Wednesday, October 17, 2012
On Normalizing Homosex in our Culture
The Word of God actually talks about whether the Scriptures are constrained by times and cultures. God has said that His Word abides forever and Jesus said that “heaven and earth will pass away but [His] words will never pass away” (Matt 24:35). Yet we have cultural relativism regarding same sex marriage. It is critical you comprehend what the Word of God says about this issue:
We hear that we should do unto others as we would have them do for us. That seems to be a lever to allow for "mercy" in the area of Homosex marriage. Lets look and see:
There is absolutely nothing in that text that necessitates the acceptance of any and all behavior as normal and edifying. Doing unto others as you want them to do to you does not mean that our government must condone gay marriage.
Normalizing the deviant and deviating the normal is a sure sign of the moral decay that eats at the roots of a civilization. By giving license to sinful lusts a society further destroys the foundation upon which it is built: the family.
Homosexuality is not the unforgivable sin and should not be treated as such, but we should not overlook the seriousness of the matter either. Those who practice homosexual behavior live contrary to sound doctrine and will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Obama and his unbiblical view is contrary to the Creation ordinance as can be seen in Jesus’ own words:
How can Same Sex Marriage fulfil the biblical mandates to be fruitful and multiply? How can it fulfil the mandates of marriage relationships?
Although males and females are equal in relationship to Christ, the Scriptures give specific roles to each in marriage. The husband is to assume leadership in the home (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:23). This leadership should not be dictatorial, condescending, or patronizing to the wife, but should be in accordance with the example of Christ leading the church. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word” (Ephesians 5:25-26). Christ loved the church (His people) with compassion, mercy, forgiveness, respect, and selflessness. In this same way husbands are to love their wives.
God-ordained marriage originated, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them“ (Gen 1:27). Here we see that God not only performed the first marriage ceremony, He was the originator of marriage and it was – in the beginning – between a man and a woman. God knew that it was not good for a man to be alone, so he made a woman for Adam. In fact, God did not make man to be joined with men or women to be joined with women, but to be joined with someone of the opposite sex. Even biology teaches us that it would be impossible in the natural to have and raise children if the marriage partners were of the same sex. It would have been impossible to “Be fruitful and increase in number, [and] fill the earth” (Gen 1:28). Children receive better balance on how to be men and women when there are both a male and female in the home. Same sex marriage may be fashionable today but that doesn’t make it right in God’s eyes. He see’s it as sin as we will later see from the Scriptures.
Paul clarified that sex outside of marriage is wrong but indirectly said that sex should be between men and women. He wrote that, “each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband” (1 Cor 7:2). There is no clearer definition of marriage in the New Testament than in I Corinthians chapter 7 and it is always between a man and a woman.
husband of one wife, not another man, and so if someone is called into the ministry, they are literally not qualified if they have a marriage partner of the same sex or if they have more than one wife. This is made clear in 1 Timothy. A pastor has to be “a husband of one wife” (1 Tim 3:2). This is repeated in Titus 1:6 and elsewhere. Paul was very familiar with homosexuality in the culture that he lived in since he wrote two corrective letters to the Corinthians about this. He could have made the exception to a man having another man or a man having more than one wife but he did not. We see that Paul’s writings on this subject are no different from that taught in the Old Testament.
There is no grey area at all. Even the Old Testament said that this was an abomination to God as Moses wrote, “You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination“ (Lev 18:22). Just how serious did God take the sin of homosexuality? In Leviticus 20:13 He says, “If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” We realize that the same thing applies to women having sexual relationships with women, for God has no double standards.
In case you are thinking that this was the Old Covenant, think again, for the New Testament actually has more Scriptures condemning same sex relationships than the Old Testament does. Paul wrote, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God“ (1 Cor 6:9-10). He continued in the Book of Romans, writing, “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error” (Rom 1:26-27).
This speaks of embracing sins that were contrary to biblical doctrine, telling him that “the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine“ (1 Tim 1:9-10). Sodomites are referring to same sex partners and the association is easy to see when you read the story of Lot in Sodom
In Revelation 21:8 it says, “the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” To make it crystal clear, Paul writes that this lake of fire is the final destiny of those who have same sex relations, “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders” (1 Cor 6:9).
God does not care that His Word doesn’t seem relevant to this culture or that liberal theologians and the unbelievers feel that the Bible is out of date. The fact is “the word of the Lord stands forever” (1 Pet 1:25) and David wrote, “Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens” (Psalm 199:89).
We hear that we should do unto others as we would have them do for us. That seems to be a lever to allow for "mercy" in the area of Homosex marriage. Lets look and see:
Matthew 7:12 English Standard Version (ESV)
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
There is absolutely nothing in that text that necessitates the acceptance of any and all behavior as normal and edifying. Doing unto others as you want them to do to you does not mean that our government must condone gay marriage.
One need look no further than the first chapter of the book of Romans to find Biblical support for the sinfulness of homosexuality. Romans 1:24-27After suppressing the Truth of God in unrighteousness and worshipping the creation rather than the Creator ( Romans 1:18-25 ) God gives men and women over to degrading passions ( v. 26 ) and a debased mind ( v. 28 ). The normalization of homosexual behavior is a judgment of God Almighty on both the individual and the society that gladly approves of such behavior.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Normalizing the deviant and deviating the normal is a sure sign of the moral decay that eats at the roots of a civilization. By giving license to sinful lusts a society further destroys the foundation upon which it is built: the family.
.Not only can condemnations of homosexuality be found in Romans but also in 1 Corinthians 6:8-10,
English Standard Version (ESV)
8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers![a]
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous[b] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,[c]10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God
and 1 Timothy 1:9-11,
English Standard Version (ESV)
9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,[a] liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound[b] doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
Homosexuality is not the unforgivable sin and should not be treated as such, but we should not overlook the seriousness of the matter either. Those who practice homosexual behavior live contrary to sound doctrine and will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Obama and his unbiblical view is contrary to the Creation ordinance as can be seen in Jesus’ own words:
Matthew 19:3-5
English Standard Version (ESV)
3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? Jesus, in refuting the Pharisees about divorce, left no room to quibble about what marriage is and to what sex one should be married to.
How can Same Sex Marriage fulfil the biblical mandates to be fruitful and multiply? How can it fulfil the mandates of marriage relationships?
Although males and females are equal in relationship to Christ, the Scriptures give specific roles to each in marriage. The husband is to assume leadership in the home (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:23). This leadership should not be dictatorial, condescending, or patronizing to the wife, but should be in accordance with the example of Christ leading the church. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word” (Ephesians 5:25-26). Christ loved the church (His people) with compassion, mercy, forgiveness, respect, and selflessness. In this same way husbands are to love their wives.
Wives are to submit to the authority of their husbands. “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything” (Ephesians 5:22-24). Although women should submit to their husbands, the Bible also tells men several times how they are supposed to treat their wives. The husband is not to take on the role of the dictator, but should show respect for his wife and her opinions. In fact, Ephesians 5:28-29 exhorts men to love their wives in the same way that they love their own bodies, feeding and caring for them. A man’s love for his wife should be the same as Christ’s love for His body, the church.
God-ordained marriage originated, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them“ (Gen 1:27). Here we see that God not only performed the first marriage ceremony, He was the originator of marriage and it was – in the beginning – between a man and a woman. God knew that it was not good for a man to be alone, so he made a woman for Adam. In fact, God did not make man to be joined with men or women to be joined with women, but to be joined with someone of the opposite sex. Even biology teaches us that it would be impossible in the natural to have and raise children if the marriage partners were of the same sex. It would have been impossible to “Be fruitful and increase in number, [and] fill the earth” (Gen 1:28). Children receive better balance on how to be men and women when there are both a male and female in the home. Same sex marriage may be fashionable today but that doesn’t make it right in God’s eyes. He see’s it as sin as we will later see from the Scriptures.
Paul clarified that sex outside of marriage is wrong but indirectly said that sex should be between men and women. He wrote that, “each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband” (1 Cor 7:2). There is no clearer definition of marriage in the New Testament than in I Corinthians chapter 7 and it is always between a man and a woman.
husband of one wife, not another man, and so if someone is called into the ministry, they are literally not qualified if they have a marriage partner of the same sex or if they have more than one wife. This is made clear in 1 Timothy. A pastor has to be “a husband of one wife” (1 Tim 3:2). This is repeated in Titus 1:6 and elsewhere. Paul was very familiar with homosexuality in the culture that he lived in since he wrote two corrective letters to the Corinthians about this. He could have made the exception to a man having another man or a man having more than one wife but he did not. We see that Paul’s writings on this subject are no different from that taught in the Old Testament.
There is no grey area at all. Even the Old Testament said that this was an abomination to God as Moses wrote, “You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination“ (Lev 18:22). Just how serious did God take the sin of homosexuality? In Leviticus 20:13 He says, “If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” We realize that the same thing applies to women having sexual relationships with women, for God has no double standards.
In case you are thinking that this was the Old Covenant, think again, for the New Testament actually has more Scriptures condemning same sex relationships than the Old Testament does. Paul wrote, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God“ (1 Cor 6:9-10). He continued in the Book of Romans, writing, “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error” (Rom 1:26-27).
This speaks of embracing sins that were contrary to biblical doctrine, telling him that “the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine“ (1 Tim 1:9-10). Sodomites are referring to same sex partners and the association is easy to see when you read the story of Lot in Sodom
In Revelation 21:8 it says, “the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” To make it crystal clear, Paul writes that this lake of fire is the final destiny of those who have same sex relations, “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders” (1 Cor 6:9).
God does not care that His Word doesn’t seem relevant to this culture or that liberal theologians and the unbelievers feel that the Bible is out of date. The fact is “the word of the Lord stands forever” (1 Pet 1:25) and David wrote, “Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens” (Psalm 199:89).
# posted by Gene @ 6:30 AM 
