I shouldn’t have gone on his Facebook page the other day. I knew I’d find photos of him with his new “husband,” along with posts condemning Christians who dare to say that homosexuality is a sin. And I should have known that I’d come away feeling saddened once again by his rejection of the truth that he used to proclaim.

He has chosen the world’s distortion of sexuality, and he takes pride in his choice. But Scripture has a much different view of the relationship between worldliness and pride.

¹⁵ Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷ The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. ~~1 John 2:15-17 (NASB95)

As we enter Gay Pride Month, I think of my many friends from those years in ex-gay ministry who decided the fight against that particular sin wasn’t worth the effort. Each of them accepted the lie that God made them gay and wanted them to embrace their sexuality. A few settled for living in celibacy while “celebrating” their same sex attractions (I’m not sure how that works) while others pursued committed relationships. One or two remained in heterosexual marriages, expecting their spouses to understand that these are “mixed marriages.” I gather that they all are talking about Pride right now.

Unless the Holy Spirit graciously brings my homosexual friends to repentance (and I do pray that He will show them such mercy), they indeed will find that their lusts will evaporate, leaving them excluded from God’s kingdom. In their rebellion against His design for human sexuality, they forfeit everything that He has for them, both now and in eternity (see Hebrews 12:15-17). In the end, their Gay Pride will wind up destroying them.

Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before stumbling. ~~Proverbs 16:18 (NASB95)

It’s appropriate, and perhaps even necessary, to take a firm stand for Biblical sexuality each June in response to Gay Pride Month. Yes, people caught in LBGTQ+ lifestyles need compassion and respect from Christians as we remember our own slavery to sin before Christ rescued us (see Titus 3:3-7). but true compassion and respect cannot lend any approval to their proud rebellion against God’s righteous standards.

For that matter, perhaps Pride Month should encourage us to examine areas of pride in our own lives. Let’s begin with our sexual sins. And yes, we’re all guilty of sexual sins, even if we never express them physically. Jesus said as much in Matthew 5:27-28 when He compared a lustful glance to adultery. And please don’t try telling me that His words apply only to men.

Do we watch movies or TV shows that feed our sexual fantasies? Do we read romance novels or visit online chat rooms? Do we daydream about the men that we almost married? And if we indulge in any of these behaviors, does our pride assure us that we deserve that little bit of emotional comfort? Ladies, all of these qualify as sexual sin. The fact that they are heterosexual doesn’t make them any less abhorrent to the Lord.

What about our sins of anger, anxiety, selfishness or complaining? I’m ashamed to say that I have to confess each of these sins every day. Thankfully, the Lord is helping me grow in repentance regarding them, but He’s also giving me an increased awareness that each of these sins comes from my overarching sin of pride. I tell myself that I deserve better than what God has chosen to give me. And like a fool, I fall for my own pack of lies.

Although I’ve at times nurtured feelings of pride about these sins, convincing myself that they were somehow healthy and good (such as the righteous indignation rationalization), I’ve learned that I have no reason to be proud. I forget that my anxiety, anger, selfishness and complaining all accost God’s character, subtly declaring that He isn’t really sovereign and I don’t trust Him. These sins may be acceptable to people, but each of them drove nails into my Savior’s hands and feet.

Gay Pride Month should grieve Christians as we think about how homosexuality destroys that lives of those who engage in its desires and behaviors. But it should also make us think about the secret or socially acceptable sins that we proudly commit. June can be a perfect month to cultivate humility.