Homosexuality is a big issue in the country today, Gay man and lesbians are pushing for rights they feel they deserve, The right to adopt children, to be married, to be treated with dignity, and respect. Major hot topic issues, that should be dealt with with grace and tact. I live in a community where homosexuality is prominent. I have had gay and lesbian friends, even had a lesbian room mate for a few. They have always been friendly and courteous to me. I have never had an issue with any of them.
So it really grieves me when I see blanket condemnation of Gays and lesbians, from certain of those who are of the faith. Beating them in the head with the Bible, having a total disregard for the love of Christ, and driving them further from the opportunity to experience the saving Grace of God.
On the other hand, there are those who claim to be of the faith, who seek to embrace them in their lost condition, Showing them an acceptance of their lifestyle, in the love of God, and not warning them what the Bible actually says. They openly say that the Bible is not clear, or what the Bible does say is buried in a historical context of the given passages... They fail to deal with the gays and lesbians honestly, tickling their ears' and depriving them of the true message of love and grace that God offers them.
What does the Bible say about the issue of homosexuality? I am a christian, and although it has not been asked of me yet, This question will eventually have to be answered, especially in light of the fact that homosexuality is becoming more prevalent in our culture at a very fast rate.
I am Conservative in my faith. I believe the Bible is the Spiritual and moral standard, which with, to the best of my ability, I am to govern my life... So as Martin Luther once said, "My mind is constrained by the Word of God." In all issues of life it is my Duty to seek the mind of God, by careful study and application of His Holy Word. Please hear me out as I hopefully, with Grace and love, show what the Bible says concerning this issue of homosexuality. This is sparse overview, and for the sake of space and sanity, I omitted some references that did not have to do with the subject at hand.
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Beginning with Creation of man.
When God created Adam, He looked down on him and said "It is not good that man should dwell alone, I will make a helper for him" (Genesis 2)
The helper, was called woman. God established this relationship from the beginning, a relationship that consists of one man, and one woman. Adam and Eve. this was a relationship blessed by God, and He set the man and the woman on a course that would continue throughout the generations.
"Be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1). In this relationship God also established the covenant of marriage. "Therefore man shall leave his mother and father and cleave unto his wife and the two shall become one flesh"(Genesis 2).
So we see here from the beginning, God has established his plan for the covenant of marriage, and the purpose for sexual union, in which procreation is the end result. (remember this we will refer back to it.)
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The Fall
I do not feel I need to go in to detail about the fall of man, lets just say that That Adam and Eve biffed it. As a result The generations that followed, all spiritually separated from God, proceed to do that which was right in their own eyes, "Do as God says" changed to "Do what thou wilt." Man spread throughout all the earth, Erected great cities, Worshiped Idols created by their own hands or in their own minds. They totally abandoned their creator. The Apostle Paul commented on this in his epistle to the Romans.
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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 incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped 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;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God,
despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1: 21-32)
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Now, before you start to cry that this is ripped out of it's historical or cultural context, let me say this.
Paul is not just talking about the culture of the Roman Empire. He said that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against ALL unrighteousness and ungodliness of men. (Romans 1:18)
The historical context is established in this verse. ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.
Looking at the text we see that because they refused to acknowledge their creator, He gave them up to uncleanness, to dishonor their own bodies. Vile affections, Where women and men changed the natural use to that which is against nature. The Bible says there is a natural use for your body, that natural use was established in the beginning, before the fall of man. It is one woman one man, in the covenant of marriage with the end result of the possibility of procreation. anything we do that violates God's original plan, is considered against nature...but we will deal with that more later
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Sodom and Gomorrah
The unrighteousness of Sodom and Gomorrah was so rotten that God chose to destroy the cities and the people therein. (Genesis 13:13) Two angels made the journey to Sodom where they met Lot, who brought them in to his house to protect them from the corruption of the people of the city.
Then all the men and boys of the city surrounded the house and demanded that Lot send the ANGLES out that they may know them.... and you know the rest of the story, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and years later. the word "Sodomy" came to mean the sexual act.which is preferred by those of a alternate sexual orientation...(Genesis 19)
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God chooses a people
Out of all the nations and
kindreds and tongues God Chose Abraham and his linage through Issac and Jacob to set apart unto himself a people from which the Messiah would eventually come. These people, known as Hebrews, migrated to Egypt, endured years of servitude, took part in an
Exodus and wandered in the Wilderness of Sinai for forty years. During this time God gave his prophet Moses a series of commandments to keep. First there was only ten, and, guess what, The Hebrews Biffed it..Next Moses, received of God numerous other commandments to give to the people. These are recorded throughout the books of Exodus through Deuteronomy. among those commandments, concerning our subject God told his people.
- "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination"-Leviticus 18:22
and
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."- Leviticus 20:13
Now lets look at the cultural context. This is what God required of the Israelites, (Hebrews). they were Chosen by Him to be set apart and holy. The rest of humanity continued in the path described by Paul in Romans 1. This continued until the time of Christ.
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Jesus Christ, the Word of God incarnate in human flesh.
As we examine the four gospels we find that Jesus Christ is strangely silent concerning the issue of homosexuality, However, Jesus did say that more mercy would be shown the city of Sodom, (as grievous as their sin was), than the cities that reject Him or His disciples. but as for the act of homosexuality itself, he is silent.
In It's Cultural context, the Jews were still under the Old Testament covenant, and the issue of homosexuality among the people was still a capitol offense. Jesus originally was sent only to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel," So homosexuality was not an issue among the people. He was not sent to deal with the Gentiles, where homosexuality was prominent in the Roman and Greek culture. God was still dealing with his chosen people, hence the curious silence of Jesus on the subject.
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The Church.
During The ministry of Jesus Christ he proclaimed that there were other sheep, not of this fold (The Jews) that would hear His voice and and follow him, (John 10:16) this was accomplished in the formation of the church. In Acts chapter two The Holy Spirit came into the upper room and the followers of Christ were filled with the the Power of God, and they spoke in other tongues.. Later the Apostle Paul was called as an apostle to the Gentiles. (Acts 9:15). Paul would be dealing with people, who unlike the Jews, were well familiar with homosexuality in their culture.. This is reflected in the epistles that Paul wrote to the churches
"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"- (I Corinthians 6:9) and Romans 1: 21-32 (previously sited,)
He also committed this to Timothy, Leader of the church of Ephesus. (I Timothy 1:9-10). It can be logically assumed that if it was not appropriate in these churches, that God's disapproval of homosexuality is universal. If you were to be one of God's chosen, practicing homosexuality, or any other sexual sin was defiantly on the "don't list."
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In Conclusion
The Bible is more than clear regarding the issue of homosexuality, It was not part of God's plan for covenant or sexual union from the beginning, nor does he approve of it among His chosen people in either the Old or New testament. It is, according to the Bible, an abomination and a sin.
If this is offensive I apologize, but it is God's word, and it would be unloving of me not to tell you the truth. To the best of my ability I did not fail to give you the whole council of God concerning this issue, and in my next blog I will deal with those Christians who: 1. have no right to judge you, and 2. Those who are outright lying to you in the name of Christian love and finally my opinion not only on homosexuality, but my opinion on sexual immorality in general... until then..
Chao!
Does it give Glory to God, or does it appeal to the flesh?
