1. Few, if any of us, would argue against calling STEALING A SIN.
a. The same for LYING, ADULTERY, FORNICATION, & OTHERS.
b. And if not sin, there is still a remnant in our society that would see these activities as wrong… definitely not right.
WHEN WE come to the Bible, there’s no question… these are sins.
• And isn’t this why Jesus came to die? To rescue, to deliver those caught up in these destructive behaviors? Surely He did!
• Look with me at 1 Corinthians 6.7-11
• What hope Jesus Christ brings that we too can have these in our past and delivered from them in our present! Such WERE…
BUT WHEN I mention the SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY, I’m sure to get all sorts of responses…
• It’s an alternative lifestyle… I was born that way
• the main one being it’s NOT A SIN.
• But according to God, it is… Living in the unrepentant lifestyle of homosexuality is just as spiritually deadly as living in the unrepentant sins of thievery, lying, adultery, and fornication.
WARNING: By the way, today is one of those adult Bible Study Times.
THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY is not new. Sexual sins are not new.
• Rampant in the ancient world. Roman Empire filled with it.
• What’s different about it today is that some Christians think it should be accepted as an ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLE.
• Many don’t’ think it’s even a sin any more.
• Many in churches today just think it’s simply another way to express committed love.
• We live in a time where there are ‘blessing ceremonies’ on these relationships in MAINLINE CHURCHES by ordained pastors!
6.19.06 - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Newly elected leader of the U.S. Episcopal Church Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said on Monday she believed homosexuality was no sin and homosexuals were created by God to love people of the same gender. "Some people come into this world with affections ordered toward other people of the same gender and some people come into this world with affections directed at people of the other gender."
• Unfortunately this is happening in more churches, from more leaders than ever before in the history of the church!
• But what does the Bible say? What are we taught?
All the way back in the Levitical Law, homosexual sin is prohibited:
Leviticus 18:22 (NKJV) 22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.
Leviticus 20:13 (NKJV) 13 If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
And now in this section of Romans, Paul declares homosexuality to be the lowest point for a person in their downward spiral of perversion. It’s forbidden. Why?
• Like all sin, homosexuality is not bad because it’s forbidden.
• It’s forbidden because it’s bad. It cuts to the core of God’s creation and intention for one man, one woman, one lifetime.
NOW: It’s important I believe for us to pause here for a moment and answer a fundamental question, a common accusation that comes up from this section.
• Looking at the Law, prohibition against homosexuality is given alongside laws against eating pork and shrimp.
• So the question is raised, “Have the laws against homosexuality been abolished along with eating pork?”
• OR you’ll hear someone use other laws as a way to circumvent the prohibition against homosexuality.
Leviticus 18:22 & 20:13
Christians today do not follow the rules and rituals described in Leviticus. But some ignore its definitions of their own "uncleanness" while quoting Leviticus to condemn "homosexuals." Such abuse of Scripture distorts the Old Testament meaning and denies a New Testament message. "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination." These words occur solely in the Holiness Code of Leviticus, a ritual manual for Israel’s priests. Their meaning can only be fully
appreciated in the historical and cultural context of the ancient Hebrew people. Israel, in a unique place as the chose people of one God, was to avoid the practices of other peoples and gods.
Rituals and rules found in the Old Testament
were given to preserve the distinctive characteristics of the religion and culture of Israel. But, as stated in Galatians 3:22-25, Christians are no longer bound by these Jewish laws. By faith we live in Jesus Christ, not in Leviticus. To be sure, ethical concerns apply to all cultures and peoples in every age. Such concerns were ultimately reflected by Jesus Christ, who said nothing about homosexuality, but a great deal about love, justice, mercy and faith.
http://www.mccchurch.org/notsin/sinofsodom.htm
• SO What’s the biblical answer?
FIRST, there is a distinct difference between CEREMONIAL LAWS and MORAL LAWS.
• CEREMONIAL are temporary. MORAL are transcendent.
• CEREMONIAL LAW has passed away & fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
• MORAL LAW continues without change by Jesus Christ.
#1 - If laws against homosexuality were merely ceremonial (and therefore abolished), then rape, incest, and bestiality would not be morally wrong either, since they are condemned in CH18
#2 – Homosexual sins among the Gentiles were also condemned by God (Romans 1:26) and they weren’t given ceremonial law.
#3 – It was because of these sins that God brought judgment upon the Canaanites (Gen. 18).
#4 – The ceremonial laws were changed by Jesus while the moral laws, specifically against homosexuality are repeated in the NT (Romans 1, 1 Cor. 6:9ff, 1 Tim 1:10, Jude 7)
NOW WAIT A MINUTE PASTOR ED, isn’t a person BORN THAT WAY?
• That’s really the push in the scientific community today.
• It’s all about genetics & therefore you can’t really be responsible for the way you were born! BUT…
"[A] ‘person’s psychosexual identity is not written, unlearned, in the genetic code, the hormonal system or the nervous system at birth," said John W. Money, Ph.D., a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Masters and Johnson, two of the most widely-known authorities in the field of human sexual behavior, have said it more simply: "The genetic theory of homosexuality has been generally discarded today." http://www.exodus.to/content/view/183/56/
• The Bible says you were NOT BORN this way but rather were conditioned in that direction. Maybe by an early childhood hurt, or abuse, but it can also be unlearned!
THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY is gross immorality and brings those that practice it under the direct judgment of God.
• Let’s flip back to Genesis 19
NOTE: Sodom is referred to 6 X’s in the OT and 4 X’s in the NT.
• It’s always mentioned in a negative light, one that reflects the corruption that overtook it.
• But a city so perverse didn’t happen overnight.
Ezekiel 16:46-50 (NKJV) 46 “Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who dwells to the south of you, is Sodom and her daughters. 47 You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you became more corrupt than they in all your ways. 48 “As I live,” says the Lord God, “neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.
• Pride, haughtiness, abundance, idleness.
• They all contributed to its spiritual erosion.
• Here in Genesis, we’re not left to wonder what God thinks about Homosexuality…
19:1-5 – We want to KNOW (yadha), carnally.
• There was a deep wickedness in that city! Lot had fallen pretty far down. He wasn’t involved in their sinful activities, but lived there and was comfortable there.
19:6-10 – No way! Take my daughters. Horrible!
19:11-13 – We will destroy this place!
19:24-25 – Fire & Brimstone wipes out the cities.
• Judgment does come down from heaven on the SIN OF SODOMY as God has spoken it is not something He wants on earth!
OK… so now we know God’s view of the sexual perversity of homosexuality… SO as Christians what should our response be?
• It’s easy to point the finger, but how can we engage the culture & use this sin (as with others) to Win A Person to Jesus Christ?
#1 – HAVE THE HEART OF GOD – This is so key!
• God doesn’t hate the person involved in Homosexual Sin & neither should you.
• Yes, He abhors the act but loves the person caught up in it.
• It’s sin, but it’s not the worse sin in the world. God doesn’t even list it in the things He hates.
• Get this… understand His heart, live in His Spirit!
• He forgave the woman caught in adultery, the leper, the maimed, the thief on the cross and everyone that came to Him seeking God’s grace & forgiveness.
#2 – BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF GOD. He is a life changer!
• Jesus offers a new life to anyone who will come to Him!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
• God can break through any sinful lifestyle!
• I know this sin, and a few others are difficult, because they are sexual in nature, and twisted… But God is a healer!
#3 – LIVE AS AN EXAMPLE OF CHRIST’S LOVE!
• Right now, there are people struggling with homosexual feelings and temptations. That’s what our society wants!
• Listen, I want you to know that I love you, I love you with all the love of Jesus. I accept you.
• I don’t accept what you’re doing, but I accept you as a person, a person who my Savior Jesus died to set you free!
• Listen, the Bible IS NOT asking us to condone their sin, but I’ll tell you they don’t need any more condemnation or rejection!
• They’ve probably had it their whole lives.
• Don’t be afraid to love someone who is gay! Jesus wasn’t afraid to be around sinners and loved them right into repentance, into salvation, into the Kingdom of God!
APP: I personally get so frustrated with those so called groups that show up with signs declaring God’s hatred of certain people.
• Listen, when dealing with sin, any sin, it’s important we don’t’ become self-righteous.
• Please, I plead with you, live with the mind of Christ.
• Flip over to Luke 4:16ff
OK… a few more things. I know this CD will be given away, it will be used as a tool to bring many to know Jesus personally, and deliver many from the homosexual lifestyle… So let’s deal with a few more practical things before we go…
#1 – What about Homosexual temptations?
• Maybe you’re tempted that way, or even in the lifestyle and want out. We have some info on our table to help you.
• Call the office and make an appointment with a pastor and we’ll walk you through the Scriptures right to the power of God!
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
• In Jesus Christ there is a WAY OF ESCAPE!
• As a believer, no temptation has overtaken you… all sorts to temptation! And in the power of God we CAN say NO!
#2 – What if you were molested or propositioned by a homosexual or a person of the same sex?
• Does that mean you’re a homosexual now? NO WAY!
• See, homosexuality is based on lies & twisted truths.
• The lie is that If you can get a man or woman to love you then you’ll be loved. But it’s the wrong kind of love.
• Maybe you were looking for love as a kid and you missed that piece of growth in your life… God wants to restore it in your life in a relationship with Him, not another person!
• Satan may come with a whisper, “Maybe you’re gay.”
• He’s a LIAR and is not to be listened to ever, never, ever!
• God didn’t make anyone gay… God makes you male or female and you can walk in your God given identity!
#3 – What if you were called names & picked on when as a kid?
• All lies too aren’t they and weren’t they, aren’t they?!
• Nobody but you can choose to refuse to believe them!
• Satan has been pulling you down and doing a number on you but in Jesus Christ you can understand and know who you are.
• You were washed, and changed, and sanctified in Him!
• You can be free, free from guilt & condemnation.
HOLD ON TO THESE WORDS…
1 Corinthians 6:11 (NKJV) 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Jesus we thank you so much for your freedom and your strength and your change in our lives.
