Triumphant in Christ

In my sporadic reading of several blogs and news websites over the weekend, I found all different kinds of reactions to the same-sex "marriage" ruling in California.

Many people feel the same way that I do about these four rogue judges and their decision that oversteps the votes of over 4 million Californians who voted for Proposition 22. Four activist judges decide to trash traditional marriage even though over 28 states in America have already voted a big fat NO! to same-sex "marriage."

Some are standing by their Christian faith, refusing to go against what is written in the Bible. Others, feel that it was a triumphant achievement for homosexual people. Others, suggested a way to compromise on this volatile subject. Still others suggested that the CA Supreme Court stay the ruling and allow the people of CA to vote on the Marriage Protection Act in November.

Joseph Farah once wrote:

Marriage was, is and always will be for members of the opposite sex. Some courts may say otherwise. Some legislatures may say otherwise. None of that will change anything because courts and legislatures didn't invent marriage – God did.

In the November, 2004 edition of Whistleblower magazine, Mr. Farah wrote:

God had a perfect plan for man. It included one woman - not two, not three, not seven. Just one. It didn't include another man. It didn't include any transvestites or transexuals or intersexuals or metrosexuals.

There were no lesbians in the Garden of Eden. There was just one man and one woman.

That's the way God planned it.

Surely this arrangement was popular for many centuries.

[M]arriage existed in other cultures, but the institution was really codified in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Genesis 2:24 states: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

Notice it doesn't say "partner," it says "wife."

This principle is re-emphasized in the Christian New Testament by Jesus Himself in Matthew 19:4-6:

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

[W]hy are there seemingly irrational attempts today to subvert something so natural and righteous?

I think it has a lot to do with sin and rejecting God's laws. It has to do with rejecting God's wisdom and guidance as it is laid out in Scripture. It has to do with unwillingness to submit to the fact that He knows what is best for us as His children.

The fact that so many homosexual people say, "It is who I am (meaning, being homosexual and indulging in homosexual behavior)" shows how confused many minds are about basic, godly relationships.

The Bible has many warnings about this, including in Isaiah 5:20:

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Max Lucado provides some questions for those who might label themselves as homosexuals (or, anyone else for that matter), while at the same time, label themselves as Christians -

1. Where do you find your significance? In your triumphs, or in Christ's?

2. What do you think it means to live in the triumphant lifestyle of Christ?

3. Do you know who you are in Christ?

Yesterday, I read an essay from Max Lucado's book, "On the Anvil." The title was, "Triumphant...Forever!"

Lucado:

Triumph is a precious thing. We honor the triumphant. The gallant soldier sitting astride his steed. The determined explorer, returning from his discovery. The winning athlete holding aloft the triumphant trophy of victory. Yes, we love triumph.

No doubt, homosexuals are celebrating the triumph of the CA Supreme Court decision in their favor. I have read countless posts by homosexuals (and their heterosexual supporters) who think that this decision is the victory they have worked for over the past 20 years.

Lucado:

Triumph brings with it a swell of purpose and meaning. When I'm triumphant, I'm worthy. When I'm triumphant, I count. When I'm triumphant, I'm significant.

Yes. Homosexuals are feeling all of those emotions due to this decision. However, Max Lucado makes a good point in his next paragraph:

Triumph is fleeting, though. Hardly does one taste victory before it is gone. Achieved, yet now history. No one remains champion forever. Time for yet another conquest, another victory. Perhaps this is the absurdity of Paul's claim: "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession" (2 Corinthians 2:14).

I would like to add to this idea that triumph is fleeting. Triumph can also be deceiving. It can be won through dishonesty, deception, law-breaking, faulty interpretation of our Constitution, wrong ideology, and the list goes on.

For example. When the Roe vs. Wade decision came out in favor of legalizing abortion, the innocuous term of "choice" was used to escape the reality that abortion kills unborn children in the womb. The focus was placed on the would-be mother; and her ability to "decide" what to "do with her own body." Well...guess whose body doesn't have a "choice?" The unborn baby. The most innocent, helpless, and fragile of human beings are slaughtered, at the whim of women who chose to have sex - but do not want to face the possible consequences of that choice. So, since 1973, the deliberate deaths of 78 million unborn babies becomes a terrible, holocaust-like reality in America.

Although Roe vs. Wade made abortion legal, it will NEVER be right in the eyes of God and those of us who follow His commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." Jesus said to his followers, "If you love me, keep my commandments."

Despite the abortion holocaust that we are being forced to witness, and the homosexual agenda that is being pushed non-stop upon our children and our nation as a whole, Christians can rejoice in one triumph that isn't fleeting.

Lucado:

The triumph of Christ is not temporary. "Triumphant in Christ" is not an event or an occasion. It's not fleeting. To be triumphant in Christ is a lifestyle...a state of being! To triumph in Christ is not something we do, it's something we are.

Christ is the true Hope that we have in this brief life here on earth. Nothing else truly matters as much as salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord!

At the cross, Jesus said, "It is finished." Jesus did the work that God the Father sent him to do on this earth. He became the bridge of redemption between sinful man and holy God. All who confess of their sin, repent (means willingly turn away) of their sin, believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sin, and ask him into their hearts to live and reign within them through the power of the Holy Spirit, are His forever! There is nothing in this world that could ever be more triumphant than that! Nothing!

Lucado:

Here is the big difference between victory in Christ and victory in the world: A victor in the world rejoices over something he did --swimming the English Channel, climbing Everest, making a million. But the believer rejoices over who he is -- a child of God, a forgiven sinner, an heir of eternity. As the hymn goes, "Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood."

Nothing can separate us from our triumph in Christ. Nothing! Our triumph is based not upon our feelings but upon God's gift. Our triumph is based no upon our perfection but upon God's forgiveness. How precious is this triumph! For even though we are pressed on every side, the victory is still ours. Nothing can alter the loyalty of God.

Such triumph in Jesus Christ cannot be overcome by decisions and/or evil done in the world. Jesus told us:

Jhn 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Jesus warned us that we would have tribulation in this world. But despite such tribulation, we can be of good cheer because He has overcome the world!

I love God's Word! It is such an honest book! When one is born again in Christ, we receive the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Notice that within all of the good fruit, there is still one called "longsuffering."

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,


Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.


Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.


Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Outline of Biblical Usage for the term "longsuffering":

1) patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance

2) patience, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs

Greek: makrothumia

One day, at the proper time, Jesus will come back to avenge the wrongs in this world. He will judge the living and the dead.

Meanwhile, as believers in Christ, we are to endure the wrongs that we encounter in this world while we continue to steadfastly carry out the Great Commission command of Jesus Christ. We are also called to warn others towards repentance and as Jude instructs us:

Jud 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

Jud 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Jud 1:22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;[fn4]

Jud 1:23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire,[fn5] hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

1:22 NU-Text reads who are doubting (or making distinctions).
1:23 NU-Text adds and on some have mercy with fear and omits with fear in first clause.

1Jo 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Lucado:

"Triumphant in Christ." It is not something we do. It's something we are.

Digg link

HT: WorldNetDaily

On the Anvil by Max Lucado, pp. 133-135.

Blue Letter Bible