In our generation, there is a lot polarization within the Christian community, One issue which has come up, more so in the western world based congregation is the issue of homosexuality. One one side are the so called liberals, who believes that the blood of Christ nullifies God's definition of sin, and on the other side the so called conservative, who believe that all of God's commandments are still binding today.
The article is my attempt to stand for the word of God. The word of God is for ever established and clear on this subject. Psalm 119:152 Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever. No special revelation or interpretation of scripture is need to establish a position that all Christians must hold on to.
Homosexuality was a sin, is a sin, and always will be a sin, because God called a sin and the Lord does not change Roman 1:27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Malachi 3:6 "I the Lord do not change...
The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were so repulsive, that God himself came down to investigate. One of those sins was men lusting after men. Genesis 18:20-21 Then the Lord said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know." Genesis 19:4-9 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom--both young and old--surrounded the house. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them." Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof." "Get out of our way," they replied. And they said, "This fellow came here as an alien, and now he wants to play the judge! We'll treat you worse than them." They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.
Jesus commanded "go and sin no more" homosexuality is as much a sin as adultery and fornication. Which man or woman who truly believes in God will allow an out of the closet fornicator or adulterer to minister over them, how then can we allow a homosexual to minister of the people of God. If we say we love God and obey God, are we then to set the terms of that obedience - Same sex union is not marriage and will never be marriage because it fall outside of God's definition of marriage. Man's definition can never, regardless of how much we want it to be, supersede the definition of God.
There are people who believe that they are sincere to God, but without obeying him, they are building on another foundation other than the one God has established. Matthew 7:21-27 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Sincerity without obedience is useless.
One way of illustrating this position; it's like an athlete in a team sport, "Dallas Cowboys", "Manchester United", "All blacks" take you pick; on game day, one of the athletes runs on to the field wearing the opposition team's uniform; will that athlete be 1. identified as being part of his team or or the opposition?, 2. will he or she be allowed to participate in the game for his team? The athlete will be identified as part of the opposing team and will not be allowed to play for his own team. We have in Christian world, right now pastors, preachers and leaders who are not condemn homosexuality for what it is, but are rather preach that it is acceptable before God. These men and women are not ministers of God but rather of satan 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
By accommodating this liberal view towards homosexuality, instead of calling it what it is, sin, the church is introducing yeast in the fellowship offering (An offering that is always to be offered without yeast). Men and women of God must make a stand for God - it is much better to obey God and be the enemy to the world, than to be the friend of the world and the enemy to God James 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
The consequence of sexual sin, including homosexuality, is that it defiles that land - it provides a way in for demons; Leviticus 18:19-25 "'Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period. "'Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor's wife and defile yourself with her. "'Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. "'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable [a vile, shameful, or detestable action]. "'Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion. "'Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.
In Leviticus 20:13 a curse is pronounced on homosexuality; death. First there is the spiritual death Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. Then the second death at judgment. 1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind [homosexuals], Anyone who calls themselves a Christian and continues to live and practice homosexuality is deceived and lost. Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefined; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. If God is to judge fornicators and adulterers will He not also judge Homosexuals?
The blood of Christ washes away our sins but it does not give us the license to sin even more. We all sin, but there is a difference in being caught up in sin and in manipulating scripture so as to justify our sin. If we say that homosexuality is not a sin, then we are liars and the truth is not in us. Just because society say it is alright, does not make it alright with God; Christian are not to be confined to the standards of the world, but of God. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
All sexual activities outside of the confines of marriage between a man and woman; pornography, adultery, masturbation, fornication, homosexuality; are sin. No law or legislation of man, or acceptance of society can ever nullify this fact.
It is sad to see the church, wasting time debating whether homosexuality is a sin or not. A waste; in that it should not even come up as a subject of discussion for the church.
Sunday 24 June 2007
Saturday 23 June 2007
A rubbling thought
One of the most amusing things (in a sad kind of way) about us humans, is that we have a way of majoring in the trivial at the expense of the life changing stuff.
I say this in relation to all the cause that have sprang up in the past few years;
1. We have the "greens battle", which focuses on try to convince man to changes his ways for the good of the earth. At first glance it almost sound like a noble cause, but for person who know that there is God who is in control and that it is only through Jesus that the earth will be renewed; mind you I said renewed and not preserved. The earth is in decay, and has been in decay since Adam sin. It will only be renewed at the return of Jesus.
2. Then there are the "fur warriors", who preach the 'gospel of not wearing animal skins as a sign of righteousness'. Another case of misguided focus; one can say that Adam and Eve were the first people to be dressed in fur - and it was God who was both the designer and the tailor.
In themselves, these causes do not seem to be wrong, but when one looks deeper, they actually present a few major dangers. One of these dangers; is that they focus on that which will be renewed at the expense of that which may be lost. The earth will be restored - (2 Peter 3:13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.) The earth will be renewed but those who die without Christ will be lost.
For all Christians, there is a lesson we can take from the shrewdness of the people of the world; Passion for their cause. What ever "save this" cause you look at; 'save the elephant', 'save the whale', 'save the rain forest', 'save the earth', etc, there is passion for the cause. We, I need to be passionate about my 'save the lost, free the prisoners' cause.
In my passion, I should never go ahead of God.
I say this in relation to all the cause that have sprang up in the past few years;
1. We have the "greens battle", which focuses on try to convince man to changes his ways for the good of the earth. At first glance it almost sound like a noble cause, but for person who know that there is God who is in control and that it is only through Jesus that the earth will be renewed; mind you I said renewed and not preserved. The earth is in decay, and has been in decay since Adam sin. It will only be renewed at the return of Jesus.
2. Then there are the "fur warriors", who preach the 'gospel of not wearing animal skins as a sign of righteousness'. Another case of misguided focus; one can say that Adam and Eve were the first people to be dressed in fur - and it was God who was both the designer and the tailor.
In themselves, these causes do not seem to be wrong, but when one looks deeper, they actually present a few major dangers. One of these dangers; is that they focus on that which will be renewed at the expense of that which may be lost. The earth will be restored - (2 Peter 3:13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.) The earth will be renewed but those who die without Christ will be lost.
For all Christians, there is a lesson we can take from the shrewdness of the people of the world; Passion for their cause. What ever "save this" cause you look at; 'save the elephant', 'save the whale', 'save the rain forest', 'save the earth', etc, there is passion for the cause. We, I need to be passionate about my 'save the lost, free the prisoners' cause.
In my passion, I should never go ahead of God.
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