Over the past few days I have heard a few different stories showing the outspokenness of Christians against the practice of homosexuality, and I wanted to help clear a few things up before we go about accusing people of being a homosexual.
Before we begin, I will say that I am not in any way condoning homosexuality, it is a sin, like any other, and especially being a sexual sin (which the Bible states is even worse to commit 1 Corinthians 6:15-20) it is a sin against your body, which is the temple of God, it needs to be avoided at all costs. If you are practicing any sin, homosexuality, adultery, or other, you need to repent and give your life over to Jesus fully so you may serve Him instead of yourself.
With the recent news of Ted Haggard shocking America, and other similar stories from other churches, many churches decide to take up the arms against this outrageous sin and downright bash anybody who even appears to be a homosexual. With signs saying things such as "God hates gays" and other similar messages, what message are we sending to the world about God?
Being a Christian means that we are Christ-like, or at least trying to be. So where in the Bible did we see Jesus giving any such message? Only to the hypocrites, calling them a brood of vipers (Matthew 12:34 and Matthew 23:33) and sons of satan (John 8:44).
So then, what does Jesus say about homosexuals?
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
Yeah, did you hear that homosexuals, you will not inherit the Kingdom of God (AKA going to hell)!!
Oh uhm, wait a second...
I think there are a few more words in that verse...
In the same list we see "Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners"
So before you start saying these things about any one group of people, analyze your own life, are you fornicating? Do you currently place anything above God in your life (idolatry)? Do you lust after other people (adulterer)? Have you ever taken anything or coveted anything? I think almost everyone in our nation has fallen into that one lately (I know I have).
Another verse:
Ever told a lie?
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
Before you go jumping on the band wagon to attack a single group of people for their sin you need to look at your life.
Now, am I saying that we should just let someone living in sin be? (be it homosexuality, pornography, coveting, lying, slander, etc) Absolutely not! We all need Christ in our life and we all need to repent. No amount of work on our own part will remove the sin from our life. Only Jesus can do that.
So, what would you say to someone who is involved in sin? Why not just go through the 10 commandments? Ask if the person has lied, stolen anything, taken God's name in vain, or committed adultery.
People who are homosexuals have been so attacked by Christians that they need to hear the full truth. They have sinned against God even if they were never a homosexual! That is just one more of the many sins that the person has committed against God, and needs to be treated in the same way. If someone comes up to you and confesses that they have been falling into pornography would you isolate yourself from them, make fun of them and make a public spectacle out of it? Or would you pray with the person and try to help them on their path to repentance?
Now, to any of you who are sinning, you know you have done it, your conscience confirms that what you have done is wrong and against God. If you were in court and you are found to be guilty, next comes the sentencing, where you have to pay for your crime.
Every person will have to face the judge when we die, and you will be found guilty of breaking God's laws. " For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10) and "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8)
But Jesus came to pay the penalty for your sin since you couldn't pay it. Out of His love for you He paid the price, and all you have to do is repent of your sin and confess Jesus and you will be saved. "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)
Here is some more scripture for you:
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (Psalm 32:5)
He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)
"I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake;
And I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25)
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 5:30-31)
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Now let's stop acting like the rest of the world, trying to hide our sin and act better than we are, and let's repent of our sins and help the lost do the same, the way Jesus did.
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