An Open Letter to My LGBT Friends
Dear Friends,
Before you read another word, I want you to know that I am writing this because I believe honest conversations are better than caricatures and assumptions. Too often, Christians and LGBT people speak about one another instead of to one another. I hope this letter is a small step in the opposite direction.
Yes, I am a Christian, and because of that I do affirm the biblical sexual ethic. I believe that God designed sexual intimacy to be expressed only within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. I realize that many of you disagree with that conviction, but I do not believe it is rooted in hatred, fear, or prejudice. Rather, I believe God’s commands are ultimately given for our good. Like the guardrails along a mountain road, they are intended not to diminish life but to protect it.
At the same time, the very faith that leads me to this conclusion also teaches me something equally important: Every person I meet is created in the image of God and possesses immeasurable dignity and worth. That means I owe you kindness, respect, honesty, and compassion regardless of whether or not we agree.
The Bible also reminds me that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That includes me. I do not approach this conversation as someone morally superior or spiritually complete. I stand in need of God’s grace every bit as much as anyone else.
Furthermore, I also recognize that I have never walked in your shoes. I do not claim to fully understand your experiences, your struggles, or the challenges you have faced. If you have experienced rejection, ridicule, or mistreatment, especially from people claiming to represent Christ, I am genuinely sorry. Such behavior falls far short of the example Jesus gave us.
One of the great strengths of our nation is that the same Constitution protects both your rights and mine. You have the freedom to live according to your convictions, and I have the freedom to live according to mine. A free society depends on our willingness to defend one another’s right to disagree without treating each other as enemies.
My hope is not to win an argument but to point people to Jesus Christ. If I truly believe He is who He claimed to be, then the most loving thing I can do is tell others about Him. That invitation is extended to everyone without exception, because the gospel is for everyone. Jesus welcomed tax collectors, prostitutes, religious leaders, fishermen, and thieves. He called all of them to Himself, and He calls all of us to repentance and faith.
Following Jesus has required me to surrender desires, attitudes, and behaviors that did not honor Him. Christianity has never been about asking one group of people to deny themselves while everyone else gets a pass. Jesus calls every one of His followers to take up their cross, deny themselves, and follow Him. We all come to Christ on equal footing: as sinners in need of a Savior.
Whether you ultimately agree with me or not, I hope you will know this: I do not hate you. I do not fear you. I do not see you as my enemy. I pray for you because I believe God loves you, and I hope you will extend me the same courtesy of allowing me to live according to my sincerely held convictions, just as I support your right to live according to yours. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I sincerely hope that, even where we disagree, we can treat one another with the dignity, respect, and humanity that every person is due.
Grace and peace,
James H. Boyd
