A good illustration of this principle was recounted in a Chattanooga area church where a mother was required to choose between her church (where she had attended for 60 years) and her lesbian daughter. The daughter had successfully advocated to make government benefits available to same sex “spouses.” Her family supported her homosexual advocacy. Church officials met with the mother and two other relatives and told them “They could repent for their sins and ask forgiveness in front of the congregation. Or leave the church.” Well finally, a church that practices church discipline. Of course, for doing so, they are called “unloving,” “haters,” and “bigots.” That’s easier than dealing with the issue.

The lesbian daughter whined, “Literally, they’re exiling members for unconditionally loving their children – and even extended family members.” Her dad told CNN, “Loving her daughter and supporting her family was not a sin.” Dad declared, “There was nothing to repent about.” He added. “They certainly couldn’t judge her on that because that was between her and her God, and it was not their place to judge her for that.”

I am not without sympathy for the family; however, Scripture must rule, not sentimentalism. Principled people do what is right even when it hurts. The family was not being judged for “unconditionally loving” but for defending perversion. Moreover, it was the church’s place or right, even obligation, to make a judgment. The family refused to repent and left the church.