrated perfect humility. The rest of us? I just have to laugh at myself and my "humility". It's why Jesus was so good at reaching others. They saw Him as completely accepting them where they were in life because of His humility.

Please pray for me and my lack of humility. Pray that I will become like Jesus.

 

[tall73]

1Co 6:9 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,
1Co 6:10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 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.

1Co 5:9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—
1Co 5:10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
1Co 5:11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
1Co 5:12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
1Co 5:13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

2Co 2:6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough,
2Co 2:7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
2Co 2:8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.
2Co 2:9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.
2Co 2:10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,
2Co 2:11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

2Co 7:9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.
2Co 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

 

[Mugen]

Imagine you are sitting at a table in a bar, next to you is sitting a trans person, a gay dude on the other side of the table and have some straight people discussing the problems of a gay person they know as if its the most natural thing of the world. thats me going out with some people I met at a business meeting.
I don't hate gay people, why would I? But deep down I feel very uneasy and hope any such encounters end very soon.
The bible says we should pretty much love anyone, but that doesnt always come easy.

 

[BobRyan]

Wise as serpents harmless as doves. Christ knew a great many things that He did not blurt out in social gatherings. We are not called to name every sin of this or that person we meet.

Col 4 applies.

Col 4
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

2 Cor 5 "we beg you on behalf of Christ - be reconciled to God" - that is our mission. Condemning the sinner for each sin is the work of the Holy Spirit. We cannot sit in his chair. However we can point to light as He leads us to speak of it.

 

[Mugen]

Wise as serpents harmless as doves. Christ knew a great many things that He did not blurt out in social gatherings. We are not called to name every sin of this or that person we meet.

Col 4 applies.

Col 4
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

2 Cor 5 "we beg you on behalf of Christ - be reconciled to God" - that is our mission. Condemning the sinner for each sin is the work of the Holy Spirit. We cannot sit in his chair. However we can point to light as He leads us to speak of it.

the problem I got with this and many other things is the general wokeness of recent years. you are just confronted with many things which you arent comfortable with to put it mildly.
I always feel like being caught between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand there is the notion its bad, because the bible says so. Sometimes I may even strongly feel the same way. (its two things, knowing and feeling). on the other hand there seems to be a generally accepted view by an already large majority. So when there is a discussion going on, I tend to not make any friends, haha. Even though I try to be as diplomatic as possible, it never really works out. Since my views are often based on God's word it seems as if I am being stigmatisized as a narrow minded person or whatever.
Its not so much about naming a sin of a person, we can be confronted with concepts, such as gay marriage for example, by people who arent even gay and how am I supposed to comment on that? lol!

 

[BobRyan]

the problem I got with this and many other things is the general wokeness of recent years. you are just confronted with many things which you arent comfortable with to put it mildly.
I always feel like being caught between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand there is the notion its bad, because the bible says so. Sometimes I may even strongly feel the same way. (its two things, knowing and feeling). on the other hand there seems to be a generally accepted view by an already large majority. So when there is a discussion going on, I tend to not make any friends, haha. Even though I try to be as diplomatic as possible, it never really works out. Since my views are often based on God's word it seems as if I am being stigmatisized as a narrow minded person or whatever.
Its not so much about naming a sin of a person, we can be confronted with concepts, such as gay marriage for example, by people who arent even gay and how am I supposed to comment on that? lol!

understood. I have been in many social settings with co-workers where I felt like a fish out of water... constantly looking for some place where I can join in and at the very least steer the conversation to some topic that is "substantive".

The Empire of Rome was corrupt and got into a lot of LGB kind of activity before its full collapse. No doubt Christians also felt like a fish out of water. But here is the thing -- outside of a miracle you usually don't convert/persuade a stranger. Usually it is a friend that you have success with when success happens.

So that means listening to their interests and finding something in common. Paul speaks about the "uknown god" to those in Athens -- as the one point where he might lead them to the true God using some degree of common ground understanding. By contrast when he goes to the synagogues 'every Sabbath" Acts 18:4 -- he does not mention "the unknown god" idea even once.

 

[Mugen]

understood. I have been in many social settings with co-workers where I felt like a fish out of water... constantly looking for some place where I can join in and at the very least steer the conversation to some topic that is "substantive".

The Empire of Rome was corrupt and got into a lot of LGB kind of activity before its full collapse. No doubt Christians also felt like a fish out of water. But here is the thing -- outside of a miracle you usually don't convert/persuade a stranger. Usually it is a friend that you have success with when success happens.

So that means listening to their interests and finding something in common. Paul speaks about the "uknown god" to those in Athens -- as the one point where he might lead them to the true God using some degree of common ground understanding. By contrast when he goes to the synagogues 'every Sabbath" Acts 18:4 -- he does not mention "the unknown god" idea even once.

NGL converting somwone is the least of my concerns. TBT I have already gotten used to not fitting in.

 

[Gary O']

Really appreciate all the input.

I've got another poser;

We moved to town from our mountain cabin.

Mainly because we were getting older.

Another reason, my lady was getting tired of putting up with the renegades that would occasion by.

Most of them became my friends.

They all made her a bit paranoid.



We found a place on town that has great privacy.



She loves it.



However, a car has been parked in front of our place for a few days now.

A rather strange youngish dude is living in it.
Turns out, he a bit of a nut job.....'hears voices'



If I were living alone it wouldn't bother me one bit.

But my lady is pretty freaked out.



As a Christian, I'm compelled to talk with him about our savior.

As a husband, I'm compelled to urge him to go away.



I need some input/thoughts from you guys

 

[Gary O']

I was hoping for some input by now on my latest request.......

 

[DarylFawcett]

My response is simply, "What would Jesus do?"

 

[Gary O']

My response is simply, "What would Jesus do?"

Yes, my thoughts too

Prayed about it

I chatted with him
We both agreed, it was time to move on

He needed some oil to get his rig going
Gave him some

I gave him a Steps to Christ and a few bucks

Maybe I'll see him in the new earth

 

[BobRyan]

Really appreciate all the input.

I've got another poser;

We moved to town from our mountain cabin.

Mainly because we were getting older.

Another reason, my lady was getting tired of putting up with the renegades that would occasion by.

Most of them became my friends.

They all made her a bit paranoid.



We found a place on town that has great privacy.



She loves it.



However, a car has been parked in front of our place for a few days now.

A rather strange youngish dude is living in it.
Turns out, he a bit of a nut job.....'hears voices'



If I were living alone it wouldn't bother me one bit.

But my lady is pretty freaked out.



As a Christian, I'm compelled to talk with him about our savior.

As a husband, I'm compelled to urge him to go away.



I need some input/thoughts from you guys

Sorry - I did not see this until now. But it looks like you already did the right thing.

Blessings.