An Open Letter to Jen Hatmaker, Lauren Daigle, and all my well-meaning liberal friends

So you have friends that are gay.  You don't want to offend them; you want to love them.  You want them to know that Jesus loves them too.  Your heart hurts when they hurt.  In order to make it easier on them (and you), you decide to reject the clear teaching of scripture.  It's easier to say the Bible is wrong than to say your friend is wrong.  I get it.

My best friend is gay.  He's also my husband.  He knows the truth of the Bible and he's trying really hard to live according to God's will as revealed in the Bible.  It's not an easy path.  But one day I want him to hear the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant.  Enter into my rest."  It is our firm belief that people that live in open rebellion towards God's ways will not get to hear those words.

Every time a prominent Christian changes their view on homosexuality, a little piece of me dies.  You are just adding another voice to the temptation for Christians that are struggling to live according to the Bible.  And you have no idea how many God-fearing believers are out there struggling!  My husband is not at the gay pride parade; he is humbly living life with his wife and four kids.  See, you think you are being loving towards gay people.  I think you hate them.  You hate me.  You care more about making yourself feel good, than you do about the souls of people.  You have chosen to live a public Christian life.  People are watching you.  They listen to you.  If you tempt them to sin, what sorrow awaits you.

One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves!  If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive." - Luke 17:1-3

Are you so convinced that the Bible is wrong that you are willing to be punished for it?  You may be making your life on earth easier, but the path to destruction is wide and many choose that way.  The narrow way is difficult and few find it.  I think our Western culture has made us think too highly of ourselves and think not nearly high enough about God.  We think God wants us to be happy.  I don't see that in the Bible.  I see a God that asks for my faith - even when I cannot see, my obedience - even when I don't understand, and my worship - even when I don't feel it.  I don't deserve his rest, but he gives it freely to those that serve him.  I am simply his servant, an unworthy servant trying to do my duty through obedience.

“When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’” - Luke 17:7-10

You probably think that you are the "loving Christian" and that I am the "hateful, bigoted Christian".   You couldn't be more wrong.  I love my husband more than you can imagine.  I don't hate him or anyone like him.  But I care more about his eternal soul than his earthly happiness.  I wish you did, too.

If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it. - Luke 17:33