Why do I include this post on homosexuality on a Titus 2 women’s homemaking/healthy living blog? Because it is relevant to the way we think and relate to our neighbors in the homosexual community. It is relevant to how we talk to our children.
[Posted with permission of my friend Peter Heck. And btw, all of the elements of this apply to ANY sin which is allowed to reign in our hearts!]
Trey Pearson Comes Out
I was recently asked by a friend what I thought about Trey Pearson’s decision to abandon his family and “come out” to the world. I think a lot of things about it. But first, for those that don’t know who he is, Trey Pearson is the lead singer of a Christian rock band called “Everyday Sunday.” In a magazine article and a host of subsequent interviews, Pearson detailed how he never wanted to be gay, but had to be honest with himself. In fact, that was apparently the major impetus behind his decision, as he tweeted:
The world’s reaction was immediate and tremendously positive. Trey even tweeted how overwhelmed he was at the outpouring of support for his decision. And tragically, that support wasn’t isolated to the world. Many Christians echoed the world (as is becoming an all-too-often refrain these days) in affirming Pearson’s decision to live an outwardly homosexual life, retweeting his declaration of finally being “honest” with himself.
And that’s what concerns me the most. Apparently the Christianity that Trey Pearson knew and learned, as well as the Christianity practiced by so many professing believers these days (meaning the Christianity being proclaimed from so many pulpits), has little to no grounding in the authority of God’s Word. I don’t just mean the truth that homosexuality is one form of offensive and sinful conduct. I mean the foundational teaching of man’s basic state.
For any Christian, being “honest” with ourselves is coming to recognize that we are sinners, pulled towards sinful urges (sexual and otherwise) by a depraved nature that leads us into believing we can be gods of our own private universes. It requires us to confront the destiny of our sinful souls and choose repentance and reliance on a power that is not of this world – a power that makes the blind see, the lost found, and the vilest offender of the Christian faith into the greatest Christian missionary the world has ever known. It requires us to recognize that no matter how strong the urge to sin may be, no matter how natural or powerful it may appear when compared to our earthly strength, the same spirit that rose Jesus from the grave is available to raise us up out of our deadly desires and designs.
Being “honest” with ourselves means that we acknowledge the way that seems – and feels – so right to us, leads us to death (Proverbs 14:12).
But rather than be honest with himself, Pearson has actually chosen to deceive himself (and sadly so many others) into believing that his sinful urge defines him, controls him, and owns him. He has decided to allow it the power to devastate his wife, forever confuse and injure his children, destroy his ministry, and take the throne room of his soul away from Christ.
If that latter point seems dramatic, that’s only because it is. Pearson told Religion News Service, “God wants me to be…my truest self.”
No, He doesn’t. That belief is divorced from any notion of Biblical truth. Such a statement does not come from a mind surrendered to the will of Christ, but a mind drowned in sinful pride.
To Live Is To Die
God tells us repeatedly that the only way to live is to die (Galatians 2:20). God desires not that we exalt ourselves but that we die to self (Ephesians 4:22-24). Believers are to crucify the flesh along with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24). Jesus Himself told us that anyone who wants to save his life will lose it (Mark 8:35), and that anyone who does not take his cross and follow is not worthy of Him (Matthew 10:38).
The Christian life is about denial of self (Colossians 3:5). But Trey Pearson has chosen to deny God and exalt himself. And he has done so at the cost of everything God had graciously given him: a loving wife, children, witness, ministry, and platform.
That isn’t a decision that any Christian will appreciate, applaud or affirm.
So what happens now? Jesus tells us, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (John 12:24) Trey Pearson is currently enjoyed the fake love wrapped in the fleeting adoration of the world. Amidst the thunderous applause of men, he neither desires nor is likely to heed any cautions and warnings from true believers during his hour of earthly adoration and fanfare. But when the invitations onto The View, the interviews with Huffington Post, the congratulatory tweets from celebrities fade, Trey Pearson will be a man alone dealing with his public denial of Christ, and with the sin he has chosen to embrace, vainly hoping it will fill a void only Jesus can fill.
Ways To Pray
Pray first for his innocent family.
Then pray for him, pray for those who might reach him in those vulnerable moments to come – that they will exhibit the courage to speak truth that hurts but heals.
And pray that Pearson may come to trust the Word of God over the words of men.
Peter Heck is a speaker, author and public high school teacher. We’ve had Peter speak for our state homeschool convention many times to rave reviews. He is married to Jenny and is the father of 3 young children, Addie, Bristol and Grayson.
Visit PeterHeck.com. Follow Peter Heck on Facebook.
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Heather
Very very well put!!
Gail
Thank you Jacqueline for posting this. Such a good reminder that I must deny self and be fully committed to the teaching of Christ. There is simply no other way to be a Christian. This is an excellent article.
Melissa M.
I echo what you said, Gail. I have been struggling with an issue and God brought me to this post. “What ways seem right to a man lead to death.”
Sue
What a great reminder that sin is sin and that I must deny myself and want my actions/words/etc. to be pleasing & glorifying to God. Thanks for sharing this article. Thank you Peter for pointing us to what “denying oneself” is all about….a great reminder for all!
Lori Alexander
What is right is wrong and what is wrong is right. Each man is going his own way instead of the way of the cross. They are headed for the wrath of God instead of the many blessings that come from following Jesus and obeying His perfect Word.
It’ sad he never studied Romans 1 and fled sin but instead has been given over to a reprobate mind. I grieve for his family.
Katie
That was a really well written article. Thank you for taking the time to remind us of how important it is to stay true to The Word of God.
Diana
Thank you for this excellent post.
Sandy Peterson
Thanks for your courage in posting this article, Jacque. There is so much that I can learn from you. I have been praying for you and that the Lord will bless you beyond your wildest imagination.
Jacqueline
Aww..Sandy, thank you for the encouragement, friend! It is from the Lord and is my pleasure to share as I can. I’ve been pondering our conversation and am praying for you, too! May the Lord bless the work of your hands and all you and your loved ones do!!
Charlotte Moore
I have never heard of this person but feel so sad for his family. Even sadder that he is deceived into thinking this is right. Hard to understand how anyone gets into such a delusion.
BLESSINGS!!
Bev
Great to know there are still Christians out there that hold to the truth! I can only think of scripture that states these last days as lovers of their own selves, going against nature and despisers of those that are good! If we aren’t there yet, I would hate to see how much worse it is going to get!!
Gillian
So well written. Thank you for sharing. In a world where Christians are blurring the lines between what God says is right and wrong, it is refreshing to read an article that points to the Biblical truth. I will be praying for this man and his family. It scares me to think that this new generation of Christians are so deceived -how will *their* children learn the truth or will they be even more blinded by the time they are in adulthood and need to make important decisions? What will they base their morals on? God, have mercy on us. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Debbie
Amen!
Kimberly Lambdin
VERY well written and necessary! Thank you! I have so much more to say but in all honesty it’s just a replay of what you wrote.. so thank you!!! God bless! We are created in God’s image… We must stay strong and true. I am very thankful for bloggers like you…which there seem to be less and less. So thank you again! Hugs and God bless and we walk on the path of Jesus!
Jacqueline
Thank you, Kimberly! All the the glory and praise of the Lord Jesus! 😀
M.
Thank you, Jacqueline. This is an excellent post. Isn’t it rather odd that, for the small percentage of persons who are homosexual, there is sooooo much “coverage” of the topic? I thank you for pointing out what should be obvious for Christians. Truth (John 14:6) is immutable. God bless you for this post and your entire blog. You are certainly a blessing to ME!
Jacqueline
Awww. Thank you for your kind words and reflections, M. I am greatly encouraged that the Lord is so deeply at work in these latter days as He always is! To God be the glory, friend!
Katie
Your old blog design included a music player on the sidebar. I have been unable to find that since your website was updated and miss it a lot. Is it gone or am I just not finding it?
Jacqueline
No, Katie, it is indeed gone, and I am so sorry, too! It was a Grooveshark feature, but Grooveshark got shut down for massive copyright infringement: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2014/09/29/breaking-grooveshark-found-guilty-massive-copyright-infringement/ The music was, in our humble opinion, some of the most beautiful we know and so it is a loss to many who came for just that. Wish I could duplicate it…
Katie
I see. Is it possible for you to share the old song list as a blog post? Perhaps I can find the titles elsewhere.
Jacqueline
I am sorry, Katie…like I said, I wish we could duplicate it, but we never wrote it (the whole list) down…one of the bad things about the internet or a blog, etc. …it is never in a hard copy unless you make it into one and save it. 🙁 I’d do it in a heart beat if I could!
Beverly
I happened upon your page while looking for something else. So glad I did! I whole-heartedly agree with you. Praying for this young man and his family. Also praying for others like him who have fallen along the way.
Marsha
Thank you for standing true to the Word of God!! We desparetaly need more Christians to stand up for The Truth!
Marysue
I SOOOOO applaud your post. In a world where God and His truth is the “bad guy”, and people don’t want to be shown, much less held accountable for their blatant, celebrated sinfulness, your words are both truth and courageous.
Tammy
One of the most well-written, thought-provoking, Biblically-based articles written on this topic. Thank you!
patti
I discovered your blog through Life Beautiful magazine. You have a beautiful site! And this is a fantastically-written article.
I had not ever heard of this man, and I didn’t know of his story. But it reminds me of the Christian recording artist, Ray Boltz, who I listened to by the hours in the 1990’s. After 30+ years of marriage, he abandoned his family and “came out” 5 or 6 years ago. Sadly, this scenario is becoming all too common.
Jacqueline
Thanks, Patti! I am glad you found DRAH. God is so good to let me write…it is all to His glory!
Pat
You say that God does not want us to be who we are, our truest self. Why not? Didn’t God make each of us? Have you ever actually talked in depth with someone who is gay or lesbian? I have. Some of them have felt that way their whole lives and tried and tried, through hours of prayer, not to be that way. But it is who they are. Do you really think anyone would “choose” to be gay, given all the heartache they go through, rejection from family and friends, nasty comments, etc. How close-minded to think that one’s sexuality is always a choice.
Kathy
Unless a person is raped, they always have the choice NOT to have sex. A person with homosexual tendencies must defeat those tendencies, and they can with the Lord’s help. There are worse things than living a sex-less life.
Sandy
My husband and I found out last week that our gay son was a sperm donor to a lesbian couple. They now have a baby boy. Our first grandson. We don’t know this couple. They live 1500 miles away. We are very sad. Not because of the baby. Babies are a blessing and a gift from God. He is created in the image of God, as are the 2 moms. We are sad for the baby, that he will grow up in a family that is not even close to what God has designed a family to be. God is a big big God and we are praying that He will move on their hearts and one day give their lives to Him.
Jacqueline
Oh, my heart, Sandy,
How hard it must be for you to share your story. BUT I can and will pray for this dear child, your son, and the couple who have borne your grandchild. In agreement, may He move on all their hearts and one day give their lives to Him.
May you find grace, peace and rest as you love the sin but not the sinner. (((Hugs!)))
Cathie Ochoa
Thank you so much for your stand on truth! We must NOT live our lives by how we “feel”; that is the path of destruction! We MUST stand on the Word of our God and claim his power and strength. It is by taking a stand, as you have, that we challenge the lies and deceit all around us. You are appreciated! Your work is appreciated. Thank you again for raising your voice for truth.
Jacqueline
Cathie, I thank Peter Heck who allowed me to repost! I loved how biblical the piece was when I read it, and had to ask him!
He is also a wonderful teacher of young people, helping them discern and stand for God’s truth!
Blessings! ~J
Victor
You say that God does not want us to be who we are, our truest self. Why not?
Lovely post
jennifer
Why are you condemning him? We are all sinners!
I appreciate your blog, but this is between him and God.
Our instructions are to love one another, not cast stones in public.
Jacqueline
Jennifer, did you read it all the way to the end? The word of God is to be applied to each one of us.
Think on this: “So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” ~Galatians 3:24-25
The law was to keep us from stumbling and falling. Now it is faith that keeps us…but his faith was not real. If he repents and changes his way, he will be forgiven.
I am praying for him! Bc I care for his soul.
~J
jennifer
I’m so deeply tired of all the finger-pointing and tattle-taling, the people who have it “right” vs the people who have it “wrong.” It’s on all sides, and it only entrenches us further apart. I love your work, but this post hit me completely wrong. Pray for me, and pray for us all.
Jacqueline
Jennifer, I completely understand your feeling.
I don’t know what to tell you exactly, but I do know we need to go with what the bible says bc it is God’s word. We are to be teachers of the word and doers of it, not just hearers only. 2 timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.
I think the post was carefully written by friend Peter Heck, applying the word of God with grace and introspection as we are ALL sinners. We pray for Trey, and indeed, I consider this love FOR him. If we cared little, or not at all, we wouldn’t give it the time of day! Our prayers and our words may one day penetrate his hurting soul. Someone told me about my sin, and it has saved my life!
Someone on DRAH FB page said this: “We are supposed to love the sinner enough to want them to experience the freedom from the chains of sin…now we are too watered down to tell them they are enslaved.” I think that is biblical!
I hope that helps you understand a bit more. Jesus died for sinners so that we might live!
Blessings, ~Jacqueline
PS. I have a sordid background – and though I am now in Christ – I am still pretty messed up! Believe me, I do not judge Trey!
Nae
It’s so sad to see you pulling this man down only to make your own voice feel validated. You have no idea what he has faced and the self hate that comes with being a gay raised in church. You have no idea what his family feel or think and it’s very disrespectful to think you, it’s none of your business actually; You simply have a hateful and vicious bias towards gay people. I pray that anyone struggling internally that they are sub human for being gay (again something you are lucky you will never have to endure) doesn’t allow this ‘message’ to be a breaking point. Hateful words. Harmful words. This is a dangerous message.
Jacqueline
I disagree, Nae. Did you read the article and really ponder the Love of Christ for all of us sinful mankind. Trey’s sin is no worse than mine, and reading the article will affirm that. He is causing harm to his family who trusted him. His own needs are placed over theirs. We are all called to DIE to our sin, not ruin other’s lives so you can be “honest” with yourself.
“For any Christian, being “honest” with ourselves is coming to recognize that we are sinners, pulled towards sinful urges (sexual and otherwise) by a depraved nature that leads us into believing we can be gods of our own private universes. It requires us to confront the destiny of our sinful souls and choose repentance and reliance on a power that is not of this world – a power that makes the blind see, the lost found, and the vilest offender of the Christian faith into the greatest Christian missionary the world has ever known. It requires us to recognize that no matter how strong the urge to sin may be, no matter how natural or powerful it may appear when compared to our earthly strength, the same spirit that rose Jesus from the grave is available to raise us up out of our deadly desires and designs.”
Nae
You talk about being gay like it’s a tap you can turn off.
I’d really encourage you to look outside of your own experiences and privileges in life and even endeavour to have a true conversation with some (more) gay Christian’s because you’ve no idea the hatred they face on a daily basis. And that’s what I’m getting at, taking the man you’re pin pointing out, out of the conversation…
But no. No family deserves to be pulled apart, but like I said you have no idea what goes on in their private life to determine the “harm” he has caused.
But what I can promise you is that flippant articles and opinions from strangers is harmful too.