How should I respond to LGBTIQ+ initiatives in my workplace?

If you talk to younger Christians today many will say the biggest issue they face in their work is how to respond to LGBTIQ+ initiatives in their workplace. Many struggle with the challenge of how to respond to pressure from their supervisors to do things ranging from wearing a rainbow-coloured badge through to supporting diversity awareness training.

Often advice is framed around the language of “taking a stand,” meaning that Christians should make known their opposition to the LGBTIQ+ agenda because it is contrary to Scripture. However, for many young people in workplaces the decision to “take a stand” can be very costly to their career, relationships and witness in their workplace. Certainly for some people in some contexts “taking a stand” will be the right option. However, in this article I want to suggest there are some theological perspectives on how Christians are to live in secular contexts which suggest a more nuanced response is not only acceptable but sometimes preferred.

Grace Before Morals

The first thing to recognise is that the gospel is primarily about grace, not morality (Eph 2:8-9). Certainly, when we experience the grace of the gospel it should lead to morality, but we must be very careful to not mix up the order. This is the mistake the Pharisees made and which Jesus condemned in places like the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). The Pharisees sought to redeem Israel by promoting a moral code and marginalising those who did not meet it. Instead, Jesus went to those who did not meet the moral code (sinners, prostitutes and tax collectors) and presented them with the grace of the gospel. Once they understood the gospel he told them to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11). If we are to follow Jesus’ example in our workplace we must be careful to lead with the gospel, not the Christian moral code. If we emphasise a moral code with our work colleagues before they understand the gospel we look more like the Pharisees and less like Jesus.

Strategic Withdrawal from Persecution

The second set of Scriptures to consider is those that record the “strategic withdrawal” of God’s people to avoid persecution. In his blog Tim MacBride points out that several times Jesus chose to “withdraw” (anachōreō) from persecution. When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been imprisoned, he withdrew to Galilee (Matt 4:12). When he became aware that the Pharisees were plotting to kill him, he again withdrew (12:14-15). When Jesus heard about John the Baptist’s beheading, he withdrew to a solitary place (14:13). After challenging the food laws in the hearing of the Pharisees, Jesus also withdrew (15:21). In addition, the magi withdrew by another route to avoid Herod (2:12) and Joseph withdrew to Egypt (2:14) and then Galilee (2:22) after being warned of danger.

It is not that Jesus was afraid of persecution but being persecuted was not his primary objective, and so he avoided it when he could. His goal was to establish the Kingdom of God by going to the cross and he was not going to invite persecution that might stop him from achieving that goal.

Caring for the Marginalised

The third theological point also relates to the example of Jesus. Although Jesus could have identified himself with the moral elite, he identifies with the marginalised including the poor, sick, and socially stigmatised (sinners, prostitutes and tax collectors) (Matt 11:19). In many places in the Scriptures God identifies himself with the poor and marginalised and seeks to alleviate their suffering. Although we may not agree with their lifestyle choices, practising homosexuals and those with gender dysphoria have experienced great marginalisation and persecution in Western society, often at the instigation of the Church. Perhaps we can frame our response to LGBTIQ+ initiatives in terms of seeking to alleviate the suffering of the marginalised through exposure to the gospel rather than just the rejection of their sinful values. This is exactly what Jesus was able to do.

Judging Outsiders

A final Scripture to consider is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:12-13: “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.’” In the midst of urging the Corinthian church to expel the believer guilty of sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, drunkenness or fraud, Paul reminds them that these moral imperatives apply to those inside the church, not those outside. If non-believers do not understand the gospel, the moral code that it impels is meaningless, and may in fact drive them away from the gospel.

An Alternative to “Taking a Stand.”

I believe the Scriptures present to us an alternative to “taking a stand” against LGBTIQ+ initiatives and other aspects of our workplaces that are inconsistent with our personal morals and values. Our primary role in a secular workplace is not to impose Christian moral standards on those outside the Church. The greater priority in our workplace should be gospelisation, not moralisation. If our moral stand in the workplace marks us as self-righteous judges (like Pharisees) rather than agents of grace, we have betrayed the gospel. In order to preserve our witness and relationships it is okay to make a quiet “strategic withdrawal” to not invite persecution and so focus on promoting the gospel.

Certainly, there will be people and contexts for whom taking a stand against LGBTIQ+ initiatives is the right option. But for others leaving the judgement up to God and avoiding persecution for the sake of promoting the gospel is the best option. Metaphorically, perhaps we agree to wear the rainbow badge, but wear a cross alongside it? The resultant conversation might go like this:

• Colleague: “I see you are wearing a rainbow badge. I thought you were a Christian?”
• Gospel worker: “Yes I am, but Christianity begins with grace not morality. I want to help my LGBTIQI+ work colleagues to experience the forgiveness for their sins that I have experienced, and I would hate for anything to get in the way of them experiencing that grace.”