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THE SOCIETY in which we live is rapidly
losing any semblance of
morality. Those who live in decadence and debauchery are interviewed on TV
like celebrities,
by talk-show hosts, in front of sensation-seeking crowds. The more perverse
and tantalizing
the interview, the more the audience responds with shrieks, howls and
laughter. Acts which
the Bible calls "sins" which are "worthy of
death" are
discussed openly and shamelessly and referred to as "alternate
lifestyles". Even
the "religious" are beginning to tolerate these sins and in some
cases embrace
them.
According to The Los Angeles Times, almost 20 years ago a 59-question
survey was sent out
to 703 delegates of the 1.8 million member United Church of Christ. (This
denomination is
composed of a merger in 1961 between the "Evangelical and Reformed
Church" and the
"Congregational Church"). This survey revealed that "seven
out of ten who
responded believe the Bible is an 'inaccurate' guide for contemporary sexual
conduct."
It also disclosed that 73 percent of the "clergy" agreed
"that Biblical
assumptions about sexuality 'have been proved inaccurate.'" But,
friends, we know
"the word of the Lord is perfect...".
The first time the Scriptures allude to homosexual acts is in Genesis
19:4-9, being
practiced by the men of Sodom. From this comes the word
"sodomite" employed
in Deuteronomy 23:17 and 1 Kings 14:24). It is clear from the Genesis
account that their
homosexual acts or sodomy was the very thing that brought their
destruction by Jehovah
with fire and brimstone. Further proof is found in Jude 7 where the warning
is: "Even
as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving
themselves over to
fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example,
suffering the
vengeance of eternal fire." Can anyone question the sinfulness of
sodomy?
AN ABOMINATION We learn, further, from Leviticus
20:13 that the
practice is "an abomination" unto the Lord. In case there
are some who still
question whether homosexual acts are right or wrong, look at the apostle
Paul's condemnation:
"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"
(Romans 1:24-27).
Despite such clear language used in the Scriptures to condemn homosexual
acts, by both men
and women, still there are those who feel that Christians should be more
tolerant toward those
practicing them. We can no more tolerate a homosexual's committing sodomy
than we can
tolerate the "alcoholic's" drinking. We may never be able to
fully comprehend the
mind of either, but, if we are true Christians, we will work for their
salvation. And like
all other sins, (fornication, adultery, stealing, etc.), those who have
engaged in such things
must repent and stop doing them in order to be saved.
YE ARE WASHED... Notice: "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 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"
(1 Corintians 6:9-11).
We are not certain when or even if a girl makes a conscious
decision to desire boys
rather than other girls. But that is the natural desire of a girl.
Brother, can you remember
the day you made your choice, or if you really made one? Was your sexual
desire something you
did not deliberately choose? Nevertheless, sinful acts are chosen by men
and women. Oh, the
person may be "enticed" and "drawn away" by what they
think are
uncontrollable desires, but the sinful act is a choice, and is condemned by
God. Whatever
kind it is, sexual or otherwise, it must be repented of and controlled.
HOMOSEXUALS SAVED? Is it possible for homosexuals
to be saved?
Certainly. The apostle Paul says, "and such were some of you: but
ye are washed...
sanctified... justified." Just as certainly as some idol
worshipers and fornicators
in the city of Corinth were saved, so were some who committed sodomy
who were
"abusers of themselves with mankind". But just as all
other
"unrighteous" people, such as "fornicators,"
"adulterers," "effeminate," "covetous,"
"drunkards,"
"revilers," "unscrupulous," "liars,"
"blasphemers,"
"whisperers," "backbiters," "truce breakers,"
"brother-haters," "swindlers," etc., had to all stop
their sinful
practices, so did "whoremongers," "lusters,"
"inventors of evil
things," and "sodomites."
It is not enough for a person to stop homosexual practices; all lusts, or
"vile
affections", or "burning lust one toward another"
must be stopped.
But is this not true of the practice of any sin? The so called
"love" for that sin
must be destroyed.
Today's faithful brother who was once a young fornicator, (whether his
sex acts were done
with one girl or many), had to crucify the sinful passion of his body which
drove him to
commit fornication. If a young man marries the girl with whom he commits
the sex act, is he
not a fornicator? Marrying does not legitimize fornication. The couple
involved must accept
their condemnation, repent of their sins, gain God's forgiveness, and move
on into a wholesome
relationship. The girl who surrendered her virtue and "played the
harlot" may have
great difficultly disposing of her passions and lusts, but she must to be
saved. We find
people mentioned in the Scriptures who did this very thing, and become
precious children of
God.
It is nothing short of shameful for a person who calls himself a
Christian to mistreat his
own wife and be bitter against her, while at the same time claim to oppose
great sins. What
we need is loving husbands and wives. What we need is compassion for one
another. We will
all be saved by the same cleansing blood, if we are going to
be saved at
all. We need to correct our own faults and work for the salvation of
all other
sinners.
SAFE HAVENS We do not need to set up a safe-haven
for
"Christians" who commit certain sins. Denominations can do what
they want; they are
not restricted to obeying God's will. And some have formed "support
groups", and
some have even set up congregations for those who practice sodomy.
It is doubtful that
the faithful would ever stoop to that, but who would have ever believed we
would provide
"sheltering congregations" for adulterers and fornicators?
For shame!
Tragically, you, dear reader, may have a precious son or a daughter who
has drifted
away
and is now wandering in a world of sin and immorality. You must be broken
hearted. Don't
you long for their return? Don't you long for the good of all who are
wrong? Don't become
bitter toward others and seek revenge on them; that course will just condemn
you too. No
matter what the fallen have done, the heart of a true Christian yearns for
these precious
lost ones. And, no matter who the lost soul is, your loved one or mine, all
Christians
should seek and pray for their salvation. Let all improper spirits be
slain, and let us
unite in love for the souls of all men.
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