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Post-gay vs. Ex-gay

by Stanley Hasegawa  
10/16/2009 / Christian Living

My church has decided to focus on hanging out with, serving, and reaching out to people with HIV/Aids. I came across a very thoughtful article about the concept of "post-gay." I find the author's concept of "post-gay" to be very realistic and helpful without slamming those who embrace becoming "ex-gay" as the goal.

I really like the author's use of vectors as an analogy. It reminds me of the following passage:

"Not that I have already attained this, that is, I have not already been perfected but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14)

"Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive" -- this really makes me think of vectors. In physics, vectors have magnitude (I strive) and direction (toward the prize). In a sense, this passage is about a vector (I strive toward the prize) which has a valid starting point of right now (forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead). This starting point is independent of our history.

In a sense, all Christians are in recovery, not just people coming out of a gay background. We are all especially prone to certain manifestations of our fleshly nature. We are all more vulnerable to certain sins than others. We all need to focus on Christ in us and us in Christ right now in spite of any turbulence of spirit. Until we are with Christ in glory, we are not called to arrive at the goal and claim the prize. We are called rather to struggle and overcome without yet having arrived ("Not that I have already attained this").

The idea of overcoming without totally arriving is also contained in the following passages - submit to God and resist, stand against, take captive:

"So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

"Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11)

"and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5b)

Here is the link to the article I have been referring to:

http://www.peter-ould.net/2007/04/19/you-and-me-together/

I am richly blessed in my marriage. I have two grown children. I am semi-retired. I have been a computer programmer, systems analyst, househusband and homeschool teacher. I love to walk, talk and eat, and write short articles about devoting our lives to Jesus.

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