Who Did Jesus Label?

Friday, 8th May 2009

As a result of embracing the grace gospel, God has caused many others who have travelled a similar spiritual journey to come across my path.

One such person is Lip Kee, who happens also to be an accountant like myself. But while I tend to be more curt and to-the-point in my blog entries, Lip Kee is super-patient and super-gracious in his.

As a result of the recent Aware Saga, he posted a note of Facebook entitled "Sexuality Education - some personal thoughts", which I felt was very well-written and thus put a link on my Facebook profile. This can also be found on his blog.

I especially like what he wrote about not "labelling" people:

NOT LABELING PEOPLE AND SINGLING THEM OUT FOR CONDEMNATION

As a principle, I am against labeling people. I think once we put a label on a person or a group of persons, the tendency is for us to treat the person or the group as a generic concept (e.g. the enemy, the threat etc.) instead of as unique individual(s).

I believe the Bible teaches us that God loves everyone, and that Jesus died for the whole world, including those who are considered homosexuals. As Christians, we are called to reject sins but to love the sinners. If we truly want to love and help the homosexuals, we should treat each of them as a person, with respect; instead of as a label, with prejudice or fear.

I personally don't think it is helpful to label homosexuals/ homosexuality as being "abnormal" or "unacceptable" or "not okay". Instead of using such value-laden words, I believe it would be more useful to use factual terms such as "minority" and "non mainstream".

The fact is that homosexuals are a minority in our societies. And I believe that because they cannot reproduce after themselves, they will always remain a minority.

The way I see it, to the extent that the homosexuals are not able to be fruitful and multiply, to that extent they are falling short of God's purpose for the human race. But should they therefore be singled out as being especially "sinful"? No, I don't think so. In my view, the homosexuals are no better and they are no worse than heterosexuals.

From the Christian perspective, ALL (irrespective of sexual orientation and reproductive success) have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Everyone (irrespective of sexual orientation and reproductive success) is equally sinful. Everyone (irrespective of sexual orientation and reproductive success) needs the tender mercy and saving grace of Jesus Christ. Everyone (irrespective of sexual orientation and reproductive success) should be treated with due respect.

I don't think it is necessary to single out the homosexuals as a group to condemn or to fight against.

As I pondered over what he wrote, I realised that was Jesus' style as well. That is why and how He could reach out to the prostitutes, tax-collectors and lepers.

He addressed the woman caught in adultery not as an "adulteress" but as "woman". He did not label Zacchaeus as a tax-collector or Mary Magdelene as "prostitute". He addressed the woman with the issue of blood as "daughter".

Yet, Jesus did label a group of others. He called the self-righteous, religious, holier-than-thous "hypocrites", "a brood of vipers" and "whitewashed tombs".