Convicting Truth- Not Just a Belief- By Elena

We’ve all heard the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but in this day and age, it's more easily said than done. While sharing the Gospel itself can be a daunting task, it can be far more intimidating to reach out to a complete stranger who may appear hostile. Two years ago, I was evangelizing at the beach when Alex* caught my eye. He was a biological male who appeared to be in the process of medically transitioning to a woman and was dressed rather provocatively.

Following the fears of my flesh instead of the Holy Spirit, I avoided him and did not give him a track that day.

That night in prayer, I felt a strong sense of conviction for not approaching him and began to pray that God would reach Alex’s heart through another. The following month, our evangelism team went out to the same place. I was shocked as I realized Alex was standing right across from me. Silently praying as I approached him, I offered him a barcode tract and attempted to open a Gospel conversation. To my surprise, he began asking questions and was genuinely interested.

As we spoke, I was able to explain the full Gospel and the basics of receiving salvation. Just as I anticipated, he asked what my opinions on homosexuality were. Praying for the words to speak the truth in love, I showed him verses like 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that list homosexuality as a sin that if unrepented, will not allow you to inherit the kingdom of God.  As our conversation came to a close, he expressed an interest in salvation. He thanked me sincerely, sharing this was his only encounter with a Christian in which he had not felt condemnation for his transgender identity. To my amazement, he asked for the address and service times of our church and attended that Sunday!

Just as I was taken off guard by this encounter, many Christians are uncomfortable and feel ill-equipped as to how to respond in these scenarios. First and foremost, when evangelizing, it is necessary to recognize you are not sharing your personal opinions but are declaring the truth.

In a day where evil is called good and good is called evil (Isaiah 5:20), we are constantly being force fed the message that truth is relative to the individual and that love equals unquestioned acceptance, especially in the context of homosexuality and same sex attraction. Love is equated with affirmation and acceptance, hatred is associated with disagreement or correction. However, if we as Christians believe wholeheartedly the Bible is true and that the wages of any sin (including homosexuality) is death, the knowledge of that reality should override any discomfort we may initially feel in confronting someone’s worldview.

If a person is doing something that they love and enjoy but do not understand the danger or consequences of, the loving response is to intervene for the other person's safety. To allow someone to continue down a path that you know leads to destruction without alerting them of the danger is not only selfish but indifferent, which is actually a form of hatred. While it is crucial that the way we speak and interact reflects the love of God and not condemnation, it is necessary to recognize that conviction is the precursor for repentance. It is only when the magnitude of sin and the reality of judgement is revealed that the beauty of the Gospel and salvation is evident. Only by the power of God's Word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit lives are not only changed, but radically transformed into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

At two years old, I learned the severe reality of human nature from a fellow toddler. Likely in regard to some kind of disagreement, -sandbox politics, am I right? - she responded to me by biting my nose to the point of drawing blood. Even at the seemingly innocuous age of 2, the truth of human nature is blatantly obvious. We are innately sinful beings. As Isaiah 53:6 relates, “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to our own way, but the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

Often, the argument is made that people who are homosexual should not be judged for the way they live their lives because they are born that way. In a sense this idea is partly true because although the struggles and sinful desires of each person vary, as a result of the Fall, we were born into a heart that desires to transgress. However, just because we are “born that way” does not mean we are not still held accountable for the wages of our sin which is death (Romans 6:23). We are spiritually born into sin but we have been given the truth and an opportunity to be freed from it.

Although homosexuality and transgenderism is a double transgression of sexual immorality as well as a violation of the Image of God, it should not be treated any differently when trying to bring someone to Christ. The man sleeping with his girlfriend has broken the Law just like two biological males living as a relationship. All these people, unless they accept the gift of salvation, are on a highway to hell. James 2:10 states, “Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking them all.” No matter how severe your iniquities, they require the same solution; salvation through Jesus Christ. On the other hand, no matter how minor you view your iniquities, they still require this same salvation.  

My heart aches as I remember Alex’s face, hungrily clinging onto every word of the Gospel I shared, an experience which never would have never happened had I continued to allow my fear and pride to hinder me. His heart was so ready, so willing to receive, so ripe for harvest, and yet because of the judgment and shame he’d received at the hands of Christians, he had never realized the unfailing love that could be found only at the feet of Jesus.  

Thank you for reading Elena's amazing experience! Comment below what you thought of her interaction with Alex, and about the thoughts she shared throughout!

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