Recently some folks I know have been accused of being a Bigot. I was born into a family where there was one female mother married to one male father and they were monogamously committed to each other exclusively for life because God said it was right. I think it is right too. If believing God’s word makes someone a bigot then I am a Bigot.
I was taught from the scriptures as a child and believe them. I grew up in a neighborhood where other parents looked out for the welfare of all children. We were taught to honor and obey our parents, even step parents. I respected the opinions and understandings of others even though I disagreed with them. Nor was I afraid to let them know I disagreed. When I became an adult I challenged their opinions and understandings based on the truth of God’s word. I excluded people from our house of worship when they practiced things God said was wrong until they chose to follow Him rightly. If that makes someone a bigot then I am a Bigot.
I told people that what they were doing is sin when it was against what God’s word said. And I told them He loved them and forgives them when they repent.
But I also told them they should not do that sin anymore or a worse thing from God could come on them. Look, wrong is wrong and just because you like doing a wrong thing doesn’t make it okay with God. It is not that I’m telling you I am right all the time, but where God’s word is clear and understood it should be followed. When I agree with it then I am right. If believing God’s word makes someone a bigot then I am a Bigot.
I helped my friends to live their lives pleasing to God and even to do things they thought were impossible. They could do them because they believed God’s word. I also taught them about bigotry. I told them that they needed to love everyone God loves and show them the right way to believe in His word. They learned to swallow their pride and obey God’s word. I told them they had to obey Him just as I did. If believing God’s word makes someone a bigot then I am a Bigot.
I told them that they cannot make God’s word say what they want it to say so that they can excuse their lying, cheating, stealing, sexual perversions, cursing and hatred.
It is what it is and says just exactly what it says no matter how anyone tries to justify their sin by retranslating it. I told them there is one God, that there is one way to heaven, that there is a judgment for wickedness and that sometimes God allows sickness and disease and even sin to flourish if they do not obey Him. If that makes someone a bigot then I am a Bigot.
When people hated me and lied about me and accused me of being what I am not, I did what God’s word said I should do. I even forgave them for hurting me and my friends and my family. But I am still going to hold them accountable for not believing God when He sent His own Son to let them see the truth and believe it. If that makes someone a bigot then I am a Bigot.
So I am saying all of this to say I think you should be very careful about how you define a bigot. A bigot is not just someone who disagrees with you. It is not just someone who thinks God’s way is best. A bigot is not just someone who calls sin, sin. One dictionary defines a bigot as someone who is strongly partial to their own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ. God is a bit intolerant of those who disagree with Him; after all it is His universe. He told the folks in Sodom and Gomorrah that He hated their pride, self sufficiency, laziness, lack of compassion (especially for the poor), their disrespectful self righteousness and even their homosexuality. Does that make God a bigot?
I really do try to love everyone. No one on earth I know really loves everyone equally except God and I’m not sure equally is the right word to us with Him. But I absolutely do not love the actions of some people. When people hurt others without Godly justification I really can get upset; especially if they are hurting children. I don’t love those actions that say God is a liar or even if they know God said not to they are going to do it anyway. It is almost as if they are daring God to make them live right. So like I said, I love God, His word and His people. I want to do all I can to help others believe in and love Him too. In fact, if it would help someone get into Heaven, I would die for them so they could have the opportunity to ask God to forgive them. That is how serious I am about this. If that makes someone a bigot then I am a Bigot.
With Love, Jesus