Pride Month 2024
June 3rd, 2024
June 1st marked the beginning of what is recognized in America as “LGBTQ Pride Month,” or “Pride Month” for short. In light of this, I felt compelled to share a few thoughts.
June 1st marked the beginning of what is recognized in America as “LGBTQ Pride Month,” or “Pride Month” for short. In light of this, I felt compelled to share a few thoughts.
A Culture In Danger
This title was first hoisted on the month of June by the Federal Government in 1999, when the then-President, Bill Clinton, announced that June would be recognized as “Gay & Lesbian Pride Month.” In 2009, Barack Obama decided to update and expand the title, pronouncing June to be “LGBT Pride Month.” Not to be outdone by his predecessors, our current President, Joe Biden, inflated the title even further in 2021, declaring June “LGBTQ Pride Month.”
My purpose in this brief post is not to castigate individuals for their sexual sin and deviancy, but rather to call attention to the dangerous waters a culture has waded into when it stands in unabashed rebellion against and opposition to God — when it not only affirms, but rejoices at that which God declares to be reprehensible, and encourages (demands?) others follow suite.
My purpose in this brief post is not to castigate individuals for their sexual sin and deviancy, but rather to call attention to the dangerous waters a culture has waded into when it stands in unabashed rebellion against and opposition to God — when it not only affirms, but rejoices at that which God declares to be reprehensible, and encourages (demands?) others follow suite.
Sexual Sin
The Scriptures are littered with passages plainly describing and defining sexual immorality, perversion, homosexuality, and the like as deviations from and distortions of God’s plan and intention for sexuality — a.k.a., sin.
See Lev. 18:22; 20:13; 1 Kg. 14:24; Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19; Eph. 5:3-5; Col. 3:5; 1 Tim. 1:10; Heb. 13:5; Jude 1:7; Rev. 21:8 to name a few.
But as I indicated earlier, what we are witnessing in our culture today is not only the widespread practice of sexual sin, but the blatant and ubiquitous celebration of sexual sin, even at the highest levels of Government—hence the federally appointed moniker we are now all too familiar with—“Pride Month.” It’s hard to see how we as a culture could be more recalcitrant and unashamed.
See Lev. 18:22; 20:13; 1 Kg. 14:24; Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19; Eph. 5:3-5; Col. 3:5; 1 Tim. 1:10; Heb. 13:5; Jude 1:7; Rev. 21:8 to name a few.
But as I indicated earlier, what we are witnessing in our culture today is not only the widespread practice of sexual sin, but the blatant and ubiquitous celebration of sexual sin, even at the highest levels of Government—hence the federally appointed moniker we are now all too familiar with—“Pride Month.” It’s hard to see how we as a culture could be more recalcitrant and unashamed.
Abounding Arrogance
Here are a few selections from the Scripture that reveal what God thinks about pride:
Psalm 10:3-4 - For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” (ESV)
Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (ESV)
James 4:6 - God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. (ESV)
Isaiah 13:11 - I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. (ESV)
Isaiah 66:2 - All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. (ESV)
It doesn’t take a Bible scholar to recognize that our culture is in trouble. We are proud of depravity, we are glorifying iniquity, and we are celebrating unrighteousness. “Pride Month” is an unfortunate epithet indeed.
Psalm 10:3-4 - For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” (ESV)
Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (ESV)
James 4:6 - God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. (ESV)
Isaiah 13:11 - I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. (ESV)
Isaiah 66:2 - All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. (ESV)
It doesn’t take a Bible scholar to recognize that our culture is in trouble. We are proud of depravity, we are glorifying iniquity, and we are celebrating unrighteousness. “Pride Month” is an unfortunate epithet indeed.
How Should We Respond?
Let me finish by saying this: Our response to all of this should not be to assume a spirit of vitriolic crusaders, of good vs. bad, or us vs. them. Instead, our response should be to embody Gospel Mission. To encourage you to this end, take a look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:
1 Corinthians 6:9–11 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (ESV)
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 reminds us in no uncertain terms about the reality and consequences of unrighteousness. Sin is real, rebellion is rampant, and judgment will come. We must not whitewash, downplay, or ignore this truth. It is the job of the Christian to point out these realities at the appropriate opportunities — to warn the lost around us of the dangerous waters we are playing in. Yet, in doing so, it is also the job of the Christian to point to the Savior who bore our sin, who died in the place of the rebels, who took on himself the judgment that we deserve.
Friends, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not for the clean, but the unclean; it is not for the healthy, but for the sick; it is not for those who think they are righteous, but for sinners — sinners like you and me, and sinners that adorn their homes with Pride flags.
1 Corinthians 11:6 describes what Jesus offers sinners who come to the cross in repentance and trust: forgiveness & cleansing. Through Christ, we can stand before God clean, washed and sanctified — no more blots, stains, or wrinkles. We can also stand before him forgiven — righteous, accepted, known, treasured, and eternally loved.
As the world gets darker, the church must get brighter. As the messengers of depravity get bolder, the missionaries of the Gospel must get braver. This month, pick up your Bible, get time with God, gather with your church, commit to community, cultivate humility, and walk out into the world as the missionary you’ve been called to be, pursuing, engaging, and evangelizing all sorts of sinners who identify with all sorts of “sexual orientations,” invite them into your life, and welcome them to repent and come to Jesus.
1 Corinthians 6:9–11 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (ESV)
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 reminds us in no uncertain terms about the reality and consequences of unrighteousness. Sin is real, rebellion is rampant, and judgment will come. We must not whitewash, downplay, or ignore this truth. It is the job of the Christian to point out these realities at the appropriate opportunities — to warn the lost around us of the dangerous waters we are playing in. Yet, in doing so, it is also the job of the Christian to point to the Savior who bore our sin, who died in the place of the rebels, who took on himself the judgment that we deserve.
Friends, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not for the clean, but the unclean; it is not for the healthy, but for the sick; it is not for those who think they are righteous, but for sinners — sinners like you and me, and sinners that adorn their homes with Pride flags.
1 Corinthians 11:6 describes what Jesus offers sinners who come to the cross in repentance and trust: forgiveness & cleansing. Through Christ, we can stand before God clean, washed and sanctified — no more blots, stains, or wrinkles. We can also stand before him forgiven — righteous, accepted, known, treasured, and eternally loved.
As the world gets darker, the church must get brighter. As the messengers of depravity get bolder, the missionaries of the Gospel must get braver. This month, pick up your Bible, get time with God, gather with your church, commit to community, cultivate humility, and walk out into the world as the missionary you’ve been called to be, pursuing, engaging, and evangelizing all sorts of sinners who identify with all sorts of “sexual orientations,” invite them into your life, and welcome them to repent and come to Jesus.
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