Jesus Loves Sinners, So Should We
ICS Daily Devotions
John 3:17 (NKJV) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
We should not hate or condemn those in the LGBTQ community. Instead, we should love them even though we do not condone their lifestyles and welcome them to church so that they can listen to and know the truth. We need to see them through the eyes of Jesus, who is compassionate towards the lost. Jesus did not come to condemn the world because He knew that we are sinners and the knowledge of sin torments us. Instead, He came to build trust and covenantal relationship with us, and we are to do likewise for the people around us.
Romans 5:6 (NKJV) For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Every ungodly person qualifies to be saved because God loves them Jesus died for them too. They might not have strength to overcome their desires and temptations and that is precisely why they need to be saved, because the power of the Holy Spirit that works in their lives after their salvation will help them to break free.
Matthew 9:11-13 (NKJV) And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Jesus ate with sinners, went to their houses, and spoke to them with grace while the religious people would have nothing to do with them. Jesus befriended them to reach out to them. Just like the woman at the well, Jesus did not condemn her but ministered to her with a word of knowledge and asked her to sin no more.
Those who practise homosexuality are just as human as anyone of us. There is always a story behind them which might not be pleasant. Sometimes what they really need is a listening ear, for someone to journey with them and to minister to them, but are we prepared to make time for them? There may be layers of pain that need healing and to be dealt with, and they are struggling with their identity and deep dark secrets.
It is difficult to speak into someone’s life unless they know that it is spoken out of genuine love and concern. Jesus showed His genuine and unconditional love for us by dying on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. He has the right to speak into our lives through the Word. God wants to build trusting, affectionate and intimate relationships with us. We allow Him to speak into the blind spots in our lives because we know that He is doing it out of love, and He wants us to do likewise for our brothers and sisters in the church. Whatever we do for those who are broken, we do it for the Lord.
Sermon Series: Natural or Unnatural
