the Gospel

Be Reconciled to God

Posted on March 17, 20172 Comments

There are at least three ways to respond to being reconciled to God.

First, before I process a short list of ways to respond to being reconciled to God, let me address the assumed position that this presents. If there is a command of Scripture to be reconciled to God then it must first be understood that there is reason for reconciliation. There is a broken condition between man and God. The bible calls this sin. It’s not that there is just something that needs to be tweaked, adjusted, or fine tuned. There is somethings totally and completely ruined that requires a work outside of man to accomplish. This is the great truth of sin. It has put man in a state that he cannot in himself accomplish. He’s spiritually dead and behaving contrary to his created purpose.

Now, take a look at at least three ways humanity responds to the command of God to be reconciled. Semantically, I suppose there’s really only two ways to respond, repent or reject, but for the observation of it I’ll pick up at least three expressions of those two responses.

Repent. The language of Scripture is God entreating or urging you to be reconciled to God. For God to entreat or urge is not begging or hoping you might choose Him over another. It is from the position of knowing that there is no other way or name in which man might be saved. It is an appeal based on the fact that when God gives spiritual eyes and ears to hear that you will see your previous condition and respond with repentance as you see your previous condition was completely helpless.
Receive His grace in vain (which is rejection). To hear or see others repent and not know why but seems appealing leads one to put on the appearance of repentance in order to vainly receive blessings in selfishness or pride. Simply repeating a reasonable structure of words, even with tears or sadness, is not evidence of repentance. The unregenerate soul will reject the Lordship of Christ and not love to obey His commands or serve as an ambassador of His kingdom.
Reject. It’s more complicated than being given two reasonable options to choose between and you receive one and reject another. It is of such that you are a slave to sin and cannot do anything but sin and hate God. (Even in pretense love for God, one hates Him.) It is like you are given the choice between life and death and you only choose death. You would never want to choose anything but rejection of God because you are not even in such a condition to even want to choose life, you’re dead.

This is why, as an ambassador of Christ’s reconciliation, we must properly and carefully represent this glorious kingdom. What we appeal, beseech, urge people toward is a matter of life and death; literally and spiritually.

“Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

Another Gospel Tract Video Project

Posted on February 14, 2017Leave a comment

Video Tract Project:

First, get this video from my YouTube channel (HERE) and share it directly from there. You could share this blog post, but the intent of this blog post is really to give you opportunity to consider sharing the gospel.
Consider sharing this short tract (HERE) on your social media pages, blog pages, emails, and such. This is a concise (44 seconds) collection of a few excerpts from the full sermon. Use this primarily for an opportunity to have more dialog with.

A Gospel Tract Video Project

Posted on February 6, 2017Leave a comment

There is Joy in the Lord

Here is a Gospel sharing opportunity for you. These video Gospel tracts are intended for your use in sharing publicly or privately with friends, co-workers, acquaintances, anyone in general.

The idea is that you might consider sharing one of these video excerpts from a recent sermon with your friends. I’ve included them here for you to view as you decide who you might share.

I have included links to one print version and three video versions:
Long Version: This is the entire sermon from February 5, 2017 from Philippians 2:5-11
Medium Version: This has several excerpts from various places in the sermon (about 15 minutes long)
Short Version: This has just a few portions of the sermon (about 4 minutes)

Instructions and Suggestions:

First:

Pray – The kind of praying I’m talking about is for boldness. We already know that God wants us to share the gospel. For most of us, it is a lack of boldness that keeps us from sharing the gospel. It’s not for lack of want, it’s for lack of boldness. I’m praying for you as you consider this with me.
Read Philippians 2:5-11 and Romans 8. There are other things you may want to read as well, but at least those two because they are the primary text I used in this past Lord’s Day sermon.
Don’t let any public conversion online divert you from you gospel work. If you share one of the following links on a public social network page don’t let someone (sometimes even professing Christians will do this) lure you in to a distracting conversation.
Put it out there and pray for those who the Holy Spirit will draw to the posts.
Do not feel obligated to a discussion where you feel obligated to defend me. That is a distraction from the conversation. Let potshots at the preacher roll off of you.

Printed tract:

Consider printing this post that was published in the Twin Falls Times News this past weekend and give it or mail it to a friend.
After you give it, mail it, email it to them, tell them you would like to talk to them about it some time (face to face is best in my opinion)
Set a time that you may be able to talk about it.
Share that column published in the Twin Falls Times News on your social network sites.
Become as familiar as you can with Philippians 2:5-11 and Romans 8.

Video Tracts:

First, get these videos from my YouTube channel (HERE) and share them directly from there. You could share this blog post, but the intent of this blog post is really to give you opportunity to consider sharing the gospel.
Consider sharing the full sermon (HERE) with those you know really well. Maybe even Christians to encourage each other in the work of Christ on the Cross in your own lives.
Consider sharing the medium length tract (HERE) with friends via email or messaging. Even for some a 15 minute excerpt will not appeal to them or they may consider that too long of an investment in something you’ve shared with them. But you have some who may be ready for a good discussion after a bit more of an investment of their time.
Consider sharing this short tract (HERE) on your social media pages, blog pages, emails, and such. This is a concise collection of a few excerpts from the full sermon. Use this primarily for an opportunity to have more dialog with.

Full Length: 59 minutes

Medium Length: just over 15 minutes

Short Length: 4 minutes

Posted on December 30, 20161 Comment

Tomorrow in the Twin Falls – Times News:

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Joy In The LORD!

On the eve of 2017 we have yet another natural moment for annual evaluation and projecting hopes for the coming days.

Like the dawning of any new year, we get a moment from the Author of time to reflect and consider. Not everyone will see this moment of pinning a new calendar on the wall as a spiritual or eternal moment; but to those that do, may I offer a few thoughts?

I get that a healthier physical body is something that is a pursuit of many at the start of the year. I would even go so far as to agree that it should consume some of your consideration, both for you and your family.
It’s good to set goals for personal order such as organizing your home, cleaning out the car, finally going through all the boxes that have not been opened since your last move, establishing a reading goal for the year (including reading the bible through).

These are not bad things to consider as we face the dawn of 2017.

But greater than the changes we hope to make by breaking bad habits and establishing new goals, is the matter of joy.

What is the source of your joy?

Getting your house in order, losing 20 – 40 pounds, running a 5K, or any other temporary matter will only bring about temporary joy. It doesn’t settle the core matters of life. So long as we put temporal goals as our primary pursuit in life, we will always have something left undone or unsatisfied.

What is it that brings humanity our greatest joy?

Contentment in this temporal day is difficult to achieve until we address the eternal matters of our eternal being.

And listen closely, not just any eternal pursuit will do.

Not all paths are equal.

It’s true that many people journey different paths and we live in a blessed land that allows all to pursue their paths equally. We can live in respect of each other in this while noting at the end that only one source of all truth exists.

May I encourage you to give consideration to the greatest pursuit of your life?

There is lasting, eternal joy, only in the LORD, Jesus the Christ, the son of the Living God. He is a gracious land owner, a redeemer and savior.

To know Him, you have no greater source than the Holy Bible. May it be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. There are people all throughout the Magic Valley who are in pursuit of eternal joy in Christ Jesus, the LORD. They meet with other believers throughout the valley on the LORD’s day in organized locations for the purpose of worship in fulfilling their longing for joy. Not just any kind of worship, but the worship of God, the creator of all things and the redeemer of the souls of repenting men, women, boys, and girls.

Not all places of worship are equal in their object of worship.

Be sure that you gather in places where salvation is in Christ alone, through faith alone. Be sure that the source of this salvation is from the recorded pages of the Holy Bible alone. Any other path, by any other means, by any other source is not a path of eternal joy.

O may you taste the eternal goodness of God this year!

Happy New Year

A Principled Family

Posted on May 26, 2016Leave a comment

A life well lived is a life lived by principle. It was July 17, 2004 south of Hansen, ID where I participated in a blessed day of the marriage of Ryan and Amie Franklin. It was the public declaration of two young adults bravely declaring they would devote themselves to each other “until death.” None of us expected it this soon.

To follow through on marriage vows cannot be accomplished without intentional principles. One cannot be known as a principled person just by saying they have principles. One has to actually live out, actually do, these principles. Principles are what causes spouses to love each other; where romance would otherwise give up and say, “I didn’t sign up for that!” Principles say, “I will do what I promised I would do, love you through everything!”

We are at our greatest risk when something happens that we didn’t plan on.

Sudden death of a young person is never expected. Ever!

When tragedy strikes, all things are at risk. It’s hard not to blame, it’s hard to remember correctly, It’s hard to be honorable, it’s hard to speak, it’s hard to think, it’s hard to feel, It’s hard to express sorrow, it’s hard to sleep, it’s hard to eat properly, it’s hard to trust, it’s hard to believe.

There is no emotion in this human experience worth trusting that hasn’t first submitted to being transformed and directed by a governing principle.

Death – Where is your victory? O Death – Where is your sting?

I’m not a news breaker. It is hard to believe that anyone living in the Magic Valley (South/Central Idaho) has not heard of the tragic death of Ryan Franklin when he was struck by a car and likely killed instantly, leaving a widow and four fatherless children.

What happens next shows the principles of the Franklin house.

Ryan’s obituary tells the story and the story makes fast way to the gospel. you don’t get there without the gospel being the principle that governed your actions. There is no “however” statement in this obituary.

The reason his obituary makes fast way to the gospel is because Ryan was governed by the gospel and his wife, Amie Franklin, is a principled woman and the gospel governs her life.

A life governed by the gospel is no guarantee of ease of life, doesn’t mean we aren’t messy at times, it means we now have a lighted path to journey on.

Now, go forth in the joy of the LORD and govern your heart and all of its deep felt emotions as a principled person. Your help is not in your romantic dreams of how you see your life ending up, your help is in the maker of heaven and earth. Turn to Christ while it is still called today, repent and be saved.

A personal note:

The past week and a half has been a life filled to the brim.

Ryan Franklin Pastoring in the same city and same church for 15 years positioned this pastor to taste the goodness of God, even in the wake from the news of tragedy. I share this as an attempt to bless the LORD while reflecting on friends I would define as (biblically) principled.

It was September 2009, Pocatello, Idaho.

I decided to do something I always wanted to do, complete a marathon.

Unexpectedly at about mile marker 17, I noticed two people standing with Renee. At a distance one was noticeably pregnant (very pregnant). I couldn’t imagine who it might be. As I got closer, I could see, it was Ryan and Amie Franklin.

To my joy, Ryan decided to run a few miles with me. Renee got this picture for me. It is now a favorite. There is nothing flattering of one on the right, but it will forever remind me of a conversation I had with a young man striving to live out his faith. We talked of their growing family, thoughts of the future, his love for Amie and most tenderly of his gratitude for God’s unmerited grace upon his life. It was one of the most unexpected visits this pastor has ever encountered. Oh how sweet it is to have encounters with principled followers of Christ.

The Sweetest Name I Know

Posted on June 30, 2015Leave a comment

New Series: From This Side of the Pulpit; A reflection of a preacher from his side of the pulpit.

It was June, 2001 that the Lord’s people at Eastside Baptist Church invited me to become their pastor. While reflecting over the past 14 years of preaching I decided to hunt down a file of hand written sermon notes. It may come as a surprise to some, this practice of hand written sermon notes has not changed; with the exception of a few seasons of trying to do my sermon work on a computer, (not very consistent with this method.) There are about 40 sermons or so that are saved on 3.5 inch discs (yes, I was that cool).

For several years now, my sermon notes start out on a small notebook in my back pocket, they eventually get formulated into hand written notes in the margin of my wide-margin bible and eventually make way to blog posts.

For nearly the past 5 years, by the kindness of friends in Nevada, my audio sermons are archived at SermonAudio.com.

Today’s blog post was first a sermon preached at Eastside Baptist Church, circa 2001. While going over old sermon notes I noticed that I didn’t give good citation to some of the quotes or sources. This is not the work of a good writer. the main outline of this sermon came from hand written notes from a sermon by Paul Powell

The Sweetest Name I Know
Philippians 2:5-11

Shakespeare asked the question, “What’s in a name?” He said that a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. In a sense that is true. You could call a rose a stink weed or a skunk blossom and not change the fragrance of that rose. But in another sense a name means everything. If I were to give you a check for $10,000.00, the people at the bank would laugh at you and tell you that the check was not worth it. But if you were to be given a check from a millionaire worth $10,000.00 you would be a richer man. It’s the name that makes the difference – there is something in a name.

If I announced that I was going to preach at the Roper Auditorium tonight, a few of our faithful members would be there. If I announce that Billy Graham was going to preach there tonight, there would not be enough seating.

The name of Jesus, there is a name that means something! It means something in heaven – it means something on earth – it means something in hell.

Philippians 2:5-11

⁵Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. ⁸Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

His Name is a Powerful Name:

Think of the names in the past.

Alexander the great: at the age of 33 he had conquered the known world. At the age of 33 he died in drunkenness and debauchery. (citation needed)
Caesar: He led the Roman legions to conquer one land after another. One day a dagger in the hand of his friend, Brutus, conquered him. (citation needed)
Napoleon: He brought Europe to her knees before him. He died in exile on the island of St. Helena. (citation needed)
The Kaiser, Hitler, Mussolini, each one powerful names that went down into defeat.
France once boasted of the power of Louis the Great. It was said that he was the one great man of the world. But one day he was conquered by death. At his funeral the great cathedral was packed with mourners. The came to pay a final tribute to the one whom they considered great. The cathedral was dark except for one lone candle which shone over the golden casket. At the appointed hour Massilon, the court preacher, stood up to address the assembly. He slowly reached over and snuffed out the one candle which had been put there to symbolize the greatness of the king. Then from the darkness came just four words, “God only is great.” (citation is needed)
The energizer bunny even wants you to “feel the power.” Everyone who has ever bought a battery knows that the power will eventually die.

People of the world claim greatness and power for a while, then death cuts them off.

But not so with Jesus. He had power to create the world. He has power to change the course of history and the destiny of nations. He has power over death and disease. He has power over the grave His power never diminishes and some day all of heaven and hell and earth will know this name.

Jesus; that’s the sweetest name I know!

His name is an Exalted Name:

Richard Whitney had a good name. His ancestors came from England. His father was president of a Boston Bank. His brother was a partner in J.P. Morgan Company. Richard was a leader in prep school and college. He bought a seat on the New York Stock Exchange for $65,000.00. Five times he was elected president of the Exchange. He signed 2,000 membership certificates for the Exchange. Then one day they found that he had misappropriated funds which had been entrusted to him. He lost his good name, lost his big job, and was sent to prison for five years. Then the New York Stock Exchange called in all the certificates which he had signed, erased his name and had them signed by the new president. The name of Richard Whitney was no longer a good name for a broker to have hanging on his wall. (citation needed)

Today, this could be said of others like Jim and Tammy Faye Baker, Pete Rose, Daryl Strawberry, Arthur Anderson, and countless others whose name today carries nothing but shame.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. (Revelation 5:12)

The name of Jesus is and will be exalted.

Jesus, the sweetest name I know!

His Name is a Saving Name:

Listen to what the Scripture says about His name:

“You will call His name Jesus, for he will save His people from their sins.” (Luke 1:31)
“There is no other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
“Whoever calls upon the name of Jesus shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

Call upon your goodness and there is no salvation.
Call upon your good works and there is no salvation.
Call upon your charitable gifts, and there is no salvation.
Call upon your religious formalities and there is no salvation.
But call upon Jesus and you will find full salvation.

His name is a powerful name, His name is an exalted name, and His name is a saving name.

Call upon His name!

We Stand Ready to Preach This Gospel

Posted on June 29, 2015Leave a comment

Dear Twin Falls and the Magic Valley,

The born-again, repenters of unspeakable sins, who gather at 204 Eastland Drive North in Twin Falls, Idaho cried out to Jesus who delivered us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10) and found a solid ground to stand upon.

By the grace of God we found a solid place to stand, a firm foundation that did not disappoint.

This was not a place filled with romance that never delivered on its false promises.

We, too, were once slipping down a slippery slope to certain disaster, accumulating false teachers and creating false doctrines to justify our fleshly cravings when a faithful soul, standing on a firm foundation, gave a clear warning; We didn’t even know we were sinners at the time. That faithful follower of the Lord Jesus spoke of a righteous God who would justly judge all sinners and find us guilty and already condemned.

This righteous, loving God invited us to respond to His holiness and repent. By His grace, we were rescued, in faith, by the satisfying requirement of the necessary death of a perfect life. Jesus Christ, this redeemer of sinners took our place, and appeased the wrath of God on our behalf. What a Savior.

Like us, when you discover that helpless estate of pride, selfishness, and unbelief, cry out to God in the name of Jesus the Christ, described by the bible, repent and be saved.

May He plant your feet on a firm foundation, on Christ the Solid Rock. Where “all other ground is sinking sand, may you in Him be found, dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.”

We stood ready to preach this gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ when it was popular; and now, when it’s not, with great patience and instruction, we ask God for strength to endure. We will not, by the grace of God, abandon our post in the city. We will steadfastly engage in the advancement of the gospel.

We strive to speak with compassion, as those before us, so as to call all sinners unto repentance.

To compromise our message is to compromise our duty. To abandon our duty is of unimaginable hatred.

We remain steadfast as ever, willing to endure hardship for payment. Come, all who deserve God’s wrath, come, come, to Jesus. He stands able and ready to redeem all repenting sinners.

Paul Thompson
Eastside Baptist Church
Twin Falls, Idaho

The Jurisdiction of God’s Law

Posted on June 25, 20151 Comment

I’ve been (increasingly) asked what I will do when (if) the Supreme Court’s opinion is against biblical/traditional marriage next week. (I think all of us should be prepared to give an answer.)

I’ve thought on this…

Will any Supreme Court opinion somehow alter or change my duty to God? Should I speak more or less to the matter? Will I adjust my preaching as a result of the approaching opinion? Will I go into hiding in fear of well being if a human court attempts to overrule the jurisdiction of God’s law? Will my church lose it’s privilege of not having to pay property tax or income tax if I don’t compromise to the law of the Land?

I’m not naive of the the ruthless means of the enemy of God; I have seen a face of evil wanting to intimidate, I’ve heard the threats of lawsuits from angry church attendees, I’ve been threatened with harm to my family if I don’t cease inquiring, I’ve been told that people who have left our church will come back when I stop promoting going to foreign countries to spread the Gospel (yes, I really have been told this), I’ve been verbally accosted in public places, maligned in private conversations, misrepresented by friends, accused of being a racists. All of that, before being arrested on false charges, mocked in the media, and abandoned by fellow kinsmen in the faith for being a doer of the word.

Regardless of the legal opinion to come, my duty, and yours as ambassadors of God’s Kingdom, is to stay the course.

I’m no perfect being; I’m a perpetual repenter. I’ve been uncaring at times, rude, arrogant, selfish, foolish, fearful, but my duty is to strive to be a reflection of the great grace that has been shown to me in the good news of what Christ accomplished in His life, death, and resurrection and persevere in that grace as an ambassador of Christ reconciliation.

Saints of the Lord Jesus, we are a people; given a grace we don’t deserve, a message to preach to the nations, an invitation to persevere to the end, expected to be compassionate, instructed to be strong and courageous, called out to obey His commandments.

Obedience to the Lord Jesus is required, not for salvation, but of us under the gospel as an offering of gratitude to Christ and evidence of our love for Him. (“If you love me, keep my commandments…” John 14:15)

True love for Christ constrains us to live, not unto ourselves, but for Him who died for us and rose again. We have been bought by Him with a price that we may glorify Him in our bodies and our spirits, which are His.

So, how then shall I live on Monday (or Tuesday, depending on what day the court opinion is delivered)? I should live the same way I am expected to live today, yielding to the Spirit of God. America may not be the same after this ruling, but we are instructed by our Lord to obey Him. Where I don’t perfectly obey, I will perpetually repent.

God’s jurisdiction is supreme. I owe my allegiance to Him. I’ll ask Him to increase grace and compassion in my life as I live repenting of my sin and obeying His commands as a loving child.

I leave this word with the reader today: Remember, “by faith Abraham obeyed” (Hebrews 11:8). In your faith in God, obey, obey, obey, and keep on obeying until the return of the Lord Jesus. In this day we must remember that the matter of marriage is a battle we must not remain silent in. Marriage is important, but marriage does not redeem sin… Christ redeems sin. So, when we speak into our culture on the topic of marriage, and we must, we must not miss the gospel proclamation moment before us.

God grant His grace to us all! Amen.

Escape from the Snare of the Devil

Posted on February 4, 2015Leave a comment

“…with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:25-26 NASB)

The church of the LORD Jesus Christ has a mandate upon her to be ambassadors of Christ’s reconciliation, because of this one can be sure that there is an enemy of reconciliation enslaving all he can to conflict, division and bitterness among followers of the LORD.

Peter (in 1 Peter 5:8) likens this enemy to a prowling, roaring lion looking to devour.

This enemy of Christ’s reconciliation is a promoter of conflict, a tempter of greed, a spreader of dishonesty, misleading emotions, hoarder of bitterness, and reminder of all unresolved anger. The professing follower of Christ must not forget that this enemy’s most successful allies may be among well meaning friends, church members and family members to propagate humanistic philosophies that encourage conflict (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Here are a few of those expressions one can expect to hear that will not aid the follower of Christ in reconciliation…

“You deserve better than him/her.”
“Stick it to them before they stick it to you.”
“Keep a record of all the wrong they’ve done.”
“God doesn’t want you to be stuck in an unhappy relationship.”
“Look out for your own interest.”
“You’ve gone through a lot, it’s time you get a break.”
“Did you hear…”

Listen, the enemy of Christ’s reconciliation, the devil, would prefer you not recognize his part in keeping a conflict active and growing. He wants us to see that the other person is the one doing all the wrong and not let your focus relent off of that (false) reality.

Obviously, we can’t blame the devil for our conflicts. We are responsible and held accountable by God for every word and thought we say or think. But we must see Satan’s pleasure in driving conflict to destruction before the reconciling work of the cross can show itself in restoration.

How then should we (ambassador’s or Christ’s reconciliation) defeat this breeding ground of unresolved conflict?

Ephesians 6:12 is a good battle plan.

the Gospel
Truth
Righteousness
Faith
Scripture
Prayer

Unresolved conflict is a great pleasure of the devil. He will find great satisfaction when churches are unwilling to resolve disagreements. There is a great hope that the devil would see that illustration of Christ and the church destroyed when husbands and wives divorce. The devil will do all that he can to keep children in a state of rebellion against their parents.

Saint of the LORD, strap on your gospel shoes and be prepared to stand against the fiery darts and wicked schemes of the enemy. (James 1:19-25; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9)

Otherwise you may be being held captive by him to do his will rather than your LORD’s.

But What If My Neighbor is Transgender?

Posted on January 29, 20153 Comments

On January 29, 2015 the Idaho House of Representatives State Affairs Committee voted 13-4 to not pass House Bill No. 2 (2015) on to the full House.

House Bill No. 2 (2015) has become known as the “Add the Words” bill. Sponsors of the bill were asking that Idaho add four words to the Idaho human rights law; “Gender Identity” and “Sexual Orientation”. There is no doubt this discussion has to be had. There is no right place in the world where any person should have to live in fear of fellow citizens because of how they want to live their lives, especially in the United States of America.

Where I’m strongly opposed to adding this kind of description to Idaho code and law, I’m equally opposed to treating another sinner as a lesser person because their sin is not like my sin.

Even if a bill of this nature is never passed into law, how does the church love all of her neighbors?

If you haven’t had this discussion in your church it is past time to have it. If you haven’t had this discussion with your public school educated children you need to make a plan for that to happen, today. If you haven’t had this discussion with your private Christian school educated children you may be too late. If you haven’t had this discussion with your home-school educated children it’s past time to make it part of the curricula. If you haven’t talked about this within the light of Scripture you will likely be persuaded by emotionalism and be derailed and unable to think properly and biblically on the matter.

Here are some things worth discussing and acting upon.

1. Pray: This may seem to simplistic, but if you are not aware of your need to ask God for discernment and boldness in this matter you are likely poised for a serious stumble and fall in this difficult and complex matter.

2. Know Truth: If we are going to be able to have any kind of real discussion on the matter we must know what the Bible teaches on matters of sexual deviance.

3. Speak Truth: This kind of discussion must be weighed in the balance for every parent and the appropriate age of your children. (Parents: It is my experience and opinion that if your children are in any education system outside of your home, Christian or public, it is not too early to begin talking to them. If your children are not under your direct and immediate care you must be prepared to give an answer to your children’s influence.)

4. Speak the Truth in Love: If the idea of gender identity or sexual orientation is repulsive to you then know why it is. If it’s not related to the holiness of God then it’s possible you are rarely repulsed by your own sin and are pridefully repulsed because someone is not as ‘good’ as you are. If this is the case, you will not be able to speak the truth in love.

5. Never Condone Bullying: An amazing truth of the Christian faith is that we do not coerce or bully anyone into believing like you do. If someone doesn’t believe like we do we don’t treat them like a lesser human. We may appeal and plead but be are not to bully. Listen, Christian, we need to come to grips with the fact that we must not take on the persona of being a ‘red-blooded’ American. If you have not abandoned your sinful snarky comments when speaking about homosexuals and transgenders then you must understand that it is among the most unhelpful things you can do for yourself, your children and your neighbor. It does not represent the Lordship of Christ.

6. Speak the Gospel: This is your only hope in really helping your neighbor. Remember that your sin is worthy of the full wrath of God. Never forget this. The reality of the kindness of God and the weight of his glory will help you speak the gospel with compassion to your neighbor.

7. Love God: The Lord Jesus Christ told us this was the most important command. If we don’t get this, we don’t do anything, ever, rightly. Submit to the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at the holiness of God and don’t forget of the grace given us because Christ loved us first.

8. Love Your Neighbor: Yes, that even means you love your transgender neighbor. If you work with homosexual or transgender coworkers, be as kind to them as you are to others. Not more kind because they are not like you and surely not less kind. If a transgender coworker sits down next to you in the break room during lunch, be as willing to trade your salad for their peanut butter and jelly sandwich like you would any other coworker. Treat your transgender neighbor the way you would any other neighbor. He or she does not deserve your discriminating treatment, it’s actually already against the law. He or she is created in the image of God no more or no less than you. His or her sins are as able to be covered by the blood of Christ as your own wretchedness.

9. Pray and hope for Conversion: If any coworker, neighbor, family member repents of their sin, be prepared to help disciple them. Be prepared to be their only friend and be prepared to face criticism from others because of your kindness toward a converted sinner. It likely took some time for people to become comfortable with the professed conversion of the apostle Paul.

10. Prepare for the Unexpected: There is likely a moment of awkwardness for everyone involved. One of the main arguments at the hearings this past week in Boise was the use of public restrooms. Fist of all, don’t fool yourself by thinking harmful things can’t happen in public restrooms. Homosexuality and/or transgender behaviors are not the only sexually deviant activity happening in your community or church activity. Not every homosexual or transgender person going in to or out of a public restroom have been up to some sinful activity, they most likely were doing the same thing you were about to do.

11. Smile and be friendly: This may feel unusual or fake to you, but remember, you are an ambassador of Christ with every smile, hand shake, door you hold open and word you speak.

I don’t suggest these thoughts as the only thing or a minimum of things one should do or think about. I offer them for discussion and help.

Luke 22:31-32 (NASB)
³¹ behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; ³²but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

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