"TRANSGENDER FEELINGS and STRUGGLES ARE REAL!!"
ANYONE WITH EYES can "see" that the struggle of transgender people is REAL; no matter how "awkward", "deceived" or "ridiculous", YOU or I may feel that they are!
Does the "realness" of their feelings, delegitimize or devalue the "gospel message" in any way? ABSOLUTELY, NOT!
As an EXAMPLE, let's think back to "Bruce Jenner's" transition to "Caitlyn Jenner", and all of the sordid responses to his process and public transformation. And, although the LGBTQIA community was fully-supportive of his decision to publicly make it known, the general public's acceptance was "slim to none"!
As I've stated MANY TIMES in my (3) other blogs on the subject of "The Father's Heart On Homosexuality: Building Bridges Between the LGBTQ and Christian Communities", NO RATIONAL PERSON would put themselves "out there" to be mocked, ridiculed or made fun of!
So, "identifying" with Caitlyn Jenner, is what very few people on the planet (especially most "conservative" Christians) would EVER be able to accommodate or "buy into". EXCEPT, the "reality" of someone's heart condition or life situation, is NOT supposed to be "owned" (condone their sin) -- but "accepted" (lead them to the Savior) for the purpose of RELATING "to them" and BECOMING "all things to all people" that we might "win some"...
As a Christian minister that is seen as conservative and biblically grounded, that translates for most people -- which aren't "religious", as intolerant, prejudiced and irrelevant in most popular "social perspectives", because of "being married to the Bible"; as if it doesn't speak to EVERY ISSUE of today's culture with contemporary relevance and conspicuous wisdom that is life-changing when it's embraced and understood!
EVERYONE STRUGGLING WITH "SIN", as a "devoted Christian", adulterer, homosexual or thief, has an "IDENTITY" problem, UNTIL they "completely surrender" EVERY ASPECT of their lives TO HIM!
"Identifying with" a particular social group, political party, or area of sin and struggle, is actually VERY NORMAL, and that's where "labels" come from, which is the primary reason people tend to "label themselves" -- as to "own their identity"; and then describe it with the most empathy and understanding that they can, so that no one else will falsely label it something else "hateful" or "demeaning".
"Kingdom Ideals" (from God's Word) will ALWAYS be an AFFRONT to "earthly realities" (cultural norms) but JESUS has already addressed "the hostility and the judgment of God's Wrath against humanity's sin", through the precious blood that was shed for us ALL at the Cross of Calvary...And, THAT's the GOOD NEWS!!
LISTEN: The "Christian's Mandate" is SIMPLE, but to "master it", we have to "understand it", FIRST!
#1 - JESUS is "The Light of the World", and WE (Christians) are "lights in the world".
#2 - As "lights in the world", we "reflect Christ" and we "represent the Kingdom of God"; but FULLY AWARE that proper representation is IMPOSSIBLE apart from "HIS GRACE"!
#3 - The ongoing ministry and work of the Holy Spirit is "both" -- DEPENDENT, "upon us", and INDEPENDENT, "of us", so GOD is NEVER "held hostage" by our lack of CAPACITY or COMPETENCY as it pertains to the "gospel that we preach". WHY? Because, all too often, we are NOT preaching "the whole counsel of God's Word"!
#4 - Humanity's "SIN ISSUE" was actually addressed from the "foundation of the world", but more specifically through the PERFECT SUBSTITUTIONARY SACRIFICE of JESUS CHRIST! So, our conversations, discipleship, evangelism, preaching, and teaching -- with or towards people, is NOT arm-twisting, muscling consent, selling wolf-cookies, inducing fear, aggressively attacking, OR "using the Word of God as a sword" to correct, to harm or to punish someone else. The "letter ALONE kills, but the SPIRIT brings LIFE"!
2 CORINTHIANS 3:6(NIV)
"HE has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant -- not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."
The SPIRIT "gives live" represents WHAT SPIRIT is both "initiating" and "transmitting" the message, as well as to the "nature of the intentions and the identity" of the person who is "broadcasting the message" as well!
LGBTQIA "issues" are unique and different, but "the SAME POWER that raised Jesus from the dead, can and will, quicken their mortal bodies"; "if" THEY but "TRUST HIM", and "DEPEND UPON HIS GRACE" to overcome!
It's SAD that what we call "righteous indignation", is often our own "FAILURE", "limited capacity", and "veiled anger" to address the "fallen condition of mankind" -- IN LOVE!
After all, WE ARE FALLEN "TOO"! GO FIGURE...Sometimes we in all our "self-righteous rants", FORGET?!?
REDEMPTION has "no earthly limits", AND as painful and unbearable "forgiveness" may be for the "horizontal plain" amongst us sometimes indifferent and evil "human beings", who show no concern for the plight of others; God's Redemptive Plan is STILL active and available to every STUBBORN, STIFF-NECKED, and STIFLED "personality" that thinks they do NOT "need God", and will go to the grave in their PRIDE and in their SIN! #WS-3
The Father’s Heart Part 1-3 BLOGS (Original Book Content)
Walter L Smith III (WS-3)
Founder, Pure In Heart Int'l Ministries, Inc. (PIHIM)/The Center For Kingdom Advancement (TCFKA)
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