I mentioned to Carlotta that it can be difficult to keep a civil tone when others mock, disparage, and curse at us. Tom (a gay man with whom Carlotta recently had a pleasant dialogue with) was different. The two of them had a very good conversation.
I have had a few good conversations with self-identifying lesbians and gay men at this blog over the years. However, we usually part having to "agree to disagree."
This recent discovery (for me) of the connection between the "Days of Noah" and the "Days of Lot" (re: homosexual behavior and homosexual "marriage" in ancient times) is stunning enough (I think so, anyway) for any gay person to rethink their gay-behavior-affirming theology.
I think that when it is connected with what is revealed in the post called "Transcendent and Non transcendent Good and Evil," we find the exact reason why Bible-based Christian believers must continue to fight against the heresy and error that is inherent in the "gay Christian movement."
My message board friend Sothenes did a series of posts regarding the question, "Can you be homosexual and Christian?" He makes many excellent points and backs them up with Scripture.
I believe that the reason why we must fight against the gay-behavior-affirming heresy and error in the Christian churches is precisely because unrepentant homosexuals will miss heaven and the ultimate realization of transcendent good.
What is left for them?
Transcendent evil.
They are so caught up in the flesh that they don't even realize it is evil in the first place! What's more, they refuse to ever acknowledge it and, instead, re-name it as a "blessing from God."
This is heresy, apostasy, idolatry, false doctrine, false prophesying and rejection of recognition for repentance from our sinfulness. The Holy Spirit of God cannot indwell the unrepentant heart!
Jesus clearly told us that the false gospel 'prophets' and teachers will be sent away from him. In fact they are specifically called "evildoers" by Christ!
So many people who do not realize the gravity of the situation think that they are being tolerant, loving, inclusive, and non-bigoted by accepting the sinner and the sin! We are to preach the true gospel of Christ's cross which tells us to reject the sin, repent of it, and live for Jesus Christ!
The account where Jesus, (speaking of the other disciples) asks Peter, three times, "do you love me more than these?" Peter answers, "yes Lord." Then Jesus tells him to "feed my sheep."
This was an act of mercy for Peter - to counter the three times when he denied Christ before Jesus went to the cross.
Doesn't Jesus ask us the same question? Do you love Me more than these - (fill in the blank!).
When we love the Lord above all else - above anyone else - it is then that we can humbly come to the cross, confess our sin, ask for forgiveness, and request that Jesus indwells our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Does the Holy Spirit indwell someone who self-identifies as a homosexual Christian? Honestly, I can't know for sure. However, Jesus himself instructs us to see "the fruit" of those who claim to be believers.
Look at what comes first when a person labels themselves as a "gay Christian" ...the homosexual identity...not the identity of Christ within the person.
However, a person who is born again in Christ is eager to be sanctified in the Lord. Their first love is Jesus! They are a new creation in Christ so that the old identity is replaced by a new one!
Everything and everyone else comes second! Jesus affirms this! The first commandment is to "love the Lord thy God." The second one is to "love your neighbor as thyself."
We could apply all of this towards any one's sinful condition. We all were lost in sin before Christ's saving mission on the cross gave us the opportunity to get out of such bondage!
Yes. We are not perfect. Christians can, and do, backslide into sin. Yet, the indication that we are truly saved is the fact that we are to be faithful to confess our sin and repent of it - not continue willfully in it or blasphemously celebrate any sinful condition or lifestyle.
This is Satan's subtle deception. He wants to keep as many people in bondage as he can!
Look at the way the secular, heterosexual world celebrates and even promotes homosexuality. Does a day go by in your life where you don't hear about homosexuality either on T.V. shows and movies, news programs, radio, or the Internet?
Now, Satan has infiltrated the churches with the celebration of sodomy! Who would have thought such a thing would ever come to fruition? Could such a thing have happened years ago? Of course not! It would have been considered unthinkable! But today, it has been normalized.
Because of this manipulation and brain-washing (dirtying) of the masses towards total acceptance and celebration of homosexual behavior and activism, those who still believe God's Word and call such aberrant behavior what it is - a sin and abomination in the eyes of God - are unfairly labeled in negative ways. No tolerance allowed for Bible-believing Christians!
Years ago, I posted a prayer for unrepentant homosexuals on this blog. Another blogger (who was a secular humanist) put up a post at her blog mocking it.
Just as in Noah's day, the mockers and non-believers continue to disparage God's Word, the Bible; as well as the Christians who share the gospel of salvation message of Christ with this fallen world. However, in the case of the homosexual agenda, the mocking has turned more virulent - even to the point of criminalizing Christian free speech, freedom of association, and freedom of expression.
The "final goal" in Satan's plan is to silence the church and the gospel message in this world.
What is included in Satan's plan? He wants you to "lose your own soul."
How does he accomplish this? By keeping you dead in trespasses and sin.
I will conclude with a portion of Sothenes' message board (link above) post:
John 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
John 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
" 'Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin' is in the present tense. If you continue in a life of sin, you are a servant of sin."
"A servant may come and work for you during the day, but when evening comes, he gets his hat and goes home. The son comes in, pitches his hat in a corner, sits down and relaxes because he is the son. The Lord was telling these rulers that they are not really God's children. They were in the temple then, but they wouldn't be there long. In A.D. 70 Titus came and took every one of them away and sold them into slavery. The five o'clock whistle had blown, and the servants left the house."
"The Son makes us free indeed. We do not have to be the servant of sin."-141, John Chapters 1-10, J Vernon McGee
And my question to you is, if a Homosexual struggles with continual sin then how does he or she purify him or herself? Please reflect on 1 John 3:3 in your answer.
1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
John 8:36 led me to Romans 6:12-14.
Paul uses three words to designate the three spiritual classes of men: The natural man (1 Cor. 2:14) or the unsaved person, the carnal man (1 Cor. 3:1) the Christian not living the Christian life and the spiritual man (1 Cor. 2:15).
Romans 6:1 ¶ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Paul's answer is "God forbid". How are we that are dead to sin, live in sin any longer? Has the Son made us free and are we free indeed??
" 'Are dead' is from a past tense verb, which tense also speaks of finality, and we translate 'died once for all.' "--P.81, Kenneth Wuest, An Exposition of the Greek Text of Romans VI
Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.
If God is working salvation in the individual then how is God working His good pleasure in that person?
It is a rhetorical question. Are we dead to sin or not? Paul says we are dead to sin.
How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? - Romans 6:12
" 'Live' is from a word which speaks here of the life principle, not the actions of the person."-p, 82 Kenneth Wuest, An Exposition of the Greek Text of Romans VI
HT: Sothenes at Talk Wisdom message board
Christine,
ReplyDeleteI'd love for you to blog about the recent meeting McCain had with the Log Cabin Republicans. He refuses to meet with Christian leaders, and denounces those that support him, but he is more than willing to support a gay rights group.
http://www.gaypatriot.net/2008/06/25/breaking-election-newsgaypatriot-exclusivejohn-mccain-meets-with-log-cabin-republicans-president/
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThis is not a political post. It is dealing with one of the many spiritual battles - for the souls of men and women - that is currently going on between this fallen world and our final destination - Christ's Kingdom.
John McCain is a politician. He needs to reach out to all people. I don't fault him for that. I do not agree with everything he (or the Republican party) stands for or believes in, but I do know that he is light-years above Obama when it comes to who is the better presidential candidate.
Some of my fellow Christians friends do not agree with me on this. They have decided to "sit out" this election because a true conservative is not the nominee. IMO, doing so is (unfortunately) a vote for Obama.
As far as your comment that McCain "denounces [Christian leaders] that support him" goes, I only know of one such incident. It was a misinterpretation of something that Pastor Hagee stated. Perhaps McCain just decided to steer clear of religion altogether during his run for president.
So, Anonymous, what did you think about the three posts in discussion here? Here's a recap:
The Days of Noah Are Here
Transcendent, Nontranscendent Good and Evil
Are You Dead to Sin?
Where do you stand in your spiritual walk?
How would you answer Jesus' question, "Who do you say that I am?"
Sitting out the election is a bad idea. The lesser of two evils = less evil. We should not miss the opportunity to do some good - i.e., Supreme Court judges who focus on what the Constitution actually says.
ReplyDeleteBack to your post: It was excellent and timely. It is so easy to miss the point and focus on the political and forget that the most important things are spiritual. We are all spiritual beings that will live forever, but only in one of two places.
Hi Neil,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! The next several choices for the Supreme Court justices will by and large affect our nation for 30 years...or more! It is CRUCIAL that someone like McCain, who advocates against "legislating from the bench" and sticking with the original intent of the Constitution, to get into the presidency. I don't even want to imagine what types of judges Obama would pick...gives me the creeps!!!
I would urge each and every Christian who reads here to vote. Period. As Pastor Miles McPherson tells the congregation - "vote God." I take that to mean we need to vote for a candidate who most reflects Judeo-Christian morals, ethics and values.
At least John McCain is pro-life.
I can understand why Christians would want to sit this one out, but at the same time, I would urge them not to! The war against radical Islam is way to important to ignore. The strongest candidate on that issue is no contest! John McCain is far more qualified than Obama!
Back when Gray Davis was recalled as Gov. of CA, and our choices for the Republican nominee were Arnold or Tom McClintock, I voted for the conservative McClintock - even though I knew he would lose. However, that was just for a governorship. The presidency is far too important (and - as you pointed out will also select the next Supreme Ct. judges) IMO, to NOT vote in November!
Thanks for your kind compliment on the post!
Excellent, excellent posts Christine!
ReplyDeleteIt is just mind boggling to me the number of churches that allows the acceptance of homosexuality or for that matter, ignoring it as a sin to begin with!
So how a church can teach deadness to sin while allowing it is beyond me! It is complete rebellion towards God, complete man-pleasing instead of God-pleasing obedience. The church that accepts the sin of homosexuality is a church that is dead to God!
And for any homosexual to call their lifestyle a blessing from God just shows how rebellious they are along with the imminent danger of them not being saved. It's impossible to be saved and never repent of one's sins. And that's all based upon the scriptures that you shared and more!
Again, very good studies!
Thank you Carlotta! When it comes to this topic, those of us who speak out about it need encouragement.
ReplyDeleteThe secular world is often so quick to judge Christians and call us names. If they only realized our true intentions - just as God said in His Word - that we don't want ANYONE to perish but for all to come to repentance; then perhaps they would see our warnings as the most loving thing we could do for them!
The political gains of the homosexual agenda has grown exponentially over the past 20 years. Look at what "Anonymous" posted in response to my post! He/she was concerned with the political issues of the day. Did the message of this post totally escape this person or what?
Are such gains of the political and unrighteous fleshly nature worth it in the light of eternity?
As Neil had pointed out, each of us will spend eternity in one of two places. I choose Christ's Kingdom!
Jesus asked, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul?"
The transcendent evil of losing one's own soul by clinging to unrepentance for sin is what our Lord was referring to.
No matter what a person gains in the flesh on this earth - it is NOT worth losing one's soul because of it!!
Thanks again for your very kind encouraging words!
Neil: "Sitting out the election is a bad idea."
ReplyDeleteFor the information of most of your readers, voting is compulsory where I live in Australia. You get fined if you don't.
What I get annoyed about over here though is the way they advertise around election time that it is "your right to vote". A right, it seems to me to me, is not something that you MUST do, but that you are entitled to do if you choose.
American have a right to vote. But Australians are legally bound to vote.
I'm all for the importance of voting, but I wish they'd just skip the double talk at election time and just bring out ads that say, "Vote! Or we reserve our right to fine you"
LOL
Cheers guys,
Duane
Hi Duane,
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that voting was compulsory in Australia! Never heard of being "legally bound to vote" except in lands ruled by dictators! Not that Australia is one... I know that your country is beautiful and free! That voting law just surprises me!
Anyway, is there a lot of voter fraud over there? Seems to be a LOT of it here...unfortunately. I guess there is no perfect system.