To the Editor:

A recent columnist claimed that their church embraces LGBTQ members. Well, my church welcomes LGBTQ as well. But rather than celebrate what is broken, we pray the LGBTQ, and all the broken, will seek reconciliation and healing. 

It breaks my heart to see people desperately clinging to that which the Bible very clearly says will separate them from God. As it relates to homosexuals, nowhere in the Bible does it speak of homosexual acts in a positive or acceptable light. But nowhere in the Bible does it say any of our acts are right with God. Each one of us is born broken, and our best are like dirty rags to God (Isaiah 34). Our brokenness separates us from God and prevents us from living the life He would have us live. The only person to ever be whole was Jesus Christ, our only hope for reconciliation with God. 

God’s love for us does not change our need to obey his commands. God calls us to give ourselves and all our brokenness to Him — our idolatry, selfishness, greed, gluttony and sexual immorality (including adultery, lust and homosexual acts). We are all born with these to some level. It is who we are. We must give them over to God who loves us so much, He died for us even while we were separated. He loves us so much, He made a way for us to be reconciled (John 3). 

And since we are all broken, we are all in the same situation. None of us can think of ourselves as better than anyone else. It should be our life’s goal to lead everyone we can to Jesus, our only hope of reconciliation. There is no room for hate ... of anyone. God created each of us in His image, so we all deserve the same respect as humans and the same hope as broken people. 

Jesus thought so. That is why He came to earth and showed love to everyone. But as with the woman at the well and the woman accused of adultery (John 4 and 8), He expected them to change from what they were to what He called them to be — whole and holy. 

So let’s show dignity and respect to all humans. But also, let’s not embrace our brokenness but embrace the healing that God so desperately wants us all to have. He loves us too much to do anything else. 

David Onder

Waynesville