"There's Room At The Cross For You"

by

Lee Frances Heller

"Justification by faith means not simply the individual rejoicing at his or her acceptance by God -- basic and fundamental as that is -- It means also recognition that justification stands opposes to any and every nationalistic or racialist [or conditional ed.] narrowing of God's grace." (The Justice of God, Dunn and Sugate)

Striving to attain God's acceptance is not our goal.

God said, "I love you," to His created beings. No exceptions. There is not one valid reason why we CD/TG/TS cannot have a loving relationship with God. And we can have an even better relationship than "church people" can. They think they deserve a good relationship. We think we don't because we have been led to think we are inferior and second class humans by those very people.

We finally discover that, while they may exclude us, God doesn't. He includes us. This opens the door to an appreciative relationship with God because we thought we were excluded and now we find we are included in His Kingdom. We have accepted His acceptance of us, and like all of humanity, we have now joined the ranks of ordinary sinners. We no longer harbor the false notion that because of our lifestyle we are exceptional sinners. There are no degrees of sinners.

To single us out and categorize us as "bad sinners," is the pot calling the kettle black. There are two categories of sinners. Sinners slid saved sinners. Did the church teach you that as soon as you "accepted Christ" your sins were gone and now you are a Christian? That's right, but you didn't lose your sinner status. No one loses their sinner status in this world. Christ forgives our sins. We Christians continually need to go to Him for forgiveness because the sin principle is alive in us. Making a "decision" for Christ doesn't eradicate the principle. It forgives us of the sins committed because of the principle that caused us to commit those sins. We have come to the cross of Jesus Christ, confessed our sins and opened up our heart to Him. At that moment all of our sins are forgiven and we feel great. The sins are gone but not the principle. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church, said, "I confess daily before God." The sin principle in us is greatly subdued, but not eliminated, by the Holy Spirit. This then enables us to live a life in harmony with God.

Many Christian CD/TG/TS have told me they are still tinged with a remote guilt feeling about their lifestyle. This is not to be ignored or brushed under the table. Remember the principle (spelled "Satan" or "devil") is very much alive and wants to pick at us and nag us and tell us we are all wet if we think we're OK with God. We are OK. The principle doesn't like it because every human being who comes to Christ for His salvation is one less disciple Satan has. It's a loss for him because he loves to revel in our misery. He taunts us with, "men in skirts and women in pants. Why, that's an abomination to God!! Just who the hell do you think you are'?" And he continues to sow doubt in us, forgetting that "THE HANDWRITING OF THE ORDINANCES THAT WAS AGAINST US" has been erased. Deuteronomy 22:5 was one that was nailed to His cross and wiped out. Removed. Gone. No longer in effect. Read Colossians 2:11-14. Arid while we listen to him, we forget those good things Christ did on the cross of which we are the beneficiary.

I used to pray, "0 God, deliver me from this horrible crossdressing thing." I prayed that for all of the usual reasons: family, job, church, etc.. It was the grand prayer of the grand hypocrite. My "inner life" didn't think it was horrible. I thought it was great and really didn't want to be delivered, but I was kissing butt with God. I thought that He'd be delighted to hear I wanted deliverance and that I thought it was horrible! Talk about the principle at work in a Christian! That prayer was a lie in the face of God. Those were the days when I was a pillar of society and a Deacon in the church. I was offered ordination three times in my life, and refused every time, because I knew I didn't fit into the scheme of things. I didn't yet know where I did fit in, but it wasn't there. I found it after my wife died in 1984 and God sent me here to Mississippi. The rest is history.

It grieves me to see so many of us that want to come to Christ but fear rejection. Read this letter over again and come on and join us in praise of Him who loves us and accepts us. As the old hymn goes: "There's room at the cross for you."