Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Homosexuality

Is homosexuality bad? Isn't it just another sin? It's being accepted in society so why not the church?

As bad I assume you mean a sin. As Christians we have to look at things through God's eyes, we are to put on the mind of Christ and strive to be like Him. As far as sin, yes it is. In the bible, God detested homosexuality as a sin punishable by death due to their own actions. To say that one sin is worse that another is partly right, which also means that’s its partly wrong. God did prescribe different punishments for different sins according to His law, but all were severe. Some were put to death, some were cast away from the others and some made sterile. But we see that in the NT that, sin is sin. And that the wages of sin is death. There is no scale that measures the severity of the sin, whether a lie or murder. Man has set up the scale in his laws that places severity on crimes, and since most are sins described in the bible then most times we apply them to our lives and our relationship with God. And the only way out of sin and for forgiveness of sins is through the shed blood of Christ Jesus.

We always hear that we are to hate the sin and love the sinner. As Christians we are very quick to accept a sin with the sinner by confusing it with love. We love the sinner by sharing the Gospel message with the lost to bring them to the knowledge of Christ. And we love our brethren that fall into sin by lifting them up and showing them the errors of their ways and help to guide them back on the paths of righteousness. Those things that God says is wrong cannot be accepted by the body of Christ, we must stand on the word of God. We have been quick to accept people that continue to live in sin (all sins) into the churches and tolerate them all in the "Love of God". But how can we justify accepting and condoning what God condemns. God cannot and does not waver, He does not condone and condemn an act in His word at the same time.

Many Christians have fallen into the government trap (probably not the best word to use). When something is accepted by the government they include it into their beliefs. When a group is liberated and given rights they will go out of their way to accept them (not meaning gender, race or disabilities). But the government is not the church, the constitution is not the word of God. The bible is not added to or taken away from, because of a supreme court decision, or a congressional action. The bible is firm and we have to accept it for what it is, God's written Word. It shows how God dealt with situations throughout the history of man. It shows the very character and nature of God, and through it we know what God expects and accepts.

Leviticus 18:22    
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
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.
In Leviticus 18 there is a list of sexual sins, these were set forth by God and given to man. And in Leviticus 20 there is a list of punishments for those sexual sins.
Many people see these verses and try to rationalize them in their own minds. They say "That was a part of the law and it was done away with in Christ". They dismiss the OT as a part of the past that doesn't apply to us. But God is the same now as He was then, and He will continue to be the same from now on. What He considered wrong then, is still wrong today and tomorrow.

Romans 1:20-27
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. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 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 recompence of their error which was meet.

1 Cor. 6:9-11
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, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
In the above verses, where Paul writes to the Corintians, he gives a list of the unrighteous and their actions. He says that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God. If you notice he says "such were some of you" before you recieved the gift of God through Christ Jesus. Those things that are prevailent in the world among the sinners have no place among the children of God. God's desire is to bring men into His presence through His Grace, and that man will depart from the ways of the world that will condemn them. God wants to heal man and bring Him into fellowship, but only if man asks for it. But many times man will turn away from the truth to live a lie in the world. Knowing the truth, they continue to live a lifestyle approved by the world and considered unrighteous by God. 

Most Christians are not homophobic, but just trying to share the message of Christ to a lost and sinful world.

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