Should Apostolics Attend a Gay Wedding?
by David K. Bernard
Podcast recording (no venue stated in the delivered transcript)
Kind: teaching

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/david-k-bernard--should-apostolics-attend-a-gay-wedding
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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well first of all let me establish a general foundation and then we'll go to that specific application because there could be many other similar questions of different types of activities so first we must be very clear the bible teaches that god's plan for marriage is one man and one woman who make a commitment for life and also the sexual relationship within marriage is wholesome god ordained god-given but outside marriage it's sin so that's where we start now that means homosexual conduct is contrary to god's word and same-sex marriage is contrary to god's word now the world talks about people being born as homosexual having a homosexual orientation uh this is who you are we do not believe humans should be labeled in such ways uh someone may have a same- sex attraction which is a temptation but if they resist that temptation and they live for god whether they live celibate or whether they also would develop an opposite sex attraction and get married in an opposite sex relationship regardless of their struggle their orientation their temptation their past their identity or their past identity then if they are fulfilling god's plan we do not regard them as homosexual so we believe that everyone can fulfill god's plan no matter their temptation some people have heterosexual temptations others a minority will have homosexual temptations both are temptations both need to be overcome all of us need to learn how to submit our own lust to the will of god and live a godly life according to god's word so we're all the same that way so when somebody comes to our church if they identify as a homosexual or if they have those temptations or struggles that life we welcome them to come to church we welcome all people to come to church just like sick people need to go the hospital sinners need to go to the church to church and we're all sinners outside the grace of god you know we're born again we can live a holy life but we're all the same in that regard so we don't discriminate against anybody we don't hate anybody we're not bigoted against anybody all are welcome all are welcome to become part of the church of course you must be born again all are welcome to be to participate in the church of course there are guidelines for leadership in public ministry that must correspond to biblical teaching so what happens when we have a close friend or family member who announces that they're going to be involved in a homosexual relationship or marriage well first of all we must make a distinction between acceptance and approval i can accept you as a person that doesn't mean i approve of your choice or your lifestyle so i love you as a family member i love you as i respect your rights as an american citizen i believe you should have freedom the same freedoms that everybody else has as far as an american citizen and even in our family i love you respect you so almost every family will have someone they may not be dealing with a homosexual life but they're probably dealing with fornication or adultery or divorce contrary to god's will and what do we do we don't ostracize them we don't exclude them they they still come to family dinner they still participate in family events because we're accepting them however that does not mean we approve of their life and of course we don't have to um to preach at them every time we probably would have a conversation at some point if they don't already know it of what we believe so it needs to be clear we love you and we accept you as a person so anything we can do to affirm you as a person as a friend or a family member and open the door for influence we want to do that but anything that might indicate we approve of your sinful life we don't want to do that so when it comes to as i said having a family dinner i would say we invite everyone maybe they're living in sin with a girlfriend or boyfriend maybe it's heterosexual maybe it's homosexual maybe we don't even want to investigate or know but we try to welcome them that's acceptance but if we're asked to participate in an activity that would indicate our endorsement that we have to say no so i would draw the line at a marriage i would say i love you respect you thank you for the invitation um however i think if i were to go that would indicate that i approve of something that i believe is contrary to god's word so i'm sorry but respectfully i'm not going to be there and if that causes them to reject me there's nothing i can do about that what i would do is pray for them at appropriate times send them a card or letter or an invitation to something that i feel is neutral i would still keep the door open now there as i said there could be many other situations so i would say it's up to each person to decide what i'm going to do but personally what i would urge you pray for your loved one continue to show love for your loved one do not show hatred bitterness harshness judgmentalism what i mean by that is we're not saying they're right but we're not trying to us be the one who condemns them that's not our role jesus didn't come to condemn the world but to save the world so we're offering grace but anything that would indicate we approve of your sin then we have to say no i'm sorry i can't participate