Dealing With Sin In The Church: Is the sin of homosexuality worse than others?

I was recently having an online conversation with a skeptic about a blog that I wrote (located here). To protect his anonymity I won't use his real name; instead I'll call him Joe. In no uncertain terms Joe expressed his view of Christianity in America. He said:

americas church has no interest in solving poverty or helping the poor - nope they spend MILLIONS upon millions of dollars trying to pass laws to get rid of the evil gays. (sic). 

There are many churches that are especially sensitive towards sin resulting in charity work falling by the wayside or not taking precedence. However should charity work take precedence over dealing with sin? No. All local church bodies should be Biblically and logically grounded when it comes to sin: no one church or individual Christian should forget that it exists, but they likewise should not make it their existence. There are churches that are so sensitive towards sin that their response towards it is often anything but Biblically founded. However in contrast there are churches that are so laid-back about sin that they are equally unBiblical in their response.

It is important that 'the church' be in control of sin and *not* to have sin be in control of it. When a church becomes so hyper with sin so much so that all they see is the sin (or even a perceived sin) and not the sinner and the context surrounding the the sin (or the alleged sin), the sin is in control of the church. In the same way when a church takes on a blasé view of sin and becomes blind to it by the pop-cultural interpretation of the term 'love thy neighbour' sin is running the show. The key is to find the line where loving thy neighbour becomes genuine and not an emotion. Regarding homosexuality and among a few other examples of sins the Apostle Paul makes it very clear that sin isn't something to shake a stick at; it has eternally negative consequences in addition to earthly ones[i]. (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10) Paul also explains that "[we] know that the law is good if one uses it properly. - 1 Timothy 1:8 "...the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers"- 1 Timothy 1:9-10. However to the Romans he explains that nobody can be classified by the first tenet, righteous, (cf. Romans 3:23). The disciple John seconds this statement, (cf. 1 John 1:8). So if we are all sinners then the law is for everyone! So how should a Christian church deal with sin whether its homosexuality or not?

1. Activate genuine love for thy 'sinning' neighbour. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 
• To love the sinner is to show patience just like God does, (cf. 2 Peter 3:9). To rebuke, teach and correct (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16) with kindness, (cf. 1 Peter 3:15c). To be persistent. To instil the hope in the sinner that is only found in Christ. To know evil and hate it with prejudice and model as a value the love for truth. 
• Homosexuality is evil and so the Christian should with kindness teach of its evil and model hatred for it and Godly sexuality.
2. “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector." - Matthew 18:15-17 
• In other words bring the sin to the sinner's attention; perhaps they may not be aware of it being wrong; or the mere being caught might serve as incentive enough to repent. If they however persist on sinning, evolve it into an intervention that will be repeated with every refusal of repentance to the point where it is publicized in front of the congregation. If the public confrontation doesn't work - give them the boot. 
• Be there for someone who is struggling with sin, sexual or not and help them battle it daily; if however they are are unwilling to repent from it - distance yourself from them, (cf. Romans 16:17).

It is important to note however that this talks about a sin that is current - not a sin that was recent, but ended but kept hidden. If a church learned of a sin of one of its members, but does not listen and learn of the context of the situation and hastily proceeds to the last step this church was unBiblical. If a church condemns a member for having done a sin but no longer does it, but perhaps are struggling with keeping sober then they are not dealing with it Biblically. And of course if a church turns a blind eye to the sin they are parallel in being 'unBiblical'.

However you may remind me what we are talking about: homosexuality, a.k.a, a sexual sin. Paul states:

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. - 1 Corinthians 6:18

This verse has been often used to argue that sexual sins are especially heinous as they are sins that are done against their own body. Is disobedience of God better if you do it like *this* and not like *that*? No. However in the development of the Jewish nation God set up certain consequences for certain crimes; some crimes such as homosexual sex warranted death, (cf. Leviticus 18:22, 20:13). Wouldn't that suggest a hierarchy of sins in God's eyes? Isn't homosexual sex more grotesque than theft considering that homosexual sexual offenders were put to death? In this context there is a special disgust as homosexual sex violates not only the created body, its a front on God's designed purposes for sex (but so is every other kind of sexual sin). Even though that the consequences for homosexual sex were much more severe than those of theft, it doesn't mean that the thief is a better person or a lesser sinner than the homosexual offender - both are guilty of sin; as Paul states "...swindlers will [also not] inherit the kingdom of [God]" right along with homosexual offenders. - Furthermore a counter effect of having a church that is overly-sensitive to sin also disables people from asking for help at the risk of being unjustly dealt with.

To conclude Joe's comment's hold merit as there are many churches who are on a perpetual headhunt for sinners and not active, or active enough in society's basic needs, including the need of compassion in the times of failures due to sinful struggles. So the moral of the story is to use the law properly: take care of your neighbour's needs but not at the expense of representing God's moral concerns.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. - Matthew 22:37-40

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[i] http://acrazychristian.blogspot.ca/2014/03/russias-homosexual-law-is-there-wisdom.html - accessed March 10, 2014