Starting August 25, Loma Linda University Health will be offering a monthly LGBTQ+ support group. The stated goal of this monthly meeting is to discuss issues related to being LGBT+.
This group claims to provide a “safe environment to share common experiences and increase understanding, as well as an opportunity to participate in a supportive community. Topics addressed may include: coming out to yourself and others, religion and spirituality, family relationships, coping skills, and self-acceptance.”
Our Commentary
Friends, the only safe environment when it comes to moral issues is living within the will of God according to His holy Word.
And living within the will of God requires repenting of sin, not celebrating or affirming it.
Understanding. I agree that understanding on moral issues is needed, and we get understanding from the Word of God. James tells us that understanding is a byproduct of God’s wisdom. This wisdom comes from above, contrasted with earthly wisdom that comes from beneath (James 3:13—17). We will either walk in God’s truth (wisdom) or human darkness (lies). Any understanding that seeks to affirm or excuse sinful behavior is based on lies and deception; it comes from beneath (demonic).
Notice the acronym LGBTQ+. The + opens the door for bestiality, polyamory, and paedophilia. Make no mistake here, these additional abominations are coming. And, quickly.
As sinners, saved by grace, we support each other by praying for each other, repenting and holding ourselves accountable to the yoke of the One true God.
‘Coming out’ to yourself or others (in this context) is a pseudo-conversion experience that openly celebrates walking according to the lies of the enemy. True conversion is always accompanied by repentance, not pride (Acts 3:19).
True conversion means turning not only from sin but also from depending on self-made righteousness. Those who trust in their own righteousness for conversion hide behind their own good works. This is the reason that self-righteous people (Romans 10:3; 5:4) and unrighteous people (Romans 1:18) are often angry with gospel preachers, because the gospel does not spare those who will not submit to the righteousness of Jesus Christ!
Self-acceptance. Self acceptance of behavior that the Word of God condemns requires killing your conscience. That’s the only way to be free from your conscience, you know.
What Loma Linda neglected to include in their description of these ‘support’ meetings is repentance, and freedom from homosexual sin. That’s the support the Body of Christ must offer (Ephesians 4:12—15; Acts 14:15—17). Giving them the benefit of the doubt, perhaps it was an oversight.
To all people who carry around in their heart the burden of unresolved sexual sin, I say this. These things can be confessed and forsaken, and the heart made pure again. You can experience peace, joy and forgiveness in Christ. As Ellen White puts it: “Nothing but divine power can regenerate the human heart and imbue souls with the love of Christ, which will ever manifest itself with love for those for whom He died. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. When a man is converted to God, a new moral taste is supplied, a new motive power is given, and he loves the things that God loves.... Love, joy, peace, and inexpressible gratitude will pervade the soul, and the language of him who is blessed will be, “Thy gentleness hath made me great” (Psalm 18:35). AG 302.2
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"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19, KJV).