First of all, I am not gay, lesbian, a transvestite or any of the other sexual deviations from the norm but the North Dakota legislature will be meeting in a few weeks and it is likely that negative legislation will be introduced to demean sexual deviants. In some cases, it is blatant persecution.

Scripture is really tough on sexual deviation. Numerous verses of Scripture in the New Testament make it very clear that Christ-followers should not adulterate the line of procreation.

Because of the Bible’s declarations, many Christians have participated in condemnation of sexual deviants and they have influenced the condemnation of sexual deviation from the Christian norm.

Since this condemnation rises from Biblical standards, it is not a secular but a religious issue that should be considered only in the light of Christian values. Martin Luther said there is a “Kingdom of the world” and a “Kingdom of God.” Sexual deviation is in the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of God.

The overarching principle of the Kingdom of God is the love of God. For Christ-followers the love of God and persons is primary and must be the standard against which people in the Kingdom of God must measure themselves and others.

We fail to measure up to this standard just as we fail to master the lifestyle prescribed by Scripture. At the end of every day, we can look back and see the shambles we have made of Christ’s teachings.

For some, the shambles are chronic addictions to drugs, smoking or alcohol. For others, it is constant judgment of the behavior of other people. For others, it is the love of money so it is not surrendered to God’s priorities but used for self-gratification and pride.

In this age of consummate prosperity, all Americans are guilty of the sin of selfishness that not only eats up personal morals but also overlooks the consequential poverty and suffering of disadvantaged people. Rather than love the needy we are the religious people who walked around the wounded stranger on the roadside.

Scripture condemns selfishness, greed and arrogance and yet we do not focus on these attributes as much as we do on sexual deviation. Christ followers are confused on the issue of sexual deviation. Consequentially, we fall into a judgment mode and support society’s punitive treatment of sexual deviations.

When we are tempted to relegate addicts and sexual deviants to hell, we need to remember that Christianity is not a corporate problem but it is personal. So personal that it is really nobody else’s business unless it is harming others.

God’s personal relationship with Christ-followers means that each person is personally accountable to God for lifestyles that were practiced during a life time. For Christ-followers, God’s grace will cover their deviations from Scripture.

There are sincere Christ-followers who live in the anguish of sexual deviation every day. It is difficult to believe that these believers have willfully entered a lifestyle that is contrary to Scripture and demeaned by society.

There are Christians who don’t understand what it means to be Christ-followers. Some self-proclaimed Christian business people have used their faith to refuse service for gays or lesbians in any way, e.g. wedding cakes, car rentals, housing, etc. That is not reflecting the love of God or neighbor.

So let God be the judge.