The Homosexual Revolution

(Part II)

God’s Word says, “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.” (Rom. 1:24-27).

An article found in the Greensboro News and Record on February 27, 2011, from the Tribune Washington Bureau stated, “When President Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act into law in 1996, no state in the union had ordained gay marriage, gays and lesbians in the military were on official notice to keep quiet about their sexual orientation, and the first episode of the gay-friendly sitcom (Will and Grace) had yet to air its first episode. Change has swept the country since then, a shift in public opinion so dramatic that advisers to President Barack Obama figure he took only a small political risk in announcing his Justice Department will no longer defend the 1996 law defining marriage as between a man a woman.” The article goes on to say much more, but regardless of public or political opinion; God’s Word is absolute truth and is the final authority for faith and practice.  

God’s Sexual Regulations and Warnings are Reinforced in the New Testament

In the previous edition of “The Traveling Pulpit”, I began a brief study of our present day Homosexual Revolution by looking at intimate sexual regulations that God established in the Old Testament. In this edition, I take you to the New Testament as we see how God reinforces what He has already said.

Both idolatry and gross immorality are the result of rejecting God. Those whom God “gave … up” (Rom. 1) refers to those guilty of idolatry and how God turned them over to sexual “uncleanness”, allowing them to “dishonor their own bodies” through “lust.” When scripture says, “God gave them up”, it literally means that He handed them over to the demons of “lust.” Sexual perversion always accompanies idolatry. Homosexuality is a symptom of idolatry and those who practice it have made sex their god.

For a person to be given over to “vile affections” is to succumb to the passions of perversions. Homosexuality and lesbianism are as despicable to God in the New Testament as it was in the Old Testament. The increase of homosexuality is simply a sign of our day and age. It’s recorded in Second Timothy 3:2-5, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boaster, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, loves of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” God’s Word promises that those who engage in homosexuality will receive “in themselves that recompense of their error.” To be given over to a “reprobate mind” means that God turns such people over to an un-approving and un-discerning manner of life and allows them to do what they want because of their corrupt heart

A common assertion is that gays are born that way, but scripture declares that such is NOT the case. The Greek word, “natural” that we find in our text means produced by nature or inborn. Nature speaks of that which is natural as opposed to what is abnormal or perverse or produced by man. These verses tell us that homosexuality and lesbianism is not inherited. It’s true that we’ve all inherited a sin nature. However, scripture teaches that it’s not “natural” to have sex with the same gender because that is not the way God programmed the human race. Homosexual activity isn’t caused by the brain patterns with which a person is born. Many years ago, it was Ann Landers that asked her homosexual readers to respond to her question, “Are you glad you are gay or would you rather be straight?” In response thirty-to-one said they were glad to be gay. She said that after writing her column (at that time nearly 37 years) the homosexual topic generated more attention than almost any other.

God made people heterosexual and not homosexual. In the Garden of Eden, God made Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve. Even in the animal kingdom, God made them male and female so they could produce “after his kind” (Gen. 1:24).  Homosexuality is clearly a work of Satan who causes people to engage in this sort of thing through the power of his demonic forces. There is indication in scripture that demons are grouped in military-like structure and attack in particular moral areas (Mk. 5:9, 16:9). Homosexuals and lesbians are enslaved to the demons of immorality and only Jesus Christ can totally set them free. 

Closing

The debate over gay rights should be no debate at all if only God’s Word was consulted and regarded as man’s absolute authority. There are times when discrimination is good, such as when sin is discriminated against for the well being of mankind. According to Holy Scripture, homosexuality and lesbianism is morally wrong and is forbidden by our Creator. Homosexuals are seeking to become more visible in society, hoping that the heterosexual community will become sympathetic to their cause. Helping them to achieve this goal, the news media in our country is doing a fantastic job of promoting secular humanism and braking down all Christian barriers that have held our country together since it’s beginning. Unfortunately, polls seem to indicate that the media’s message is taking hold and many Americans are more willing to tolerate the homosexual lifestyle.   

Like abortion, homosexuality is being displayed as a constitutional right and that every individual has a right to choose without any regard for the laws of God. Gay and lesbian advocates continue pushing for federal civil rights barring discrimination against homosexuals, legalization of gay marriages and laws enabling the partners of gay and lesbian workers to receive health insurance and other spousal benefits. I can remember the day when homosexuality was in the closet, but now it’s out in full force, proudly parading up and down the streets of America and around the world. God’s values are the values that civilization was built upon and to deviate from these values is to experience the destruction of everything decent in society. 

 Condoning homosexuality is offensive to God because it gives approval to that which He has forbidden. It’s contrary to the biblical norm and presents a deviate lifestyle. Just because Christians uphold the teachings against homosexuality, in no way whatsoever means that we hate homosexuals. It is because of our love for their eternal souls that we want to warn them of their evil ways. Sin is sin regardless of what that sin may be and we are all sinners, every one of us (Rom. 3:23). God’s grace is sufficient to save the vilest sinner who will repent and by faith turn to Christ for forgiveness. God specializes in changing people, even homosexuals. In writing to the Corinthians, Paul spoke of various types of sinners, including homosexuals, which had been converted to Christ. First Corinthians, chapter six, verses nine through eleven, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 

Without apology, God’s people need to take an unflinching stand for biblical sexuality and oppose anything and everything contrary to the revealed Word of God. Not only must we reject the idea of ordaining homosexuals into the ministry, but even the thought of performing same gender marriages. It’s a shame for any church or individual who professes Christ to turn its freedom into a license for sin. Open rebellion against God is never under any circumstances permitted including the sin of homosexuality. It’s apparent that those who practice homosexuality have a “seared … conscience” (I Tim. 4:2, Titus 1:15). Homosexuals are living in open rebellion against God’s design for sexuality and are like the “wicked” portrayed in the Psalms (Ps. 36:1-4).

The Bible makes it clear what God thinks about homosexuality. He hates it, deplores it, despises it, and promises to judge it. Don’t ever doubt the fact that He is a God of great love and in grace He saves sinners, regardless of what the sins may be. As followers of Christ, we are to seek to believe and practice His Word. We should never exhibit any hatred toward people while at the same time not approving of what they do. Love the sinner, but hate the sin. Extend a hand of love and compassion to any person who is willing to receive it. God has made the rules and set the parameters in which He intends for mankind to function. Those who engage in homosexuality need to be set free from their sin just like any lost sinner. The Christ of the cross delights in saving sinners regardless of their enslavement to whatever the sin. 

God’s will and purpose for human sexuality are to be realized only through the institution of marriage of “male” and “female.” Sex is a gift from God that is to be enjoyed between a husband and wife within the sacred bonds of matrimony. Any abuse of sexuality (premarital sex, adultery, rape, incest, pornography, promiscuity, prostitution, homosexuality, etc.) is condemned by God in His Word. If there has ever been a time when Christians need to uphold the biblical standards of human sexuality, it is today. Unless America turns from her wicked ways, God’s judgment is inevitable.