Friday Ime
1. WE NEED A REVIVAL OF THE TRUTH.
It’s no wonder that the church and our country urgently need to hear “one shouting voice in the desert” in order to awaken, convict, and rebuild. It wasn’t that long ago that we were concerned about “America’s fall.” America couldn’t fall because it’s already fallen. We are now picking up the pieces of a broken nation reflected in our laws, lives, families, and children. America’s moral heartbeat has ceased because we cut off the source of life. We need resuscitation, renewal, and revival of the truth.
2. WE MUST SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE.
When individuals, organizations, denominations, or movements deviate from absolute truth and thus quench and grieve the Spirit of God, they become mechanical in their attitude to Christianity and lose their capacity to guide. The Word of God is not in their hearts “like a burning fire” (Jeremiah 20:9), but relative, powerless, and debatable. This is what we see today. Unfortunately, those who sound the alarm are often classified as unreasonable, judgmental, intolerant and bigoted. But how can we warn if we are not going to meet, if we are not going to contest, and if we are not going to question? We must talk the truth in love… on sexual sin, including homosexuality, the Bible is crystal evident.
3. PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL.
Why is there a lack of belief today? The reason may be in the pulpit, not in the pew. A lot relies on the preacher’s prayer life. Pastors, preachers, and educators need to spend a long time in prayer to be genuinely effective— God is preparing the messenger before we deliver the message. The motto of Luther, “He who prayed well studied well,” rings real.
4. WE NEED REPENTANCE.
I am confident that most churches in America seek to please rather than convict the masses. There is no mention of judgment; repentance is rarely requested, and sin is often excused. Instead of breaking a heart, we want to construct a church; be politically right, not biblically right; coddle and comfort, not stir and convict. This leaves individuals confused and disappointed because we are teaching and living a type of repentance-free Christianity … void of truth.
5. BIBLICAL STANDARDS OF MORALITY ARE STILL VALID TODAY.
The Old Testament “moral” laws like murder, stealing, lying, adultery, sexual immorality, etc. are all applicable today. Jesus often referred to the Old Testament, saying that it was not to be abolished but to be fulfilled. While many of the Old Testament’s ceremonial and dietary laws do not apply today, the moral laws do. They are as significant today as they have been throughout history. For example, Leviticus 20:13 states, “If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination….” To suggest that this verse is invalid today is to advocate the dangerous practice of redefining or deleting what God has said. Jesus referred to the Old Testament often in regard to moral behavior.
There may have been changes in the consequences of wrong actions, but the moral implications remain the same. For example, while those who commit adultery are no longer stone to death, this does not mean that adultery is acceptable or any less dangerous. Although there are no legal consequences, adultery is wrong.
6. WE ARE ALL BORN SINFUL.
Jesus condemned “all” sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and woman when He said, “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications…these defile a man” (Matthew 15:19). Jesus was implying that all sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and a woman is harmful and immoral. The word “fornication” in the Greek is porneia; where the word “pornography” comes from. We cannot say, “But I was born this way,” because we were all born to lie, cheat, lust, and deceive, but this doesn’t make it right…it makes us sinful and in need of a Savior.
7. SILENCE DOES NOT EQUAL APPROVAL.
An argument can’t be based on silence alone. Suggesting that Jesus approved of homosexuality simply because He did not use the term “homosexual” means He approved of necrophilia, pedophilia, incest, and bestiality. But we understand better, of course.
8. PEOPLE HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM GOD AND FROM DOING GOOD.
Other passages in the New Testament are clear on this issue as well. Romans 1:18-32 and 1 Corinthians 6:1-20 are good places to start. In short, mankind did not see fit to acknowledge God and they suppressed the truth; therefore, God gave them over to a depraved mind—to do those things which are not proper. Homosexual behavior and sexual sin, in general, is comparable with dishonoring the body and turning from God. “The sexual disordering of the human race is a judgment of God for exchanging Him for the creature” (John Piper).
9. MARRIAGE IS BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN.
Jesus said that since the beginning of creation, God created them male and female in order that they would be joined together and become one flesh. He adds, “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mark 10:9). Marriage between a man and a woman is God’s plan since creation. No matter how many laws are passed in favor of gay marriage, it will not change God’s mind. Man often rebels against God; this is nothing new.
10. JESUS OFFERS ABUNDANT LOVE AND FORGIVENESS.
In conclusion, Jesus would often talk out against sin, but His love and mercy also reached out to those who regretted their situation and hated them. Pardon is a mark of true faith. We should have compassion for those struggling with the attraction of the same sex because we are all struggling with sin, but at the same moment, we should not condone or excuse this sort of sin more than we condone or excuse any other sin.
