Loving our neighbors and clearly communicating the gospel are sacred privileges of disciples of Jesus. But not all of our neighbors want to be loved and some really don’t want to hear the gospel. This is especially true in regards to the homosexual community where conflict abounds between Christians and those who view sexuality outside the lines of God’s original design. How can we as Christians think through this social issue? Noted apologist Ravi Zacharias offers some compelling thoughts in the following video.

Zacharias provides “three panels” of an answer concerning homosexuality. First, is the sociological problem. This problem is seen in how our culture relates to authority. We value autocracy, which is means a law to oneself and that no outside and objective authority has power over you. The notion of owing allegiance to God, our moral lawgiver is exchanged for our own glory and perceived right to choose. Second, is the theological problem . Our race, ethnicity, and sexuality are sacred attributes of being made in God’s image. Sexual immorality then is the “de-sacralizing” of what God has made and intended for a specific purpose. The full picture of the biblical concept of love can be explained through the Greek words agape (unconditional love), phileo (friendship love), storge (parental love), and eros (sexual love). Zacharias contends it is only marriage between a man and woman that can embody all of these facets of love. Third, is the relational problem. As Christians we must be courageous in loving those whom we disagree. It is far easier to isolate and disparage those who are sin than to engage them with the gospel. For much more detail, please watch the entire video.

