Condemning is Not Our Responsibility
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:17 King Jesus, while here on earth, made that statement while speaking to a religious ruler named Nicodemus.
Recently I saw a religious news article, asking the question “Can You be Gay and a Christian?” Keep in mind, Christianity is a religion, not a government. In the Kingdom, there is one King and that is the Lord Jesus. His Father God gave Him all power and authority. Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth." Matthew 28:18 NLT
Citizens of the Kingdom, concentrate on obeying the King’s principles and laws; not on condemning others who aren't Kingdom citizens and don’t embrace His Word. That isn’t our responsibility. We are to follow the King’s example. By the way, those who fail to embrace the King are condemned already. Read what the King said while speaking to Nicodemus: He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18
It is not a Kingdom citizen’s responsibility to condemn anyone, but to behave in a manner that is in line with His Word. He didn’t come to earth to inform them that they were going to hell, but to embrace His message and His Word. If you love Me, keep My commandments… If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. John 14:15, 23-24
The secret to the Kingdom is faith in His Word, total trust and confidence.
Now, back to the original question… “Can you be gay and a Christian?” Of course, you can, but you cannot be a Kingdom citizen in right-standing with the King if you aren't obeying and applying the principles of the Kingdom. (Remember God has given people free will. He wants us to freely choose Him.) Not being in right-standing means you won't have any part in the benefits of living in the Kingdom of God. Here is the problem: Those who call themselves Christians often don’t really know who they are. In part, that happens because they base their Christian faith according to what they are told in church rather than studying God's Word. Christianity is a religion--not a government--and too often God's Word is misrepresented, omitted or twisted to fit their denominational laws. Then those laws are changed over the years to better fit the people's current culture. It is no wonder that some would drift away from the Truth of God's Word into mixture with the world's values. That is why we see "Christians" supporting abortion and homosexuality, for example. Eventually those types of churches become more like a community group, lacking in the power of the Holy Spirit!
For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2 Timothy 3:2-5 NLT
But the Word of the King is unchangeable and eternal! Citizens of God's Kingdom government who are born again of the Spirit of the Lord God are no longer of this world but still in it. Our spirits are regenerated and no longer belong to the world. It is our spirit that rules, not our soul. Now comes the process of seeking the Kingdom first. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:33-34 NKJV
Remember, the Lord Jesus at no time condemned others, but followed His Father’s instructions to preach and teach the Kingdom message. He spoke Truth. Do you recall the woman at the well? Do you remember what He said to her when asked concerning her husband?
Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”
Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”
Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet! John 4:13-19
Notice at no time did He start condemning or accusing her, but spoke the truth to her. Speak the truth without condemnation. He spoke Truth to her and she left, telling everyone about Jesus! “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” John 4:29
Remember, we who are of the Kingdom mindset, keep these words in mind:
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:13-16 NLT
Those are the Words of my King. Yes, people who want to change their sex at birth are disobedient to the Lord God’s Constitution. God does not make mistakes. Yes, they will be judged, but in the King’s appointed time. That isn’t our responsibility. We are to obey His Word and apply it to our lifestyle. We can judge, but not condemn. By judging, I mean recognizing disobedience or sin in their lives--things that are contrary to the Lord God’s Constitution. Remember what the Lord Jesus said: I tell you the truth, those who listen to My Words and believe in God who sent Me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24
Today's culture tries to deny truth and validate lies. All Satan needs to do is to get you to believe a lie. When you believe a lie, you will spread it to others and soon they will neither recognize nor believe the truth. That's why we speak God's unwavering Truth without condemnation. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church. Ephesians 4:14-15 NLT
Kingdom citizens lead by example. Who do they lead? Everyone they encounter! Lead them to the Kingdom.
Remember that your greatest asset is your faith in the Lord God’s Word.
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
Continue to part 2
Recently I saw a religious news article, asking the question “Can You be Gay and a Christian?” Keep in mind, Christianity is a religion, not a government. In the Kingdom, there is one King and that is the Lord Jesus. His Father God gave Him all power and authority. Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth." Matthew 28:18 NLT
Citizens of the Kingdom, concentrate on obeying the King’s principles and laws; not on condemning others who aren't Kingdom citizens and don’t embrace His Word. That isn’t our responsibility. We are to follow the King’s example. By the way, those who fail to embrace the King are condemned already. Read what the King said while speaking to Nicodemus: He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18
It is not a Kingdom citizen’s responsibility to condemn anyone, but to behave in a manner that is in line with His Word. He didn’t come to earth to inform them that they were going to hell, but to embrace His message and His Word. If you love Me, keep My commandments… If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. John 14:15, 23-24
The secret to the Kingdom is faith in His Word, total trust and confidence.
Now, back to the original question… “Can you be gay and a Christian?” Of course, you can, but you cannot be a Kingdom citizen in right-standing with the King if you aren't obeying and applying the principles of the Kingdom. (Remember God has given people free will. He wants us to freely choose Him.) Not being in right-standing means you won't have any part in the benefits of living in the Kingdom of God. Here is the problem: Those who call themselves Christians often don’t really know who they are. In part, that happens because they base their Christian faith according to what they are told in church rather than studying God's Word. Christianity is a religion--not a government--and too often God's Word is misrepresented, omitted or twisted to fit their denominational laws. Then those laws are changed over the years to better fit the people's current culture. It is no wonder that some would drift away from the Truth of God's Word into mixture with the world's values. That is why we see "Christians" supporting abortion and homosexuality, for example. Eventually those types of churches become more like a community group, lacking in the power of the Holy Spirit!
For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2 Timothy 3:2-5 NLT
But the Word of the King is unchangeable and eternal! Citizens of God's Kingdom government who are born again of the Spirit of the Lord God are no longer of this world but still in it. Our spirits are regenerated and no longer belong to the world. It is our spirit that rules, not our soul. Now comes the process of seeking the Kingdom first. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:33-34 NKJV
Remember, the Lord Jesus at no time condemned others, but followed His Father’s instructions to preach and teach the Kingdom message. He spoke Truth. Do you recall the woman at the well? Do you remember what He said to her when asked concerning her husband?
Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”
Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”
Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet! John 4:13-19
Notice at no time did He start condemning or accusing her, but spoke the truth to her. Speak the truth without condemnation. He spoke Truth to her and she left, telling everyone about Jesus! “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” John 4:29
Remember, we who are of the Kingdom mindset, keep these words in mind:
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:13-16 NLT
Those are the Words of my King. Yes, people who want to change their sex at birth are disobedient to the Lord God’s Constitution. God does not make mistakes. Yes, they will be judged, but in the King’s appointed time. That isn’t our responsibility. We are to obey His Word and apply it to our lifestyle. We can judge, but not condemn. By judging, I mean recognizing disobedience or sin in their lives--things that are contrary to the Lord God’s Constitution. Remember what the Lord Jesus said: I tell you the truth, those who listen to My Words and believe in God who sent Me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24
Today's culture tries to deny truth and validate lies. All Satan needs to do is to get you to believe a lie. When you believe a lie, you will spread it to others and soon they will neither recognize nor believe the truth. That's why we speak God's unwavering Truth without condemnation. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church. Ephesians 4:14-15 NLT
Kingdom citizens lead by example. Who do they lead? Everyone they encounter! Lead them to the Kingdom.
Remember that your greatest asset is your faith in the Lord God’s Word.
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
Continue to part 2
