Some christian groups hold on to the position that
the LGBT community must first confess that their
lifestyle, their identity, and their behavior as a sin
before receiving eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ.
The Marin Foundation holds the position that the
LGBT community can come to a saving belief in
the good news of Jesus Christ first and foremost
while letting those culturally defined issues of
lifestyle, identity, marriage, civil rights, personal
behaviors and relationships take a secondary role.
Why does The Marin Foundation maintain this?
It is because of the examples set forth by Jesus
Christ.
When we read about the woman at the well who
has a conversation about salvation with Jesus,
we do not find that she had to straighten out all
of her marital issues first before believing in Him.
He did not require first her confession of past
failed relationships.
Instead, Jesus offered her a simple, yet effective
means for the woman to enter into the salvation
of God just as valid as the law given by Moses,
that would permit her to worship without shame.
Next, we read about a man who was blind from
birth, it was not a matter regarding sin from
either him, nor his parents (John 9:1-3) but
an opportunity for manifesting the works of
God in him.
Even after Jesus healed this blind man, some
Pharisees wanted to have the healed man to
state that Jesus was a sinner (John 9:24).
The sin-issue was the primary key starting
point to divide and then exclude others from
receiving the love of God, even excluding the
very Son of God Himself.
Jesus found the healed man after hearing that
the Pharisees kicked him out of the synagogue.
He asked the healed man if he believed in the
Son of God, and when He identified Himself as
such, the healed man both believed and then
began to worship Him.
There was another man who was a cripple for
38 years who was not able to reach the healing
waters fast enough. Jesus said to him to rise up,
take up your bedding and walk. Immediately,
the man was made whole and he took up his bed
and walked.
Then, the healed man was told that it was the
sabbath day therefore unlawful for him to carry
his bedding. The cured man didn't know who had
healed him. Later, he encountered Jesus again:
John 5:14
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple,
and said unto him, Behold, thou art made
whole: sin [G264] no more, lest a worse thing
come unto thee.
Strong's G264 - hamartano = to be without a share in,
to miss the mark, to err, be mistaken, to miss or to
wander off from the path, to do or go wrong; KJV has
translation of: sin, trespass, offend, faults
We have all missed the mark, we all have made mistakes,
we all have wandered off from the righteousness found in
His perfect love. It's a matter focused on our hearts first
and how we identify with the Son of God.
