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I have a question for you about gay people — I know what the Bible says about it, but how do you treat gay people? I know that it is between God and them, but what do you do when it’s a friend of yours or your family? Bonnie

I John 4:7 – 11 states: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

First of all, we are to continue to love them. We do not condone their lifestyle, but we love them. Remember that all sin is offensive to God, and all sin results in death – Romans 6:23 – but the …gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Homosexuality is just one of the many sins listed in I Corinthians 6:9 – 10: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” Thankfully verse 11 goes on to say: “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

Jennifer Waddle on her blog: Can a Christian have a gay friend? brings out four things to keep in mind:

    We do not have to participate in gay-related events. Yes, it will be awkward to decline the invitation, but it will be even more awkward to attend and feel like we are compromising our beliefs.

    We can encourage, support and interact with gay friends so long as we remain steadfast in the truth. If we are tempted to be swayed, it would be wise for us to re-evaluate the friendship. We must hold everything to the light of Scripture. The Holy Spirit will guide us.

    It’s ok to disagree. Our friends may try to convince us that their lifestyle is loving and good. We should gently remind them that they were created in the image of God and for the purpose of bringing Him glory. We should seek opportunities to share the Gospel.

    If they walk away from the friendship, we shouldn’t take it too personally. We should continue to pray hard for them. Pray that we have planted a seed and that someone else will water it. Most of all, we should pray that they will come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

One thing to keep in mind is that the Bible is the supreme authority on all matters of faith and conduct. Romans 1:24 – 32 states: “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”