Caring Enough to Confront - Sex, Sexuality, and Gender: Tough Questions, Practical Answers, Part 2
Description
As a follower of Jesus, what should you do if you are invited to a wedding for a same-sex couple? What if someone asks you to use their personal pronouns? In this program, Chip and Pastor Tim Lundy continue wrestling with these real-life challenges that Christians face. Learn how to practically apply the truth and wisdom of God’s Word in your home, workplace, and community.
Main Points
Purpose of Addressing Controversial Issues:
- Tim's Motivation: Tim's engagement with heavy issues like sexuality and LGBTQ topics is driven by pastoral concern rather than a desire for controversy. He sees a need to address these issues due to the prevalence of false teachings and questions from families and teenagers. His goal is to shepherd families and present truth in a straightforward manner.
Handling Difficult Conversations with Children:
- Listening and Grace: Tim emphasizes the importance of listening to children who come out as LGBTQ. Parents should create a space where their children feel heard, and they should express love and support while balancing grace with truth. He stresses that while the church and the family have a responsibility to uphold Biblical truth, they must also navigate the tension between their beliefs and their children's identities with grace.
Understanding and Communicating the Gospel:
- Gospel’s Radical Grace: Tim explains that the Gospel is about Christ's grace despite our sin. He argues that salvation is not about moral perfection but about the transformative work of Christ. The question of whether LGBTQ individuals can be Christians should be framed in the context of the broader Gospel message, which applies to all sin, not just homosexuality.
- No Barriers, No Compromise: Tim advocates for no barriers to coming to Christ, meaning people should not be expected to "clean up" their lives before embracing the Gospel. However, he also stresses the importance of not compromising on Biblical teachings and encouraging growth in righteousness.
Feedback and Reactions:
- Mixed Reactions: Tim received feedback from different sides of the spectrum. Some felt his approach endorsed LGBTQ lifestyles, while others were uncomfortable with his stance on not compromising on moral issues. He views this pushback as an indication of addressing the issues clearly and effectively.
Broader Context of Sin and the Church’s Focus:
- Consistency in Addressing Sin: Tim and Chip discuss the Church's tendency to focus on certain sins, like homosexuality, while neglecting others, such as pornography or adultery. They stress the need for a consistent approach to all forms of sin, emphasizing that all sin separates people from God and that the Gospel offers restoration to all.
Attending a Gay Wedding:
- Gray Area: The question of whether to attend a gay wedding is seen as a gray area rather than black and white. Tim suggests that while the Bible is not explicitly clear on this issue, principles from passages like Romans 14-16 about gray areas in faith should be applied.
- Conscience and Relationship: Decisions should be guided by one's conscience and the nature of the relationship. Some Christians may attend a wedding as a gesture of love and maintaining a relationship, while others may choose not to if it seems to endorse the union as a Christian marriage.
- Objective: The focus should be on whether attending is for the sake of the Gospel or to avoid family tension. The intention should be clear and genuine, not just about making peace.
Using Personal Pronouns for Transitioning People:
- Cultural Impact: Some view using preferred pronouns as supporting a cultural shift that they believe distorts truth. Others, particularly in therapeutic settings, see respecting pronouns as a way to build trust with those experiencing gender dysphoria.
- Context Matters: In professional settings, Christians may need to navigate these issues carefully, balancing their beliefs with their role as salt and light in the workplace. Tim suggests using names instead of pronouns as a middle ground while remaining respectful.
Hosting a Gay Couple Overnight:
- Consistency: It's important to be consistent with biblical standards. If you apply a standard for gay couples, ensure the same standard applies to heterosexual situations.
- Teaching Children: Explain your stance to children appropriately, helping them understand why certain behaviors are not accepted while showing love to those who differ.
Pornography:
- Destructive Nature: Pornography is described as highly destructive, affecting mental health and relationships deeply. It has the same addictive properties as drugs and causes significant harm to marriages and individual well-being.
- Need for Help: Overcoming pornography addiction typically requires external help and community support. Tim emphasizes the importance of not facing this struggle alone and highlights church programs like Warrior Men and Journey Women that offer support.
General Encouragement:
- Cultural Challenges: Despite the fast-changing cultural landscape, Christians should not be afraid. Historical examples show that faith can thrive in countercultural settings.
- Hope and Grace: Emphasis is placed on the availability of God's grace and the importance of seeking help, especially when dealing with heavy burdens like addiction.
Broadcast Resource
Additional Resource Mentions
About Chip Ingram
Chip Ingram’s passion is helping Christians really live like Christians. As a pastor, author, and teacher for more than three decades, Chip has helped believers around the world move from spiritual spectators to healthy, authentic disciples of Jesus by living out God’s truth in their lives and relationships in transformational ways.
About Tim Lundy
Tim Lundy has been in ministry for three decades. A graduate of Crichton College and Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), he is currently serving as the Senior Pastor at Venture Christian Church in Los Gatos, California, and previously gave pastoral leadership to Christ Community Church and Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.
About Living on the Edge
Living on the Edge exists to help Christians live like Christians. Established in 1995 as the radio ministry of pastor and author Chip Ingram, God has since grown it into a global discipleship ministry. Living on the Edge provides Biblical teaching and discipleship resources that challenge and equip spiritually hungry Christians all over the world to become mature disciples of Jesus.
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