Scripture

I am not going to take the time or space to go through the many Bible verses that call homosexuality a sin. Again -- read Romans 1. If people have any reverence for the Word of God, and actually want the Truth, that chapter alone will convince them. If not, then there is no need for any further discussion. In addition, I might also add that even if we did not have a Bible at all, any person with the smallest amount of discernment or sense of moral decency will know that homosexuality is wrong – as they would know that fornication, adultery, and other moral violations are wrong. We know. The fact that we can sear conscience and harden ourselves to the point of NOT knowing doesn’t matter. We could know.

Of course, any time you demand the Truth on such things you will be branded a, "hate-monger," or in the case of homosexuality, "homophobic." You will be labeled, "judgmental," or, "mean-spirited." Whatever. None of that changes the Truth. In the end, all of us are going to personally answer to God for the Truth. God will never ask us whether someone was judgmental towards us. He will ask us to account for ourselves.

But I do want to go back to one or two passages from the book of Genesis:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. (Gen 1:27)

Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. (Gen 5:2)

If I refuse to consider that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, without error, and applicable for today, then none of these verses are going to matter to me. But if I do believe that God inspired His Word, then I will have to come to terms with what is written in it. In these verses we do not have any reference to homosexuality at all. But what we do find is God’s will. What we find here, in God’s eyes, is good. It is His pattern for humanity.

God created them male and female and told them to procreate. When Adam was alone and God wanted to find him a companion, God created a FEMALE. And not only that, but He created her from out of Adam. How much clearer could it be?

But just as importantly, what does the plain fact that procreation is possible only through one male and one female tell us about God’s creation and intention for humanity? It is simply NOT possible for a same sex marriage to biologically procreate a child. They can only adopt, or if one partner already has a child, the other must adopt them. What does this tell us about God’s will? Is a same sex marriage God’s design for a family – according to Genesis 1:27 the answer is NO.

Let me take this a step further – and I’ll try to avoid being graphic. The anatomy of two males, and the anatomy of two females do NOT compliment each other – not for the physical relationship in marriage. Does that tell us anything about what is NATURAL – according to God’s design? It tells us plenty.

Look at the animal kingdom. Do you find any same sex sexual relationships? Why not if God made human beings that way – He would have surely made some animals that way? Again – homosexual relationships go against nature. They go against the very fundament of God’s design.

Read again the above verse from Genesis 5:2. You will note that God not only created two people – male and female He created them – but He called THEM by the name of Adam. It was only after the sin that Adam called his wife by the name of Eve. God considered these two human beings to be as ONE – they so complimented each other. In fact, this is used in the NT as a picture of Christ and the church. Again – all of these things show God’s mind on this matter. It is not maybe. One male compliments one female. That is the pattern. It is built into creation. There is no other option.

The bondage of homosexuality is not merely a sin against God in the sense of violating His Word and His law. It also violates nature – human nature. And because it does, it destroys. All sin destroys. But this particular sin destroys in another dimension because it runs against the very nature of male and female that God has built into each gender. Note what Paul wrote in Romans 1:

Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (Rom 1:25-28)

Here we see that homosexuality is not only sin, but it is against nature – it is against the nature of each gender. It is against the nature that God Himself created and built into human gender. And because it is, there is a, "recompense," that is going to be received INTO THE PERSON of the one sinning in such a way. In other words, yes, God will judge all of us. But here we find that there is a penalty for sin that sin itself exacts – sin destroys. Sin damages. We receive in ourselves the damage from our sin – and this is the case without God needing to life a finger. Why? Because these sins are against the very nature that God put in a human being. It is a violation of the essence of something that is built into us – and it is going to take its toll.

So from these few passages of scripture, and from God’s design itself, we see that His definition of marriage is the union between one man and one woman. There is no other possibility. This is His definition and His only will – it is the core definition even if a marriage has been dissolved through divorce or death. Those things happen, but the definition of marriage as it pertains to gender remains the same. God’s will is one man and one woman. All other good versions of family that are within the will of God also emerge from that basic definition and do not contradict it.

Same sex marriage is not only a violation of marriage and family, but it is, in fact, a full and complete legitimization of homosexuality. It will destroy the building block of society – replacing it with that which God has condemned. Indeed, if a marriage can be defined as a union between ANY two people, rather than only one man and one woman, then why restrict it to simply TWO people? For that matter, why have age limitations? Why not legalize and define marriage as any legal union – regardless of gender, age, or number? It might seem like this could never happen. But history has proven that unless God intervenes that it is always the course that is taken once this moral line is crossed.

Now, of course, God did not inspire Romans 1 to unmercifully condemn anyone, including those who are in bondage to homosexuality. As always, He is pointing out the terrible facts about sin – telling us how horrible this sin is – so that those trapped in it may realize that they must turn to Jesus Christ.

This is what the church must do. The church must not affirm sin. But the church must not cut off the sinner from the Savior. The church must echo the same message as is revealed in scripture. Jesus Christ died for every sin every committed by every human being – He died so that we might be forgiven – but He died so that we could be DELIVERED. This is the Truth no matter the sin.

Judging vs. Discerning

One of the snappy comebacks that you often hear, when someone calls sin by its name, is that we should not judge. This is a bogus argument, based on a complete misunderstanding of the Bible, and really, of the heart of God.

In scripture, the word translated JUDGE is usually translated from a Greek word that really means CONDEMN. So, "to judge," in the sense that God forbids, means that we essentially PLAY GOD and pass sentence on a person – we condemn them. We close the case on them, and they are, at least in our minds, cut off from redemption. To discern, on the other hand, is to see the Truth about something in the light of Christ. We then confess that Truth.

So to tell the Truth about something or someone is NOT the same as JUDGING them – according to the Bible. "To judge," is to play God and pass sentence. "To discern," is to see the Truth and tell the Truth.

This is vital to understand. When God said, "Do not judge," He did not forbid us to see the difference between right and wrong. No. For if He did, then how could we ever so much as discern sin in ourselves? How could we confess it? But even more, Jesus Christ said, "I am the Light." It is simply not possible to know Jesus Christ and NOT discern. We will discern what is OF Christ, and what is NOT of Christ. We must discern.

The whole point is moot anyway. A human being is a moral creature. You and I are built to BE moral, and to discern what is right and wrong. We are built to choose. We do it all the time on a continual basis whether we want to admit that or not. But we will not do it according to the Truth unless we know Christ.

So to judge is to pass sentence against. To discern is to see the Truth. So, if I say, homosexuality is wrong, I am NOT judging. I am stating the Truth. In fact, if I say, unless you repent, you will perish, I am also stating the Truth. But if I were to cross the line and say to someone, "You are going to hell no matter what!," I have passed sentence. I have left no room for redemption.

Now, God says, "Speak the Truth in love." This does NOT omit the possibility of telling someone they are sinning. But to speak the Truth in love always carries a redemptive purpose – we tell them the Truth, not to condemn them, but to show them that Jesus Christ wants to deliver them.

It is because professing Christian people have not come to terms with their OWN sin that they condemn others. But having said that, this exonerates NO ONE. In other words, if I condemn you for your sin, and you condemn me for mine, we are both guilty of condemning each other. But it may still be a fact that the sins of each of us that provoked the condemnation are TRUE. Is getting caught up in all of this going to save anyone?

I say this for one reason: Many who are caught in homosexuality have been condemned and treated terribly by those who profess to know Christ. In reaction, many who are in this sin have rejected Christ. But doing so will not help you. Christ has not rejected you. He loves you and died for you just as He died for all. Thus, leave that terrible treatment to God. Seek Christ for yourself. Do not allow the hate and fear of that person to cause you to stumble on your path to freedom in Christ.

There is no sin so deep that the Redemption has not already reached it. Nothing can change this – not even the judgmental attitude of professing Christian people. God is never going to affirm your sin, or the sin of those who condemn you. But for all Jesus died and will continue to offer deliverance. That is the issue here, and that is the Truth we must always remember.

The Blame of the Church

The church today spends a lot of energy pointing out, and condemning, the actions and thinking of the world. But God has never told us to do so. What God has told us to do is get the HOUSE OF GOD in order. There is nothing worse, and nothing more hypocritical, than a bunch of religious, judgmental fools, running around pointing fingers at the world, all the while their own church is in spiritual disarray.

It is an absolute fact that the reason that the United States of America has fallen into such a moral and spiritual decline is because of the moral and spiritual decline of those who profess Christ. Christianity in the USA and in other countries has become a laughing stock. Why?

The first reason is because of Christian television. It is all about money. And what part of it isn’t about money is usually about a bunch of people jumping around and acting foolish. This isn’t the Holy Spirit. It is, at best, emotionalism. At worse, it is another spirit. The scary part is that the former will eventually lead to the later. There is very little of Jesus Christ in any of it.

If you ask the average unconverted person what they think of Christianity, they will often refer to those they see on Christian TV. Indeed, many CONVERTED people have become turned off and embittered because of it. What a terrible irony it is that many of these TV preachers are expecting a big reward from God when they meet Him. They ought to read Matthew 7:21-27.

Christians are to be a living testimony to Christ. Instead, we take our cue from the world. Whatever fad the world comes up with, in a year it will be on Christian TV with the name of Jesus pasted on it. Instead of being a true witness to Christ, we are, in large part, a false witness.

Even more important as the effect of Christian TV is the cumulative effect of the lives of those who profess Christ. The Truth is NOT being preached today in the churches. The Truth is NOT being practiced. In fact, no one cares about the Truth, and in most cases, no one KNOWS to care.

All of this has made room for the spirit of the world – the spirit of Satan – to invade this world on greater and greater levels. It has gotten to where the President of the United States has affirmed same sex marriage.

Those who think that this doesn’t matter need to understand its ramifications. Once same sex marriage is accepted and legal, it will be portrayed as such on prime time television. It will be advertised. It will slowly be accepted as NORMAL – and thus – will be taught as such in all of our schools. Children will grow up not knowing of a time when it was considered to be sin. I’m just barely touching the surface of the damage this matter will cause. The real issue here is the darkness and unbelief that is BEHIND it all. As I stated earlier, these things are merely manifestations of a nation having rejected God.

Today many churches and denominations are approving homosexual ministers. They have fully surrendered to this darkness in every way. Others are arguing about it – as if the Truth can be arrived at through debate. This is remarkable seeing that a relatively small percentage of people, and a smaller percentage of Christians, clam to be homosexual. How did things get this far? It is Satan. And because the churches have lost much fellowship with Christ evil has come in without restraint.

The solution is repentance by GOD’S PEOPLE, and an embracing of the Truth. But let’s be honest – it is not going to happen. It is not prophesied to happen. But that does not mean that individuals cannot repent. Any one of us still have that option.

The Judgment of God

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Rom 1:18-21)

In my personal opinion, this recent pronouncement by the President is the outcome of a decent into darkness by the USA that has continued for decades, and will continue. But this particular announcement signals a set course. It crosses a line that was not officially crossed before. And because of that, this nation has crossed a line that had never been crossed before. And God is going to judge.

Now, someone is liable to ask, "How will God judge the USA?" Will He send, war, calamity, financial crisis, disease, and other terrible events? That is possible. But here I must again point to Romans 1. If you read Romans 1, you will discover what is stated other places in the Bible – read also Matt. 6:22-23. We read there something that is rarely pointed out when people speak of the judgment of God. We usually think that if we sin, God will judge. That is completely true. But WHAT sin brings the judgment of God? And what IS that judgment?

THE SIN – as stated in Romans 1 – is the suppressing of the Truth. It is a shutting out of God in favor of unrighteousness. THE SIN is that people KNOW enough to at least turn to God. They know enough to at least ASK GOD FOR HELP. But they will not. They suppress that Truth – they suppress it IN THEMSELVES. They push it away; close their heart. That is the sin.

But what is the JUDGMENT for this sin of pushing away God? If a person, or a nation, shuts out God, then the judgment is that God is shut out. In other words, if you refuse light you will get darkness within. If you refuse the Truth you will get error. It will be a moral and spiritual condition. It will happen, not some of the time, but all of the time. In short, the judgment of God will be that He will give you over to exactly what you have chosen. You will reap what you sow. And you will be subject to everything that grows out of it.

Once people refuse God and become dark within, this darkness will begin to govern everything. They will have little or no discernment of right and wrong. God will not only give them up to the darkness they have chosen, but He will give them up to all that comes along with it – including their own evil inclinations. All of this is the result of the root sin of shutting out God, rejecting His Word, and choosing what I demand.

Do you want to be subject to all of the lusts of the flesh? Turn away from God. Refuse the Cross. You will be subject to these – and because you have made your choice, God will give you over to them. This is not only the case with homosexuality, but with most any sin.

We don’t often think of that as judgment, but it is judgment. The sin is a refusal of the Truth. The judgment is that you get what you have chosen – darkness and error. But we are not talking about book knowledge. This is a moral and spiritual darkness that is the result of refusing God. It becomes a terrible bondage because once I reject God there is NOTHING in me to restrain evil.

This judgment is actually perfect justice. God gives people exactly what they choose – darkness -- if they could have known to choose Truth. But again – even that has a redemptive purpose built into it. For when people begin to drink fully from the cup of iniquity that have chosen, God may allow them to suffer for it. This is His tool to draw them back to repentance. But if they will not heed God – despite all of these terrible consequences – then God will continue to allow them to reap what they have sowed when they rejected the Truth. In the end, God will have to take even more drastic action, which may include many outward judgments. This all concludes, of course, at the last judgment, where God judges all by Christ – He calls us exactly what we are in relationship to Him through His Son.

So the usual first judgment of God upon those who suppress the Truth and exchange it for a lie is to give them exactly what they choose – darkness, a lie, and delusion. And this can lead to terrible bondage to sin. You want to reject God? You won’t have God. You love darkness rather than light? You get darkness – and that darkness will translate into a terrible condition. When a person, or a nation, rejects God in favor of their own will, they will get their own will, and all the consequences that come with it. But you see, they won’t know what is happening to them, and they won’t really care. That is hardness.

This has already happened to a great extent. In fact, what is going on in this country is that judgment. Why are people able to so easily accept immorality? What are they able to affirm that which God rejects? Because they have already rejected God. Thus, there is nothing in them to resist evil. This affirmation of homosexuality is one of the outcomes. People like the President accept it without blinking. Why? There is NO Truth in them. Only darkness.

What we MUST see here is that THE SIN is that people suppress or reject or neglect the Truth of God. That is THE SIN that brings darkness. Then, once darkness is our state, we are subject to all that comes with that darkness. Thus, the solution is not so much to fight and try to fix the darkness or what it brings. The solution is to repent and turn back to God. That, and that alone, will rid us of the darkness, because God is light.

Apostasy

Over the last 100 years something has happened that has never happened before in the history of the world. People haven’t merely rejected Jesus Christ. They have fallen away from Jesus Christ. Note that: People have HAD Truth – and rejected it. Originally, in the beginning, when the gospel was preached, it was preached to those who never heard the Truth. Some embraced it and some rejected it. But in today’s world it is different. In the USA and in Europe, the gospel that had once has been embraced is now rejected. This is apostasy. And it has never happened on a scale such as this before.

This nation has rejected God and it has brought darkness. We see it everywhere – in our courts, in our schools, on television, -- there is really no place where this darkness has not invaded. Much of it is moral insanity. When God is refused we get what fills the void – moral insanity and darkness. And since we live in a realm that is governed by Satan – his spirit fills the void. You wonder why things are so bad. Well there it is. God has been rejected. Satan has moved in.

Now that is the world. Even though, "the world," is not Christian, there is accountability because the gospel has been preached. The accountability is to hear and open to Christ. But if that is the case with the world, what might we say about the body of Christ? God holds the church responsible for being a true witness to the world. But in large part, the church has been a false witness. God also says, "Judgment begins with the household of God."

People pray for revival. Some deluded souls think that we are in the middle of revival. We are not. We are in the middle of apostasy. I speak generally, of course, for there are always souls saved during apostasy, and there are always those who reject Christ during revival. But Christian people who pray for revival need to understand that they are praying for JUDGMENT.

Revival is JUDGMENT. Sure. The very term, "revival," infers the need to be brought to life again; infers the need for restoration. Well, then God must JUDGE all that has brought things into this state that God finds unacceptable. Do you and I want revival? Then it starts with US personally. God must deal IN US with all that hinders the life of His Son. Then He must start with our church. Do want revival? Expect upheaval. But most people won’t stand for this kind of revival. What they want is for people to get excited and join their church. That is not revival. The same thing happens during apostasy.

What are the chances, for example, that the churches that have already approved the ordination of openly homosexual ministers will issue a public confession of that sin, and then take steps to reverse that decision? Not a chance. What are the chances that somewhere down the road that even one of the hucksters and con men that populate Christian television will get on the air and publicly confess their sin? Not a chance. What are the chances that many local churches – we might settle for ONE – will gather together and ask the Lord to do, "whatever it takes," to judge them in such a way that will put Jesus Christ at the center of their lives where He belongs? Not much chance.

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Actually, I’ve witnessed a couple of instances in my lifetime where God actually took such drastic steps. Most of the professing Christians involved refused to allow God His way, and many others were not close enough to Christ to even realize what was happening. They acted as if there was no way God would have any cause to deal with THEM. This is a hardness. And it is everywhere.

If you read I Corinthians 11, you will encounter a verse that says, "If we judge ourselves, we would not be judged." In other words, if we open ourselves to the Lord NOW, and ask Him to do, "whatever it takes," then there is no need for further judgment THEN. When, then? Ultimately, at the last judgment. Make no question about it. You and I are going to be judged. Push it back and side step the issue all you want, but it is going to happen. The Truth is going to be revealed in the Light of Christ, and then, according to that Truth, eternal assignments will be issued.

As the Bible so often expresses, even the judgments of God in this life are intended to chastise us back to Himself. America has taken a terrible step in these days away from God. But it is never too late to turn back to Him.

The ONLY Solution

Same sex marriage is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. It is an affirmation of the sin of homosexuality. But the Truth is, those who are in bondage to homosexuality – no matter how you got that way – have been given the same solution to this sin as God has given to all sinners: Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ crucified and risen. This is not merely a solution. It is the ONLY solution for any sin. Nothing else will work.

Christian people struggle to overcome sin and find that they cannot. So they try harder. And they fail. But we aren’t reading scripture. We have already been told that there is no possible way in which any of us can overcome sin. We cannot do it through law-keeping, and we cannot do it through will power. Only by confessing our sin, and coming to Christ can we be set free.

Many of us have been told that, "God has given us the power to overcome sin through Christ." This sounds right, and it IS right – if we know what it really means. For most of us, it means that we are supposed to use will power to overcome sin – and God will help us. So we try and fail.

The problem is often that we are trying to turn in upon sin and overcome it. You cannot do so. You have to come to terms with THE sin. THE sin is that we have belonged to ourselves – we have sought to possess ourselves. Confess and repent of THAT sin – come to Christ crucified with THAT sin – and you are on redemption ground. Take your place on the Cross in Christ, not just for sin, but for SELF – and you will discover that the power of sin has indeed been broken. Then it won’t matter what your particular manifestation of the flesh happens to be, for, "you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Over the course of time and trial, freedom will be yours.

In short, if you want to walk in newness of life, free from sin, you have TO DIE. That starts by relinquishing your entire self to Christ – not as a religious exercise – but because you see you are a lost sinner without any hope of helping himself. You take your place in His death. And you will be raised in Him.

It is important for each individual to know that no matter what condition they are in, and no matter what they have done, God has never closed the door on them. He continues to offer freedom in Christ. The only question is whether we will walk through the door – not on the basis of anything about ourselves, but on the basis of His grace. And anyone that says otherwise is a liar. God bids all to come to Christ – not to receive a license to sin – but to receive freedom FROM sin.

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Jesus is the ONLY WAY to freedom and eternal life. Each person must make the choice to die to self and sin. Loving our fellowman entails warning and encouraging them to make that choice.

JESUS IS ALL AND EVERYTHING!!

Patti C.