By Melissa Raj

We are continuing in our series of ‘How to be a More Loving Community’ in our Cathedral, having looked at children, teenagers, young adults, and the good works we are to do in our community in past issues. This issue looks at how we can be more loving towards our brothers and sisters in Christ who are attracted to the same sex.

In the beginning, God created man in his own image, both male and female, and he declared it very good. But when the first man and woman disobeyed God’s command, sin entered into the world – it separated us from God and affected our relationship with each other. Thankfully, God sent his Son Jesus to live in this world as a person, to redeem us from sin by his death on the cross and his resurrection. Through Jesus Christ, we are reconciled to God, and we look forward to the day when Jesus comes again, where we will live with him forever. Until then, we continue to live in this fallen world affected by sin – we act and desire what is contrary to God’s will; the ever changing moral standards of the world dictate our ways; this issue of same-sex attraction and marriage plagues us – love wins, doesn’t it?

For us Christians, the immutable truth of Scripture is our authority and informs how we are to view this issue and respond to those whom we know are attracted to the same sex. We are assured that our identity is not in what we do nor who we are attracted to, but in Christ alone, for in his death and resurrection he has united to himself a diverse people of every nation, tribe, and language.

In this issue of St Mary’s News, our feature article starts us off with God’s design for marriage and why it is specifically for men and women, and the roles they each play within marriage. This view is crucial, as marriage is created by God to be a picture of Christ’s love for his church and, ultimately of the marriage of Christ and his bride, the church. Next, we examine Bible verses about homosexuality, reading the verses in their historical context to see if current interpretations hold up to scrutiny. We will also consider how to support those who are attracted to the same sex, and what we can do if we ourselves are too. We have also included a section for parents and guardians of children to equip them to talk about gender, and recommended some books for further reading too.

Let’s continue to pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us as we take a stand on this issue, and lovingly support those who are wrestling with this issue. And let’s look forward to Jesus’s coming again when God will make all things new, where we will no longer struggle with disordered desires but live according to his design for eternity. In all of this, let’s seek to glorify God together.