The Kingdom Way – Godly Principles for Responding to Homosexuality + Controversy + Sin In Our Generation

I didn’t want to write this.

Up till now, I have kept my beliefs (fervent as they are) private. Over the past few years, social media has become a marketplace of loud opinions + churlish bickering, and I’ve preferred to stay well away from the mess.

It disturbs my heart to see the righteous indignation + hostile aggression on both sides (who, ironically, profess similarly to advocate love), and the thought of adding my voice to that cacophony is, honestly, abhorrent to my soul.

But here’s the game-changer: The Lord has increased the burden in my heart. He has been telling me how He wants His ambassadors to respond in these last days, and it is a message I must put down in writing.

I am a firm believer that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,” but I think that good men need wisdom to do the things so that we bring light + peace, not more chaos, into the darkness.

What follows here are guidelines, not a list of Do’s and Don’ts. God always addresses the heart first because when the heart is postured right, the right acts will follow.

The Kingdom of God is this – a Kingdom.

A Kingdom is defined as a people submitted to one ruler and governed by a set of regulations/culture specific to that realm.

Now we know that we (believers) are that people, and we’re submitted to our ruler Jesus Christ. But I think we need to have more conversations about the culture of the realm we are living in.

Principle #1: See With Vision

Jesus came for one purpose: To restore mankind to the fullness of what God created them for.

We need to have sight that cuts through the way things appear to see as God sees. To see things and people as they truly are. Because unless that happens, we cannot see past the sin and into the deep souls; to understand their past and call out their future.

We need to simultaneously have hearts that feel the present pain + eyes that see the future hope. People living in sin often know that they are but haven’t the strength to get out, or they’ve given up because everyone else has given up on them. Usually, they have hidden pain in their hearts that keep them trapped in a vicious cycle.

The world is hurting and doesn’t need us to point out that it is. What it needs from us is Vision. For the children of God to arise and say, “I see where you are now, but I also see who you were meant to be. I’m going to keep calling out your destiny until beauty rises up from the ashes.”

Because you see, faith empowers but fear paralyses. We cannot demand change. We can only inspire it.

Principle #2: Speak With Wisdom

If we could hear the sound of heaven responding to earth today, what would it say? We live in a world that is hungry for God’s answers, though it isn’t aware of its need yet, and I believe that the world needs the children of God to arise and answer its bewildered cries (Romans 8:19).

But we need wisdom.

We don’t rush into the fray, all guns blazing. We’re citizens of a Kingdom, not vagabond hirelings – there are rules of combat, and we must wait for our commander’s orders.

There are times that the Lord gives us a burden for a particular issue, but it could take years before He finally says, “Speak”. Most times, He wants us to first partner with Jesus in intercession. When we intercede with Jesus the great Intercessor, our hearts slowly get aligned with His. As our hearts become postured right, when the time comes to speak, we will do so with the right spirit. Believe me, the years of public silence + secret intercession will not be wasted.

Because on our own, our words hold no power to change lives. But when we speak His words, a great impartation of His love, empowerment, and healing will flow into the hearts and minds of those to whom we speak.

Principle #3: Serve With Compassion

We’re called to serve. Not lord over others with righteous spirituality.

Some good questions to ask ourselves before we post a rant or theologically-sound argument (by the way, God says that if it is not done in love, it counts as nothing in heaven) on Facebook or Twitter:

• Do these words serve + build, or do they tear down?
• Is this said out of faith or fear?
• Will these words convict or condemn? Conviction empowers, condemnation cripples.
• Am I a being a light or stumbling block?
• Do my words represent the character of Jesus?
• Is this said out of love or pride?
• Is this coming from my flesh or the Spirit?

We will never change anyone’s mind by how much we know or how right we are. We only push them away and create walls that way.

Jesus came to serve. His kindness led many to repentance. Maybe if we began to live like Jesus – serving the sinners by binding up their broken hearts, healing their wounds, setting them free from bondage – we’d see many more entering the Kingdom than we do now.

Principle #4: Stand Without Compromise

I kept this for last because we need to have the right heart to do this last one well.

We must stand firm on the Truth no matter how unpopular or offensive it is to the world. It wasn’t a socially relevant man who saved the world; it was a holy, pure, blameless man. The gospel is offensive because it believes in us + calls us to that higher standard more than we believe in ourselves.

The Bible is the foundation, and all truth that contradicts it is not truth.

A time is coming when the Bride will have to acknowledge Jesus publicly. That is where wedding vows are said, aren’t they, publicly? The day is coming when the Church will be made to stand in public and speak about God. This will happen in 2 ways –

• Sharing publicly about God through media. This is a social media generation, and so much negativity is going around the world wide web. But we are living in a time where the power of God is going to work in and through us to show the world the glory and the greatness of God.  Then we need to make a choice – acknowledge God publicly, or not?  To do so would welcome mockery, cynicism, rejection from our friends… to not do so is to reject the Bridegroom standing before us at the altar.

• Persecution, where our allegiance will be tested. Will we choose to publicly acknowledge Jesus, even when it gets dangerous to do so?

Luke 12: 8-11 says, “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

These circumstances sound bleak, but Jesus tells us not to worry. At the right time, Holy Spirit will tell us what to say (Read more about Holy Spirit’s role in preparing the Bride here). He is our guide, teacher, comforter, and helper – He will never leave us nor forsake us.