Part 3 of Gender and Cultural Ideologies
Scripture: Romans 1:24–28
“Rainbow Flags in Every Aisle”
It starts in June—but the messaging is year-round.
You walk into a store and are greeted not just with sales, but slogans. “Love is love.” “Be your true self.” “Pride is power.” Rainbow banners wave from toothpaste tubes to corporate logos. Drag queens read to children. Pastors post affirmations. Schools host pride parades.
For Christians trying to live faithfully in a confused world, June has become a cultural gauntlet.
How do we respond—with compassion, conviction, or silence?
This post isn’t about condemnation. It’s about clarity. And it begins by asking: What does God’s Word actually say about pride, identity, and love?
Exchanging Truth for a Lie (Romans 1:24–28)
Paul’s words in Romans 1 are both theological and diagnostic:
“God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity… For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator… For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions…”
— Romans 1:24–26
Paul’s argument is not based on culture, politics, or personal preference. It’s rooted in creation order (Rom 1:20). When humanity rejects God as Creator, we inevitably redefine ourselves in ways that lead to distortion.
Pride Month celebrates what God calls disordered (Lev 18:22; 1 Cor 6:9–11). It parades confusion as authenticity, and rebellion as freedom.
But God’s love is not permissive—it is transforming.
And Romans 1 doesn’t end in despair—it points forward to the gospel, which saves anyone who believes (Rom 1:16).
Why “Pride” Isn’t Just a Parade
To many, Pride Month is about inclusion and tolerance. But underneath the slogans lies an ideology that demands far more than acceptance—it demands celebration.
And that’s the line.
When Christians are told they must not only acknowledge LGBTQ+ identities, but affirm and celebrate them—or risk being labeled hateful—that’s not inclusion. That’s idolatry.
Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Babylon (Dan 3), we are expected to bow to the image or be burned by public opinion.
Pride Month is not just a cultural celebration. It is a liturgy of false worship.
It catechizes children. It rewrites sin as virtue. It blurs the Creator/creature distinction (Rom 1:25). It demands that we love on man’s terms—not God’s.
But love that never warns, never confronts, and never calls to repentance—isn’t love. It’s indifference wrapped in affirmation.
Compassion Without Compromise
How should Christians live during Pride Month?
- Don’t be silent—but don’t be shrill. Speak clearly and kindly.
- Ground your beliefs in Scripture, not outrage. Let God’s Word do the cutting (Heb 4:12).
- Love your neighbor—really. This means listening, praying, and showing hospitality without affirming sin.
- Remember your own rescue. “Such were some of you…” (1 Cor 6:11)
We are not “better than.” We are “saved by.” Grace levels the ground.
Yes, we must speak the truth about sin. But we must also speak the greater truth about the Savior who rescues anyone—gay, straight, proud, or confused.
Don’t Celebrate the Fall—Proclaim the Gospel
June is not a time to retreat—it’s a time to clarify.
Don’t fly the rainbow flag. Fly the banner of Christ (Psalm 60:4).
Don’t join the celebration of confusion. Offer the hope of transformation.
If Pride Month teaches anything, it’s that culture is always evangelizing. The question is—are we?
This month, let your life be a faithful contradiction to a world drowning in expressive individualism. Let your words point to a truth higher than feelings—and a love deeper than affirmation.
← Previous: Drag Queen Story Hour and the Battle for Innocence
→ Next: The Church’s Response to Cancel Culture
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References
The Holy Bible. (2021). Legacy Standard Bible. Three Sixteen Publishing. https://read.lsbible.org/
Trueman, C. R. (2020). The rise and triumph of the modern self: Cultural amnesia, expressive individualism, and the road to sexual revolution. Crossway.
Butterfield, R. C. (2019). The gospel comes with a house key: Practicing radically ordinary hospitality in our post-Christian world. Crossway.
MacArthur, J. (2022). Responding to Pride Month. Grace to You. https://www.gty.org
Colson Center. (2023). Pride Month and the Christian response. https://www.colsoncenter.org
