It was heartening to see many thousands of believers expressing their loyalty to Jesus in public worship after the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. What an amazing expression of their love for Him and their willingness to stand up and be counted!

This response has shown the world that Jesus’ followers are everywhere. They will not bow to Baal under any circumstances or hide their light when they need to shine in deepest darkness.

This massed choir didn’t condemn the wrong doers or threaten vengeance as some do when their gods are insulted; they celebrated the Saviour of sinners in a beautiful and public way.

This response turned out to be a shock for the organisers, an unexpected exposure of their wicked agenda. Even unbelievers were outraged at what they had done.

However, there is another side to the Christian response to the opening ceremony in Paris, 2024.

There is a response to a debacle like this that can expose in us an attitude that Jesus condemned.

Luke 18:9-14 NLT
[9] “Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: [10] “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! [12] I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ [13] “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ [14] I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Can this be a commentary on the attitude some of us who inadvertently display towards those who vehemently defend their gender status? Are we saying, in our outrage towards their behaviour, that we are better than they? “I would never do that!” Are we telling them, without words, that they are wicked but we are not, that they are going to hell but we are not? Are we standing over them as self-appointed judges?

Jesus didn’t mince matters about people’s sin. When He was told of the tragic deaths of worshippers murdered at the hands of Pilate, He responded with a blunt statement…

Luke 13:1-5 NLT
[1] About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. [2] “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? [3] Not at all! And YOU WILL PERISH, TOO, UNLESS YOU REPENT OF YOUR SINS AND TURN TO GOD . [4] And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? [5] No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

All humans stand on level ground before God because…

Romans 3:23 NLT
[23] “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”

Apart from God’s grace, everyone, gay or straight, is guilty before God and everyone faces the same judgment for sin.

“I am not gay,” but I tell lies, I am bitter, resentful, unforgiving, vengeful, complaining, discontented, fearful… or whatever is in my heart that displays my own unbelief.

Therefore, we must be careful to guard our hearts against the self-righteousness of the Pharisees. Since we are not gay, we are okay. Since we are outraged by those who openly defend the alternative lifestyle, we are on God’s side. Really?

God actively takes a stand against those who present their self-righteousness as a reason for His favour.

James 4:6 NLT
[6] “And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

God’s grace means that He empowers those who know who they are without Him, nothing but condemned sinners like everyone else, especially those we despise.

How can we diagnose this insidious disease? Watch out for contempt! In our words, in our tone, even in our body language, we display the symptoms of self-righteousness. We need the same grace, the same mercy that those need who stand condemned in our eyes.

How can we escape this trap? Look at others through Jesus’ heart. Replace contempt with compassion. Without His grace, we are where they are. Apart from Him, we are lost.

Romans 11:32 NLT
[32] “For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.”

Jew or Gentile, gay or straight, Jesus is the only one who can rescue us from hell.