Find Jesus within yourself

Worldly folks are again demanding acceptance by Christ’s church (Pope Francis editorial, Jan. 12); and yes, they should be accepted. God’s House is a place for all people, our Father doesn’t play favourites — everyone is some variety of sinner. A Biblebased church is the best environment to learn about Jesus, worship God and find hope in life. It will seek understanding, not judgement, for folks who are different.

Lives change when searching individuals encounter Jesus within themselves, true love and peace grow from the inside out, hope abounds. However, problems arise when children of God willfully continue to live in ways that are contradictory to His Word. They sabotage themselves; growth becomes sluggish and hope dwindles.

God’s word was meant to be accepted in its entirety. It is the rock that His House stands upon — it must support all that the Christian church teaches and does. One LGBTQ writer has referred to the Bible as “homophobic,” an all-purpose word used to describe any disagreement with any utterance of their community. Some folks trivialize Biblical teachings they don’t like, or even belittle the whole thing as merely a “nice suggestion,” as a few leaders have done. But without God’s word our sanctuary is lost and becomes only a human social group. Remember, Jesus always deferred to His Father, and it was His Father who gave us the Bible.

It would be good to set sexuality aside, it is not the most important thing in life. Find Jesus within yourself and discuss your sexuality with Him — He will accept you, guide you and help you understand Scripture.

Please have patience, Pope Francis is God’s representative on earth; consequently, he must seek our Father’s will first, as His wisdom is always superior to man’s reasoning. It’s not about the Pope backing down, it’s about seeking God’s support. Prayer would be more effective than rhetoric in this quest. And sometimes, us humans just have to wait a while. Richard Ogden Clarke’s Beach