I am Twenty-Four and Unashamed

I am twenty-four years old and I believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I feel the burden to write this now, because some of my peers might assume that anyone opposed to same-sex marriage has already had their mid-life crisis. It is now assumed that anyone who believes homosexuality is immoral is narrow-minded, old timey, unloving, and desperately clinging to ideologies that only worked when the world was flat.

I don’t claim to be cool, but I want you to know that I am not a white pudgy middle-aged man who hikes his khaki pants up to his belly button. I am twenty-four years old, wear Chacos and typing on a Mac. My best friend, Spencer, has black framed glasses and listens to rap music.

You need to know that I am twenty-four and believe that the message of Jesus Christ is good news for the poor.

I believe Jesus is the Son of God and was crucified on a bloody tree in order to marry someone. Jesus has a bride and that bride is anyone who believes that Jesus resurrected from the dead and claim him as the authority over their life and doctrine.

I want you to know that I am not ashamed of this gospel because it has changed my life.
I was in middle school when I hated church and only wanted to fulfill my lustful desires. It was then that I encountered the scriptures and my heart was struck to the core in an incredible way. Here is the headline of my life: I died and Jesus raised me to life and became my everything. I discovered God and yearned to understand his precious Word.

When I believed in Jesus, I became his bride and one day I will see him face to face and experience unhindered joy at his wedding banquet. Jesus loved the unlovable (me) and Jesus now defines my world. His gospel means that I am married to him and he is coming back again to get me. I am not ashamed of this gospel.

It is because of this gospel – and only this gospel – that I believe marriage is between one man and one woman. Jesus defines the terms for the world and Jesus designed marriage to reflect his glory. The gospel is about marriage and marriage is about the gospel.

The apostle Paul says that a wife submitting to her husband represents the church submitting to the Lordship of Christ (Eph 5:22-33). When a husband lays down his selfish ambition for his wife, this is a picture of Jesus sacrificing for his bride the church. When we think of marriage, we should think of sacrificial love and submission to the truth of Christ. Homosexuality and so-called gay marriage is contrary to the gospel preached in Ephesians 5. It distorts the true picture of love God that intends to display.

I am not on a crusade to smash anyone over the head with politics or a self-righteous agenda. I don’t have a hammer to beat anyone because my heart has been broken by the Word of Christ. I want the world to know that Jesus died to save sinners and that includes me and anyone who is a part of the LGBT community.

I am not ashamed of this gospel because it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. I don’t believe these things because I’m from the South, was raised by Christians, or watch Fox News.

I believe the gospel and all it’s implications because the God of the universe cracked open my hard-hearted soul and gave me faith.

It is my prayer that you will join me in believing this gospel and be unashamed of it. It is my hope that you will extend your arms to your neighbors who are struggling with same-sex attraction and love them like they have never been loved before – with grace and truth.

I am twenty-four and unashamed of this gospel (Rom 1:16). How about you?

For resources on counseling and homosexuality, listen to the Truth In Love podcast and check out the upcoming ACBC annual conference.