Homosexuals Are Made In God's Image

Genesis 1:26-27, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

The inspired Holy Bible is our Creator's Owner's Manuel for humanity. The old adage is true: When all else fails, read the instructions.

The Bible teaches in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” As I've mentioned in numerous recent blog articles, I am a big amateur fan of astronomy. 

It is my humble opinion that God made the universe and all the remarkable endless wonders therein to impress us as his creatures, who are all made in His image. James 3:9, “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.”

Kindly said, that is why I take a strong biblical stand against Pastor Steven Anderson and his New Independent Fundamental Baptist (New IFB) cult of followers who preach hatred for LGBTQIA+ people, who were all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). It didn't come as a surprise recently that Pastor Anderson's four oldest children have come out publicly against him and his wife with accusations of parental abuse. I say that kindly, but truthfully. Hatred just begets more hatred. One thing that I have learned during my lifetime is that people will not tolerate hatred. Dear reader, life is too short to live with a burden of hatred.

God created the universe and all therein to “wow” us, because He yearns for praise from His creatures. Just as God loves to be praised, so do we as human beings love to be praised. Proverbs 27:21, “As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.” That is part of what it means to be made in the image of God.

And just as we get our feelings hurt and are grieved, so also is God hurt and grieved (Ephesians 4:30). When Jesus healed ten lepers of the horrible disease (incurable at the time) of leprosy, only one man bothered to return to thank the dear Savior. That really hurt Jesus' feelings. Luke 17:17, “And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?” I can hear some religious Pharisee at church saying, “Oh Jesus, you're so negative!” I love this inspired Scripture passage, because it teaches that it is perfectly okay and not wrong to express our hurt feelings are grief.

It is a natural part of life that people will sometimes hurt our feelings, and as human beings made in God's image we have a natural need to express those hurt feelings, as part of the healing process. Don't ever let anyone scold you, or try to make you feel bad or guilty, for expressing hurt feelings. If Jesus shared His hurt feelings, and He clearly did, then so can we. It is perfectly acceptable to assertively, in a passive voice, tell someone that your feelings have been hurt. Jesus' feelings were hurt that only one man who had been healed thanked him.

Homosexuals were all created in the image of God, their Maker. Kindly said, I do not believe that homosexuals were “born that way.” Just like all sins, homosexuality is a choice. Some people may have a disposition to steal, lie, lust or experience homosexual tendencies, but sin is always still a choice. That being said, we have all been made in the image of our Creator. No one is beyond the hope of the gospel, including homosexuals.

Just because as a Christian I do not go along with the homosexual agenda doesn't mean that I hate LGBTQIA+ people. Quite the contrary, I love them all unconditionally with God's endless love. Or better said, I am allowing God to love homosexual people through me. I do not love others; but rather, God who is love, loves them THROUGH ME. We are all selfish by birth and by nature. The Christian life is lived on purpose. That is, we must choose to walk in the Holy Spirit by faith (Galatians 5:22-25), or else by default we will walk in the flesh, in sin (Romans 7:14-25).

In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said to love EVERYONE as our self. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Jesus didn't exempt any classes of society. He didn't disqualify unrepentant sinners. No, Jesus commanded us to love all of our neighbours, regardless of who they may be. That doesn't mean we must approve of their sinful lifestyles or choices. It doesn't even mean that we have to like them. But we do have to love everyone unconditionally with God's love, which means to treat everyone the exact what we would like to be treated. This is THE GOLDEN RULE according to Matthew 7:12.

Jesus Christ died for all mankind (John 3:16; 1st John 2:2). Not only are homosexuals made in God's image, but God's only begotten Son Jesus died for them on Calvary's cross 2,000 years ago (Romans 5:6-9). We have a solemn obligation as God's children to be ambassadors to the heathen world (2nd Corinthians 5:20-21). It is not our right or place to decide who is reachable or unreachable with the saving power of the truth of the gospel. God gives the increase (1st Corinthians 3:7-9). Our job is to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15b). Every creature includes everybody!