"Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his
brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth
the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but
a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who
art thou that judgest another?"
- James 4:11-12
I was enjoying some online Christian fellowship recently with several
other saints. We were having conversations about creation vs.
evolution, about the ministry of prophets; and some of us prayed for
those who had requested prayer. Things were going well for quite a
while until one brother who had been engaging in some tirade about how
prophecy is never doom and gloom, never warns, never says anything
people should already know, etc., decided to check out one of my
Web sites, the one on the ministry of New Testament prophets. He then
came back to where we all were talking and started attacking me for
being part of the National Gay Pentecostal Alliance, and telling all
kinds of lies about supporting the so-called homosexual lifestyle and
accusing me of being in sin because of being part of "the gay church."
Then, of course, a few others decided they had to jump on the "attack
the homosexual" bandwagon. Up until that point, I was just another
brother in Christ who -- according to many in the room -- had been very
helpful, kind, knowledgeable, etc. I had, in fact, behaved better than
most of those who were there and that did not go unnoticed. Once I was
outed there (not that I had denied being homosexual up to that point),
none of my Christian witness mattered. None of the truths of God's word
that I had shared mattered. All that mattered was that I was some evil
person bound for the lake of fire because of being homosexual.
Our text makes it clear that we are not to speak evil of one another.
To do so is not only to speak evil of a brother or sister in Christ, but
to speak evil of the very commands of God as well. We are also not to
judge -- meaning to condemn -- one another, because to do so is to judge
or condemn the very commands of God. Why so many Christians feel the
need to commit sin because there is a homosexual present is beyond me.
The aforementioned brother lied about me and about NGPA. He accused me
of engaging in certain behaviors and of supporting such behaviors
despite the fact that I am celibate and affirm the Bible's own view that
sex outside of marriage is sin. Nothing I said mattered. My calm,
gentle, non-accusatory manner did not matter. My words and behavior
prior to the start of that brother's attacks did not matter. He, and
the others who jumped on the bandwagon, would only believe what they
wanted to believe -- what they had been taught to believe: that
homosexuals engage in all kinds of sexual perversion, that homosexuality
caused the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, that homosexuality is an
abomination, that whole civilizations have fallen because they allowed
homosexuality, and - especially - that a person cannot be a homosexual
and be saved.
You might wonder why I engage in Christian fellowship online. Well,
there is not an NGPA church where I live. I am not welcome at the only
Apostolic church in town because I am homosexual. If I go to a
non-Apostolic church, I will be receiving unbiblical teaching. If it's
a Bible-believing church I would have to go back into the closet to be
involved there. So, I get what fellowship I can get online. The Lord
has used me to help others, to share the truth of His word, and to pray
for others -- things we all need to be doing as Christians. So, I am at
least serving some purpose in the kingdom of God while I'm here in
Niagara Falls waiting on Him to send me elsewhere. If I have to be here
until He sends me elsewhere like He said He would, I might as well be
doing some work for Him.
I can't emphasize enough how important it is for us to behave as Jesus
behaved. We need to set the example in the face of stupidity and
ignorance and hostility. Our righteous lives are a witness against
those who behave unrighteously. It's unfortunate that so many of those
who behave unrighteously happen to be part of the body of Christ. Our
text tells us not to speak evil of one another or condemn one another.
It is not our place to do so. There is one lawgiver, one judge, and
that is the God we serve: who are we to try to take His place? We must
love as He loves and forgive as He forgives. Do I hear an amen?
Rev. Chancellor C. Roberts, II, is an ordained minister in the National Gay
Pentecostal Alliance, serving God and that denomination in the ministry of
New Testament prophet (Ephesians 4:11). He manages an e-mail discussion
group for Apostolic/Pentecostal gays. He also edits the online newsletter The Apostolic Standard.
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Websites:
National Gay Pentacostal Alliance
Other Articles By Rev. Chancellor Carlyle Roberts, II:
Summer Snow
Of the Lord's Mercies:
Also In This Issue:
a look at Proverbs 26:1
A Look at Lamentations 3:21-23
