The Greatest Commandment

Praise the Lord,

God is good. He is a great God and worthy of praise and glory and honor.

This week I was looking up glbt christian music online and came across a site that basically condemns Marsha Stevens, an openly lesbian Christian singer, for being a lesbian who sings Christian music. Not to inflame anyone, as I was inflamed while reading this site, but to give you the basic idea of this site, I'll quote the following from the site:

"America has become so apostate, i.e., has forgotten God, that we are seeing homosexual pastors of churches and lesbian Gospel singers, like Marsha Stevens, praised by millions of so-called "Christians." As genuine Christians who love the Lord, we must NEVER allow the homosexual community to think that we accept their vile and sinful lifestyle...Christianity Today has actually stated that some same sex activity doesn't necessarily mean that a person is gay. They've got to be kidding! What has the "Christian" world come to. It is a sin for Christians to be homosexual-friendly. I didn't say it's a sin to be friendly towards homosexuals. I said it's a sin to be homosexual-friendly. As Christians, we should love all sinners, but never approve of their sin. This is a concept which the world cannot understand, because they view Bible-believing Christians as "judgmental" and "hateful." The truth is that we are obeying the Word of God when we speak out against sin and evil (Psalm 94:16; Ephesians 5:11). Homosexuality is a sin and there is absolutely no way to reconcile the Word of God with the homosexual agenda."

This is more or less the tone of this author's commentary and the following is my response. I AM a Christian and I AM lesbian and the 2 are NOT "Diametrically Opposed".

I have come to realize that we all believe what we believe, as Christians, GLBT or not, the Bible based on our understanding of the Bible. As such, I cannot really hold the person/persons completely responsible for their views on us as GLBT Christians.

As I understand the Bible, it is a Book about God, not human sexuality, sin, the Devil, or even humanity, except to say God's love of and for humanity. I believe until all Christians, GLBT, straight or what have you sexually speaking, come to that realization of the Bible, we as Christians will never, unfortunately, demonstrate the love of God that was and is the embodiment of Jesus Christ His Son.

Making one more reference to what was said on the site:

"Let me say candidly that no one can honestly claim to love Jesus, believe the Bible, and fear God who shamelessly practices homosexuality, teaches others it's ok to commit homosexual acts, and defiantly denies the Bible's condemnation of such wickedness. Marsha Stevens DOESN'T love Jesus. Jesus said in John 14:15, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." Stevens surely DOESN'T believe the Bible... "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them" (Leviticus 20:11). And Stevens DOESN'T fear God... "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way..." (Proverb 8:13). Marsha Stevens is an imposter, of the Devil, who is exploiting the name of Christ to make lots of money. Beware Christian!--warn your friends and children of these wolves in sheep's clothing who want to homosexualize your children in Jesus' name."

I find it interesting that he/she (the writer of that site) references Proverb 8:13, which clearly states what is meant by evil, namely pride, arrogance, corruption and perverse speech (NLT). (I could comment on Leviticus 20:11 also but if you read that entire chapter it should be self-evident why I am not commenting on Leviticus 20:11 at this time).

The Amplified Bible puts Proverbs 8:13 this way:

13The reverent fear and worshipful awe of the Lord [includes] the hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate.

Hmmm, I don't see any reference there to one's sexuality or even one's expression of that sexuality. Do you?

Maybe we should look at another english translation:

New Living Translation (NLT)

13 All who fear the Lord will hate evil.
Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance,
corruption and perverse speech.

That's strange, no mention of one's sexuality or the expression of that sexuality here either. Maybe I'm missing it. Let's look at yet another english translation:

New King James Version (NKJV)

13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate.

Nope, not there either. That's 3 english translations that mention nothing whatsoever of one's sexuality or the expression of that sexuality. So let me move on.

My reply to that site:

Matthew 22:36-40 (AMP)

36Teacher, which [a]kind of commandment is great and important (the principal kind) in the Law? [Some commandments are light--which are heavy?]
37And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect).(A)
38This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.
39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.(B)
40These two commandments [b]sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.

Hmmm, again no reference to one's sexuality or even to one's expression of that sexuality.

I by no means claim to be an expert in the Bible, which I believe to be God's (perfect) Word (as written down by imperfect men). I may address further the issue of God's Word in a later post, but to continue with this greatest commandment that the Lord Jesus gave: LOVE - LOVE God, LOVE neighbor (Jesus explained "neighbor" by telling the Parable of the Good Samaritan), and LOVE yourself.

Notice the order that Jesus gave: (1) God - the God-head (God the Father, God/Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit), (2) neighbor (as explained in Jesus' Parable of the Good Samaritan) and lastly, but certainly not least (3) ourself (I may take up my view on loving oneself's Scripturally in a later post).

So, I leave you with this thought: How Christ-like am I when it comes to this greatest commandment? Am I truly loving God and my neighbor (not to mention myself) if I condemn someone for whatever reason I condemn them? What was Christ's response to the Pharisees and Sadduccees whenever they tested Him? Am I like Christ (responding to everyone regardless of race, creed, religion, sex/gender, sexuality, etc with love) or am I like the Pharisees and Sadduccees (who were self-righteous and used the Scripture to "lord" it over anyone who was not like them)?

Really think about these questions and then ask the Heavenly Father to teach you how to be more Christ-like in your daily life. I make that very request of Him every single day of my life (especially when I come across attitudes like the one expressed on that site).

God bless...

Lady J (aka LJ)
"For With God Nothing Is Impossible" Luke 1:37

The Message (MSG) John 3:16-18
16-18"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

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