Typically in today’s society, it is the norm to assume that Christian’s hate the LGBT community. While the Bible does state that homosexuality is a sin, nowhere does it say to hate them.

In Leviticus 18:22, NIV translation, it states “Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman.” It is clearly stated here that in God’s eyes, homosexuality is a sin. However, God does not tell us to hate homosexuals. In fact, he commands us to love them. In John 13:34, NIV translation, Jesus says “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” God loves every single one of his creations, Genesis 1:31 says “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” He created you, he spent time on you, and he loves you unconditionally.

Many people spread hateful words about the LGBT community strictly because the Bible labels it as a sin. But I urge those who spread hate to read 1 John 4:20. It declares “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother or sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” While they shame and discourage those who are committing one sin, they are in turn sinning themselves. In God’s eyes, all sin will lead you down the same path. “Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulters, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

While there are many Christians who spread hateful words towards them, I urge the LGBT community to not allow the actions of a few influence your opinion on Christianity as a whole. As I stated above, God loves you. He created you to be perfect in his eyes, do not forget that. Yes, Christians believe homosexuality is a sin, but so is so many more things. Greed, lying, hate, lust, pride, envy and theft. All of those are just a few examples of sin. We are all sinners, and we all fall short of the glory of God. But through all of that, he still loves us. John 3:16 states “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God sent his son to pay the ultimate sacrifice to forgive us of our sins because he loves us.

Again, do not let the words of a few influence your opinion of Christianity as a whole. We are all sinners, but God still loves us all. I encourage you to find a church that you love and learn about God’s word, about his unending love for all of his children. Nowhere in the Bible does it say God hates homosexuals, but instead it declares his unending love for them, and all of his creations.

Christians do not hate the LGBT community, in fact, we love you.