Homosexuality (lifestyle or sin)
Homosexuality (lifestyle or sin)
Homosexuality (lifestyle or sin)
Homosexuality
(New lifestyle or sin)
It wasn't too many years ago that polite, decent people would not talk about homosexuality in public. They knew it existed, but they knew it was wrong. Those who practiced this lifestyle stayed in the closet, and everyone else stayed out of the closet. Religious people knew the Bible condemned it as a sin. Sadly, I think Christians have been silent way to long. Due to the influence of magazines, newspapers, and books, which have advocated a soft and sympathetic attitude toward this sin, public opinion has drastically changed.
Many doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists have defended homosexuality as an "alternative lifestyle. The movie industry has portrayed homosexuality and lesbianism in a sympathetic, almost glorified, way. In movie theaters and over the television, sodomy has been introduced to adults and children alike. Over the years, and because we have remained silent, it has had an impact on public opinion. Now the homosexuals have come out of the closet like an infestation of cockroaches, and are bragging and flaunting their wicked lifestyle. Many "gay parades" have been held, with Home depot, and other major companies tossing out millions of dollars to support their cause. Everywhere you look, towns are having "gay pride week." ("Gay" is a slang word that homosexuals use to describe themselves.)
Everyone, even Christians have gotten on the bandwagon to support this wicked lifestyle. So now, it is high time that this subject be discussed in the light of God's Holy Word. I trust that carnal curiosity will not be aroused, but that the reader will be brought to a greater realization of the holiness of God. Sex is not dirty or immoral, IF it is used according to Biblical teaching.
"Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Hebrews 13:4.
Some Helpful Definitions
The following definitions are taken from Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary, Unabridged, Second Edition, 1975:
"Homosexuality, 1) Sexual desire for those of the same sex; 2) sexual relations between individuals of the same sex."
"Homosexual, one whose sexual inclination is toward those of the individual's own sex rather than the opposite sex."
"Sodomite, a person who practices sodomy."
"Sodomy, any sexual intercourse regarded as abnormal, as between persons of the same sex, especially males, or between a person and an animal."
"Lesbian, a homosexual woman." "Lesbianism, the sexual practices of Lesbians; homosexuality between women.
God is against the act of Homosexuality
Regardless of what you may think about homosexuality, the Bible believer must turn to the Bible to get God's truth on the subject. It is completely mind boggling that Christians around the World are standing up in support of this wickedness. Yet, in the Bible, we find the eternal truth, which should forever settle the issue. Surely no one who has working knowledge of God's Word could ever contend that this Holy Book condones homosexual acts. The preachers and churches, who advocate the homosexual life style, simply do not know the Bible or believe what it says. Both the Old and New Testaments bear abundant proof that God considers it to be a wicked and terrible sin.
First Mention
Genesis is the book of beginnings. There is a rule followed by fundamental Bible students that is known as the law or rule of "first mention." When you find something mentioned the first time in Genesis, this will set a pattern for understanding it throughout the Bible. This certainly holds true on homosexuality.
"...the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly." Genesis 13:13.
What was this sin that made them so wicked? God revealed to Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom,
"Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;" Genesis 18:20.
God sent two angels into the town of Sodom, who appeared as men, to warn Lot and his family to flee the city. The angels spent the night in Lot's house. That night the men of Sodom surrounded the house and asked him
"Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may KNOW them." Genesis 19:5.
It is clear that the Bible uses the word "know" many times to describe a sex act between two individuals. Consider the following verses
"And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain,..." "And Cain KNEW his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch:..." Genesis 4:1, 17.
Lot offered to give the men of Sodom his two unmarried daughters, which had not "KNOWN man", but of course they were not interested in women. They wanted men because they were sodomites. Even when they were smitten with blindness by the angels, these wicked men still wearied themselves in trying to find the door of Lot's house.
"Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;" Genesis 19:24.
This even is mentioned many other places in the Bible, by Isaiah, Jeremiah and other prophets. It is used as an example of God's judgment by Jesus, Peter and Jude in the New Testament. Not one writer or speaker in the Bible questions God's righteousness in destroying these cities.
Law condemned Homosexuality
"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." Leviticus 18:22.
The law of God called for the death of anyone practicing this lifestyle.
"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;" Leviticus 20:13.
"There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel." Deuteronomy 23:17.
God commanded some Nations to Be Destroyed!
Let us see what God says about this In Deuteronomy 7:1, seven nations are named and in 7:2, Israel is commanded:
"And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them." "And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee... LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them..." Deuteronomy 7:22,23.
A careful study will reveal WHY God ordered whole nations to be destroyed by the Israelites. God warned Israel to guard against a long list of sins, including incest, adultery, having sex with animals and homosexuality.
"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind...Neither shalt thou lie with any beast...Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you...the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants." Leviticus 18:22-25.
" and "ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them." Leviticus 20:13,23.
Judah was condemned during the time of Rehoboam, because
"there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel." 1st Kings 14:24.
Do what is right
Those who refused to deal with this problem of sodomy were condemned by God Himself. However, those who properly handled the homosexual issue "did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord." King Asa
"did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD...he took away the sodomites out of the land..." 1st Kings 15:11,12.
King Jehoshaphat
"did which was right in the eyes of the LORD... the remnant of the sodomites...he took out of the land." 1st Kings 22:43,46.
King Josiah
"did that which was right in the sight of the Lord... he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the Lord..." (2nd Kings 22: 23:7).
Churches, denominations and preachers who advocate, condone or excuse homosexuality are NOT doing that which is right in the sight of the Lord. The blessings of God are not upon them, and any Christian who attends, or supports in any way, one of these Churches, Preachers, or advocates are also outside the will and blessings of God.
God gave them up
In the book of Romans, God pictures Homosexuality as being the last, perverse, act of a long slippery road
"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...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." Romans 1:21-24,26,27.
The picture here is that Man turned from God to idols, to human depravity, and eventually ended up in homosexuality. The widespread infestation of homosexuality within a society is evident that God has given them up. In America today, the gross perversion that is prevalent throughout, is evident that God's hand is being removed from our country. God is giving America over to its lust. Christians must stand up, and remove themselves from this depravity now, and stop playing footsies with the World.
Listen to what God says about this.
"But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind (the homosexual), for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine." 1st Timothy 1:8-10.
"Defile themselves with mankind", in the above Scripture is translated from the Greek word "arsenokoites" and it means "sodomites" according to Strong's Greek Dictionary. Thayer's Greek Lexicon defines "arsenokoites" as "one who lies with a male as with a female, a sodomite." So according to the above Scriptures, sodomy should be illegal and should be punished along with murder and kidnapping.
Can they be saved?
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, (Greek "arsenokoites" meaning "sodomites"), Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." I Cor. 6:9,10.
These verses, left alone, would end the question as to whether or not homosexuals can be savedif it were not for the next verse
"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." 1st Corinthians 6:11.
The homosexual needs the truth more than anything else
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32.
The homosexual needs to know that there is forgiveness available. They need to know the truth. They need to be taught that they were not born this way, but choose to become one. They need to be told that it is not a sickness, but a sin! They also need to be told that by
"repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21), they can be saved.
Closing
It is easy to get on the bandwagon of homosexuality and start pointing the finger at them. But, one must remember that ALL sin is wicked and gross in the eyes of the Lord. Yes, God calls homosexuality an "abomination", but He also calls lying an abomination as well
"These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." Proverbs 6:16-19.
God's Word is very clear that any act of homosexuality is a sin and that it is not to be tolerated. Christians need to come out of the closet, start preaching against, and standing up against, any and all acts or support of such behavior. We need to do it in love, and with understanding that we are all sinners in need of the same salvation. We need to love the sinner, but hate the sin. We must stop being tolerant of those involved in this sin, and do everything we can to help them out of it. We must do what is right in the eyes of Godnot man.
Evangelist Paul
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