Taking a biblical stance without appearing hateful

Bob Russell March 15, 2019

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Recently, I had a question regarding the testing of our integrity. This person talked about being sworn in for jury duty for a high-profile murder trial and recognizing an accountability not just to the court, but to God.  

 While things seemed to be going well, an attorney asked an opened-ended question regarding their acceptance of the LGBTQ community. The person replied, “I am a Christian, and I believe in and try to follow the standards and commands of the Bible. My belief system tells me that I am not to embrace the lifestyles chosen by the LGBTQ community. My faith also admonishes me to love everyone.”   

Despite honest, truthful and loving response, this person told of seeing disgust on the faces of the defense attorney, the prosecutor and others. The potential juror was quickly excused. While not questioning their stance on this issue, the person asked me, “How can we best lovingly state our beliefs within our current culture to answer these types of questions without diluting God’s truth . . . and at the same time, not to be perceived as a bigot?”  

No longer the majority

Pondering such questions are worthwhile for all those aspiring to be servant leaders. No doubt many of you reading these words will face a similar dilemma in the future.

I felt this person responded the right way. It would have been wrong to lie or keep silent about one’s convictions just because they are unpopular. Seasoned Christians are frequently stunned to discover we have so few allies in the public arena. Thirty years ago this person would have been in the majority, now that’s not true any longer.

Several years ago a journalist and pastor, John Dickerson, wrote an eye-opening book, The Great Evangelical Recession. In it, he pointed out that only 7-8 percent of the American people are evangelical in their belief. Less than 10 percent contend that the Bible is the Word of God and Jesus the only source of salvation. 

In the future, Bible-believing Christians need to face the fact that ours is indeed a post-Christian era. Our experience is becoming increasingly like that of the early church, when followers of Christ were considered such a threat to cultural norms they were arrested and sometimes executed for their faith. 

Jesus was the epitome of compassion, yet He was crucified by the majority. He warned that just as a servant is not above his master, if the world hated Him, it will hate His followers as well.

World in rebellion  

The bottom line: there isn’t much we can do to avoid being considered haters. No matter how tender, compassionate and courteous we try to be, the world is in rebellion against the truth of God’s Word. 

The Bible clearly states that God has created us male and female, homosexual behavior is a sin, and it’s wrong for a man to dress like a woman. The world has come to believe Satan’s lie that homosexuality is a gender instead of a behavior. But we can’t alter God’s truth. 

Rejecting the Bible 

The prophet Isaiah warned, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20). I think this juror’s experience is the “new normal.” In the future, followers of Christ will need to toughen up and anticipate that many in the world will reject our beliefs. 

Those of us over the age of 50 have been spoiled by growing up in a country where Christian values were the norm. That is no longer the case. Jesus warned, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18).

The fact that we are in the minority and falsely accused of hate and bigotry should not change how we respond. We are still to speak the truth in love. We are still to pray for our enemies. We are still to overcome evil with good.

Photo source: istock 

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Bob Russell became the pastor of Southeast Christian Church at just 22 years old. That small congregation of 120 members became one of the largest churches in America, with 18,000 people attending the four worship services every weekend in 2006 when Bob retired. Now through Bob Russell Ministries, Bob continues to preach at churches; conferences throughout the United States, provide guidance for church leadership, mentor other ministers and author Bible study videos for use in small groups. Learn More »

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