Life and Death

The purpose of this study is to explain with Biblical facts, and in Christian love, whether or not we should fight against gay marriage laws. Christians who are volatile towards homosexuals will benefit the most from this study (if they truly belong to Christ then they will examine their hearts honestly), because that kind of aggressive behavior is absolutely contradictory to what Christ taught. The gay community should also be able to see the Christians viewpoint a little more clearly. I’m not asking everyone to agree with me, I’m only seeking to clarify the Biblical view of the subject for two main reasons: one, because most Christians are quite turned around as to what the Bible says, and how they should respond; and two, because most gay proponents (both intentionally and unintentionally) misrepresent the Christian viewpoint and motive. My dream is that one-day both sides will be honestly and fairly represented by their opposition. Please take careful note of reports [on either side] that use venomous words to describe their opponents, as these are underhanded and dishonest tactics designed specifically to indoctrinate the less informed.

Ground Rules

People are quick to use grace as an excuse for a sinful lifestyle. It’s true to say that the old law is passing away [Hebrews 8:13], and that we are no longer under the old law [Galatians 3:13], but it is also true to say that Christ never changes [Hebrews 13:8], and Christ and the Father are one [John 5:30, 8:28, 8:38, 10:30, 12:49, 14:7, 14:10, 15:10]. Therefore, if something was an abomination unto God the Father under the old law, it is still an abomination to Christ the Lord under the new law. The laws that govern our lives (be them old or new laws) have no bearing on what God finds abominable. The only real thing that was changed from the old to the new was that Christ’s new law of love forever destroyed the notion that keeping the old law makes one righteous before God, and this was for two reasons: one, because no man is sinless; and two, because righteousness before God has always been by faith [Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3, 4:9]. But men changed the traditions of the old law into something they were never meant to be, a tool for self-righteousness. Christ’s law is that we love one another [John 13:34]. So despite the law, God still finds certain things to be an abomination. Again, the laws that govern our lives (be them old or new laws) have no bearing on what God finds abominable. The old law is for the sinner, not for the righteous, [I Timothy 1:8-10]; it is to reveal sin in us, and to reveal our depravity before God, i.e. our need for salvation [Romans 3:19-20]. Therefore the old law still has a purpose, and that is to reveal sin, and therefore those old sins, are still sins, meant to reveal the true nature of the un-believing, and the self-righteous. Works do not save the believer, that is, performing the deeds of the law; and therefore the believer cannot be lost by failing to do the works of the law. We are saved by faith, and therefore we can only be lost if we walk away from that saving faith, which is possible, see Hebrews 3:12-14, 6:4-6.

For an in depth look at the role of the Old Covenant law, and the New Covenant law, please review the following Hatena Diary Bible studies.

“The Role of the Law” http://d.hatena.ne.jp/nicholighkun/20120727/1343415433

“New Covenant Law” http://d.hatena.ne.jp/nicholighkun/20120829/1346260564

Old Testament (Covenant) Passages

First let me be very clear, the following section is simply to prove that the Scriptures cannot be used to endorse alternative lifestyles. These verses are not the main point of this study they are only to lay the ground rule that God does not condone these lifestyles. **VERY IMPORTANT** You should also remember that the doling out of punishment for sin is now allotted to Christ alone [John 5:22], and it is not a sinners place to exact the punishment for sin [John 8:7].

Leviticus 18:All All things listed in this passage are an abomination; 18:22. “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” See also Leviticus 20:13 but remember the **VERY IMPORTANT** point above.

Deuteronomy 22:5 “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.” Cross-dressing, be it for story telling, or as a lifestyle, is an abomination i.e. Misses Doutfire, Tyler Perry Madea movies, Bugs Bunny etc. all who do this are an abomination to God.

Psalm 55:19 “God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes [in themselves], therefore they fear not God.” In other words, those who hear the Word and do not respond, as evidenced by a lack of change, have thereby shown the outward evidence that they do not fear God, and God will surely afflict them. Again I remind you, salvation is by faith alone, but rejecting the Will and command of God is an outward evidence of a faith that is not genuine, or that is dying. See also Matthew 7:20-27.

Ezekiel 18:24 “But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all [any of] the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die."

This Ezekiel passage is in regards to self-righteousness, which is by performing the works of the old law, not true righteousness, which is by faith. This is evidenced when God says, “When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness”. If yours is a self-righteousness, i.e. “I treat others right, and I am a good person (by my standard). Therefore God won’t judge me, or perhaps my righteous deeds will somehow negate or outweigh my sins” then this verse applies to you. The moment you sin accord to God’s standard, your previous righteousness is forgotten, and you are now steeped in sin, and if you were to perish at that moment, then you would do so in your current sin, with none of your previous righteousness. Those who are truly faithful will abhor their sin, and will only fall on occasion, as did even Paul [Romans 7:14-25], but false faith is like a sow that turns back to wallow in the mire, or the dog that returns to his vomit; this is the servant of sin.

New Testament (Covenant) Passages

Romans 1:25-32 “25 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. 26 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: 27 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 appropriate. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

I Corinthians 6:9 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,"

Abomination

Some gay marriage proponents will argue that the word abomination refers to idolatrous practices, and therefore when God calls men lying with men, and women lying with women, and abomination, He is specifically speaking of ritualistic Pagan worship, i.e. “romantic” practices tied directly to false religion. Nothing could be further from the truth. Gesenius’ definition of the Hebrew word for abomination does seem to agree with this though.

Abomination= Gesenius' Hebrew Lexicon #8441 to'ebah: especially used of things made impure and illicit by the decrees of religion; specially used of things belonging to the worship of idols, and of idols themselves.

Despite the fact that this definition seems to agree with the alternative lifestyle affirming definition of the word ‘abomination’, the context in which this word is used in the Scriptures, is much more telling, and contradictory to this lenient interpretation.

Let's look at Leviticus 18. Verse 26 is God telling the Hebrews not to do any of the abominations [to-ebah] of the heathen nations that would be expelled from the land. The exact wording is "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations...” This is stated after a long list of restricted behavior, so let’s take a look at those previous verses to see what kind of practices God is forbidding, and calling an abomination. All but *one of these is a prohibition on romantic immorality.

We first read the command against carnal relation w/close kin in general, then follows commands against relations with the following individuals in this order: mother, step mother, sister, sons daughter, or daughters daughter, step sister, if she is begotten of your father, aunts, daughter in law, brothers wife, a woman and her daughter, or her sons daughter, or her sister, a woman during her monthly “lady time”, neighbors wife, *no child sacrificin’ ya’ll, then in verse 22 we read "thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind, it is abomination," and finally no romance with animals.

Notice how these are all commands against relations specifically with woman, as if to say there is no other normal relation, then He finally gives the statement “mankind shall not lie with mankind”. I think this is very clear. If God thought that homosexual relations were okay so long as they were not in the context of pagan worship He would have said, don't lie with your sister, or your brother, don't lie with your aunt or your uncle, but He didn't. He summed all homosexual relations together by saying “men lying with men”.

Once again I remind you, this is merely a sub-point of this study. This must be addressed because one of the most successful attacks on the Scripture is by twisting the context of a passage, and by inundating the audience with Greek and Hebrew definitions and interpretations that seem scholarly, which gives them a sense of false validity. Therefore, we must make it very clear that the Scriptures are understood correctly and in context.

Here are several other instances where things that are clearly not related to idol worship, or pagan practice, are given the same Hebrew word, to’ebah, to describe their abominable nature. Looking up the word abomination in a Strong’s concordance, and then looking for usage of the word to’ebah #8441 can easily test these facts. What you need to ask yourself with each example is, “Does this have anything to do with pagan ritualistic practice?” If the answer is no, then the argument that God only disapproves of homosexuality when it is in the context of pagan worship, falls flat on it’s face.

Genesis 43:32 The act of eating with the Hebrews is considered to be an abomination (to’ebah) to the Egyptians. Is this related to pagan worship?

Genesis 46:34 A shepherd is considered an abomination (to’ebah) to the Egyptians. Is this related to pagan worship?

Deuteronomy 14:3 describes the unclean animals, some of which (not all) are considered abominable (to’ebah). Is this related to pagan worship?

Deuteronomy 22:5 Cross-dressing is considered abomination (to’ebah). Is this related to pagan worship?

Deut. 24:4 A woman divorced, who has had a new relation with a man, cannot go back to her previous husband, it is abomination (to’ebah). Is this related to pagan worship?

Deut. 25:16 Those who use false weights in trade (to make a dishonest profit) are abomination (to’ebah). Is this related to pagan worship?

I Kings 14:24 Some Sodomites in the land were said to have done the abominations (to’ebah) of the land of Canaan, which did include idolatry, but also included the immoral sexual practices.

The following are several instances where a king or the people of Israel were said to have followed the abominations (to’ebah) of the land of Canaan, which as I stated above, also included the sexual acts, as well as the idolatry. II kings 36:14, Ezra 9:1, Ezra 9:11, Ezra: 9:14.

Psalms 88:8 The writer describes himself as being made an abomination (to’ebah) in the eyes of his fellow Jews.

Proverbs 3:32 The froward [perverted, wicked] are described as an abomination (to’ebah). Is this related to pagan worship?

Other Things to Consider

(1) Genesis 2:24 “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” This is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 19:4-6 & Mark 10:7.

(2)Sodom and Gomorrah: Some say that Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed for homosexuality but instead for a list of other grievances quoted in Ezekiel 16:48-49: pride, fullness of bread, abundance of idleness, and because they did not strengthen the hands of the poor and needy. Jude 7 “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

They may also say that when the men of Sodom sought to “know” Lot’s visitors, they simply wanted to interrogate them. It’s true that the Hebrew word can be used for this purpose, but is there a Scripture that declares interrogation to be a sin? And why would lot offer the mob his daughters to “interrogate” in place of the strangers? In what way would that satisfy their desire to “interrogate” these new men?

(3) Silence from Jesus: Some say that because Jesus never spoke out against homosexuality, He must therefore condone it. However, I first remind you that The Father and The Son are One, and what the father found to be an abomination, so then does the Son. Also, Jesus never spoke out against beastiality, or pedophilia, yet we know based on the Unity between Father and son, that He is staunchly against these things. Once again Matthew 19:4-6 is relevant here because it reveals Jesus’ view of marriage, in that He reiterates the Father’s intended union.

(4) Altered Definitions: Some will argue that I Corinthians 6:9-10 and I Timothy 1:9-11 are specifically referring to abusive homosexual practices, and a male who sells himself to others. In I Corinthians 6:9 & I Timothy 1:10 the terms effeminate and whoremonger [respectively] do refer to a male prostitute, but the phrase “them that defile themselves with mankind” is also in both passages, and it does refer to basic homosexuality.

(5) Paul’s Bias: Another argument is that Romans 1 is Paul’s own bias coming out in his writings. Not only is Paul’s writing in accordance with the rest of Scripture, but also he has a history of making it unquestionably clear when he is offering his opinion [I Corinthians 7:12, 25 & 40], as opposed to reinforcing what God has already revealed, or when he is being given divine revelation from God [I Timothy 4:1-5]. There is no reason to think that Paul suddenly had a lapse in this ability to differentiate between the sources of his doctrine, especially on a matter that reveals such severe peril for so many.

(6) The Role of the Woman: Three things to remember are; the reasons that God gave for the creation of the woman and His command to them both. (1) “It is not good that the man should be alone” Genesis 2:18. The woman was created to alleviate mans loneliness; that is one reason for which she was made, and substituting a man for this role goes against what God ordained. (2) “I will make him an help meet [suitable] for him” Genesis 2:18. The woman is what God considers suitable for man. (3) “. . . be fruitful and multiply . . .” Genesis 1:28. The man and woman were told to populate the earth. Two men, and two women cannot fulfill this edict naturally, therefore God did not intend for their union. Nowhere in Scripture does God give any hint that these principles for marriage are temporary, or that they may in any way be redefined.

(7) The “Gay Gene”: This subject is an important point to remember, because people love to proclaim, “If God says that being gay is a sin, and then He makes someone gay, then He is a bad God.” Many credible men with a Ph.D. or M.D. have declared themselves to have found the “gay gene” which is later found to be false, or largely inconclusive. Don’t trust someone just because there’s a fancy title or degree behind his or her name.

In regards to the “gay gene” argument; evolutionists cannot claim this for themselves, as the evolutionary paradigm is that the inner workings of evolution are performed in such a way as to keep the species going, and to make it stronger. If there is a “gay gene”, and it is so pervasive (based on the *growing number of homosexuals in the world), then it is basically impossible to believe that genetic safeguards would not have been created this late in the game to keep this “gay gene” from popping up, * because the success of this gene would mean the extinction of the species, due to a lack of procreation. Also, a study by King and McDonald performed on identical twins showed that only 10-25% of identical twins that were gay [depending on whether or not you include bisexuals] had a twin who was also gay [or bisexual]. That means at best only 1 in 4 pairs of twins with one member being gay have a twin who is also gay (having identical genetics mind you), and that is if you include bisexuality in with the gay category. If this gene were really there, then if one in a set of twins were gay, then his or her twin would also have to be gay. But instead, in only one out of four identicle twins with one gay member, is the other member also gay, or bisexual; and only one in ten are both strictly gay. Furthermore, the various segments of the genome that are alleged to be the infamous “gay gene” would need to be replicated in each subject, and it is not. In other words, this “gay gene” appears in some heterosexuals, and it does not appear in some homosexuals. The “gay gene” theory is nothing more than science fiction. However, the new consensus is that the “gay gene” creates a predisposition, but not predestination. This means that just because the “gay gene” is present, doesn’t mean that a person will be gay. In other words, “There is no proof that any gene is indeed connected to homosexuality, but we have made ourselves a nice convenient way out of having to prove this connection to you anyway.” Most research that has been done on this issue has been met with contemporaries on both sides of the argument raising questions about the methodology of the experiments, and about the interpretation of the evidence. In fact, no report of this nature has been duplicated by follow-up independent research that has been done to test the findings that have been touted. In other words, if these genes are where the researchers say they are, then independent lab research should yield the same or similar results as the initial study, yet they never do. The media is quick to bring you headlines that proclaim that “scientists have found the gay gene”, and they never tell you when that particular study is found to be inadequate, inconclusive or even fraudulent. Also note that if it were indeed genetic, then it would be impossible to “convert” and yet there are incredible studies that report large numbers of successful conversions. Genetics cannot be “converted”.

What Now?

Now that we can easily proclaim that God does not condone homosexuality; and we have taken a scrutinizing look at the current scientific arguments to find them easily debunked; where do we go from here? Does God hate homosexuals, as the Westboro Baptists proclaim? No He does not. There is no passage in Scripture that proclaims, or even hints at this. God hates sin, but He loves the sinner Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” There is not a person living today who has not sinned. Anyone who believes otherwise is deceived. If you dear brother or sister Christian are tempted to proclaim that homosexuality is a sin, then you had better not forget the equally important message of Grace and salvation by faith, else you do nothing but harm to the one who endures your words. If you don’t know how to preach Grace, then keep your mouth shut. And if you feel the desire to persecute homosexuals, then you need to remember Jesus’ words to the Pharisees who brought unto Him the woman taken in adultery, “Let he among you who is without sin, cast the first stone”. Most scholars agree that what Jesus was writing in the sand while they were accusing this woman, was likely a list of the sins of those very Pharisees. If you choose to cast a stone, know that you are operating well outside of God’s parameters, and more deplorably you are giving your Lord (if He truly is your Lord) a bad name. All judgment is given to the Son John 5:22.

The only unforgivable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Ghost [Mark 3:22-30].

But the issue I want to address is the issue of gay marriage. I’ll discuss two topics under this header, the implications of passing these laws, and the possible repercussions of passing them.

The Implications

It is one thing to allow people to make their own choices; the ability to choose is something that God has intended for us to have. He has set before us life and death, and allowed us to choose for ourselves [Deuteronomy 30:15]. No Bible honoring Christian has any Scriptural basis for thinking that the forcing of Biblical lifestyles is a God-condoned Biblical practice, because it is not; it goes against Gods plan for choice. But that doesn’t make homosexuality right. Not only have we already seen that God does not condone it, but also consider that it is not (1) natural, by definition. If it were natural, then two men could make a child together “naturally”, and two women the same. Romans 1:26-27 “26 . . . their women did change the (1) natural use into that which is (1) against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the (1) natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another . . ."

In terms of gay marriage, the real issue isn’t the right to marry; the real issue is the message that is being sent to the next generation, that homosexuality is natural, or that it is a good lifestyle. Jesus said that those who offend one of these little ones that believes on Him, it were better that a millstone were hung about that persons neck, and they were cast into the sea. *God’s heart is against the blurring of the line between good and evil [Isaiah 5:20], in regards to the boundaries that He has set; and He is vehemently against things that cause children to stumble. If gay marriage laws are past, then society is proclaiming, against the decree of God, that homosexuality is natural. The next generation will come up believing this, and some will choose death un-knowingly; and for the sake of the innocent, this house (in our case the US) WILL fall, without question. Remember the *wild fires that were ignited four days after California passed gay marriage laws?

*Isaiah 5:20-26 “20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: 23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! 24 Therefore *as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25 Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 26 *And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:”

A very old tactic of the devil is to cause God’s people to sin, or in some fashion to reject Gods Word, so that God Himself will fight against them, because no one will succeed in fighting God’s people if God is for them. This goes back to Balaam and Balak. First read Revelation 2:14, and then read Numbers 22-25.

Repercussions

*In California gay marriage laws were passed on 6/16/08, and on 6/20/08, only four days later the state was ravaged by wildfires that were started by lightning, and these numbered 2,780 at their peak. This was one of, if not the worst year the state has ever seen. Firefighters worldwide were being flown in constantly to aid, and the fires raged on; the efforts of the firefighters were totally moot for some time. Very soon after this, on 11/5/08 the state dropped its new gay marriage law.

The state of New York passed a gay marriage law on 7/24/11, and on 10/29/12 Hurricane Sandy ravaged the state.

You may be tempted to believe these to be coincidences, but I only ask that you keep up with the natural disasters that befall states and countries that pass any laws that openly challenge God’s law. I am certain that you will soon see devastating natural disasters. The most recent states to pass such laws are Maine, Maryland and Washington. The full list of states is Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and Washington, as of today 11/18/12. I REMIND YOU, these events are not to punish gay marriage specifically, they are to punish the blurring of the line between life and death, regardless of what form it takes. In a place where the laws of God are challenged or reversed, you will soon see natural disasters.

Countries and states that are known cesspools of debauchery (sin of all kinds) are the ones that are ravaged by intense, out of the ordinary natural disasters; the earthquake in Haiti, the earthquake and ensuing Tsunami in Japan and it’s tidal waves in California, the wildfires of California, New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy in NY. Keep your eyes peeled and be honest with yourself, and you won’t miss it.

And just in case a Christ professing individual thinks that this notion isn’t Biblical, please read Exodus 10:13 & 19, 15:10, Leviticus 18:25, Psalm 83, Proverbs 11:29, Isaiah 11:15, 24:18-23, Jeremiah 51:1, Ezekiel 13:9-15, Hosea 13:15, and the many natural disasters contained in the book of Revelation that are punishments for mankind. God does use the forces of nature to punish.

Summary

Dear brother and sister Christian, you had better be sure of what you believe, because this subject is being used to vilify the faith that you claim. If you want the masses to have more fuel for the fire that is powered by a false understanding of Christianity, then go ahead and persecute gay people, but you had better persecute all sinners equally, yourself included; and know that when you persecute others you are operating completely outside of the New Covenant law. If a fire is kindled because Christians who are exhibiting love toward their opposition, are also standing firm and unmoving on the Word of God, then blessed be those persecuted saints.

Christian, if you must speak on this subject in a public arena, then study it; and be sure that your stance is purely Biblical. The real question at hand, from the Christian perspective, is not “Is homosexuality wrong?” and it isn’t “Should the gay community have the right to marry?” the real question for the Christian should always be the same for any situation; “What does God’s Word have to say on the matter?” We are to stand firm on the Word of our God, and we must not be moved from it, or else the future generations will suffer greatly. God’s Word declares that He will act against those who blur the line that He has drawn between life and death, so we should always fight that blurring process in any arena.

The Christians job is ONLY to proclaim the good news of the Gospel, not to point out the sins of others. We are to preach judgment for sins, but not to point our fingers as if we ourselves have never sinned. However, if God has given you a public office, then your God-given calling is to use your knowledge, while COMPLETELY relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit to affect the work of un-blurring the dividing line between life and death.

Dear gay friend, the Scriptures say that if the lines of right and wrong, good and evil, life and death are blurred, and thereby the law of God is rejected, and the new generations are deceived, God will take action. When the line is blurred, then some will choose death, being unaware of the nature of their choice, or it’s consequences. God’s anger and action over this subject is actually full of mercy toward those who would be deceived by the blurring of this line, and He WILL act on their behalf. If you choose death over life for yourself, then God will allow you that option, though He may continue to call you to repentance and faith depending on the condition of your heart, because He loves you. If you attempt to erase or to shift the line between life and death for others, God will act against you and your plans, for the sake of those who will be deceived into choosing death because of your actions. If your desire to marry is so great that you don’t mind deceiving the younger generations, then you will pay the consequences for your actions for their sake.

The US was once a great nation, when the line was clear. But the enemies of God have been working for some time to shift and blur those lines in a myriad of forums (this marriage issue being only one example), and the nation is pushed nearer to destruction because of this venture. Other issues that need to be viewed under this lens are the normalizing of pre-marital, and casual relations in general, acceptance of violence and vengeance [vengeance belongs to God alone], abortion, and rebellion [especially against parents]. Satan knows that a nation as powerful as the US, if they stand with God and His chosen people Israel, will pose a destructive threat to the nations that would come against Israel. By causing this nation to essentially self-destruct by willingly becoming the object of God’s Wrath, rather than a vessel for His blessing, Satan will succeed in eliminating us as a threat to his plans. But do not be deceived, God has many faithful subjects remaining in this world; and He will never be defeated, regardless of the state of belief for this or any other nation. And just in case you have too much pride in this country now, or in what it once was, know that there is no clear mention of the US in the prophecies in Scripture. The Scriptures clearly state that ALL nations will come against Israel in the last days. That means that we will have been destroyed, or else we will have, as a nation, turned on God and His people, and therefore we will be counted with all of the nations who come against Israel. We need to fight the changing tide by falling on our faces in repentance before God. That means examining your own life (not someone else’s), and asking yourself, “Does my life glorify God, or am I living for myself? Am I compromising the clear Word of the Living God?” And if your heart is hardened toward your opposition in any matter, then you need to learn to view those across from you as family members. That is God’s child, and He died to save them, just like He did for you. You should be broken hearted for them, because God is. God’s wrath does not equal hate. He is rich in mercy and very long suffering. Never forget that you will answer for your treatment for your fellow man [Matthew 25:33-46].

Encouragement

To anyone who is gay and who also loves God and desires salvation, I say once again, the only unforgivable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Ghost [Mark 3:22-30]. Please see the studies on the old and new laws that I linked at the beginning of this study. You are not saved by works i.e. performing the law, you are saved by grace [Ephesians 2:8-9]. If you don’t earn salvation by performing the law, then you can’t lose it by failing to perform. You are saved by faith [trusting God], and therefore you can only lose it if you lose your faith in God [Hebrews 3:12-14, 6:4-6], which is usually the product of intentionally harboring sin [Mark 4:19, Luke 8:14, II Peter 2:20-22, Hebrews 3:13]. In other words, falling to sin won’t cause you to lose your salvation; Paul wrote of his own weaknesses with sin in Romans 7:15-25, but you do need to repent immediately when it happens, and mortify those sins. However, allowing sin to reign, that is, giving it quarter in your life, or defending it, or accepting it as something that you refuse to give up or to fight against; this is a recipe for thorny ground, where the desires of your flesh will choke out the Word and you will no longer be fruitful [Matthew 13:22]; and branches that are not fruitful will be taken away [Luke 13:9]. Sin deceives, and it must be taken seriously.

One thing about sin is that it is strengthened by secrecy, the darkness cannot thrive in the light [John 3:19, 8:12, 12:35 & 36, Acts 26:18, Romans 13:12, I Corinthians 4:5, II Corinthians 6:14, Ephesians 5:8, I Thessalonians 5:5, I Peter 2:9, I John 1:5], and that is why we are commanded to confess our sins one to another [James 5:16]. Confess your sins [whatever they may be] to someone within the church that you know to be a godly person. If you struggle with homosexuality, then I suggest that you confess that to a godly member of the opposite sex, to avoid possible temptation for you or the person to whom you are confessing. If you draw breath, and you still have faith in God, then He has not given up on you; He still loves you. He is your Father, and He is rich in mercy [Ephesians 2:4], and He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should be saved [II Peter 3:9].

Suggestions

To any non-Christian gay person who speaks on this subject after reading this: please refrain from insisting that we are trying to force our opinions on you. Our goal is not to force you to be straight, or to deny you some fundamental right. Our reason for opposing these laws is to keep the line between life and death clearly visible. You may choose to call this a civil rights issue, but civil rights liberated people groups from oppression and segregation; the law does not oppress you, nor does it seek to segregate you, and neither does God’s Word. If either one of those writings taught people to go out and seek your harm, or if those writings withheld fundamental rights from you, as set forth in those writings themselves [these kinds of rights must be discussed in the context of the subject matter in question, i.e. “the constitution/Bible says one thing, and you are enforcing another”]; then you could rightfully say that you are being oppressed. However, wishing to redefine marriage is not a civil rights issue, just as being oppressed in your private life by un-Biblical Christians does not mean that Christianity oppresses you; those people are NOT operating as a true believer should. And please do not use the Old Testament as “proof” that Christians are taught to seek your harm, because under the New Covenant, all judgment is given to the Son John 5:22, and sinners are no longer qualified to pass judgment for sin John 8:7.

Defining marriage as “a general fundamental right to marry whomever one wishes” is not in the constitution and it surely isn’t in the Bible. As silly as the argument may seem: where do you draw the line? What if someone wants to marry a horse, and have his or her marital status recognized by the state? Or perhaps someone who wants tax breaks decides he wants to marry an inanimate object; let’s just say a car, for example? The reason a one-man-one-woman relationship is recognized by the constitution is because it is clearly natural, as evidenced by its very nature. A man cannot procreate with another man, a horse, or a car. In the end your fight is against nature itself; the constitution of the United States; and more grievously it is against the Word of the Living God. I personally am not asking you to lie down and accept this, I’m only asking that you make sure that you clearly understand the argument that I am presenting and that people on both sides begin to portray their opposition with honesty and accuracy. You can accurately say, “Christians oppose gay marriage laws, because they believe that this will confuse, and lead future generations away from the Christian God” but it is inaccurate (and among those who are educated on the matter, it is deceptive) to say, “They are oppressing my fundamental right to marry whomever I wish”, or “Ours is a new civil rights movement."

Also, please do not dredge up the past in an attempt to sully the validity of Christianity by attaching un-Biblical events to the faith i.e. the crusades, the Salem witch trials, racism, sexism etc. Each of those examples can be proven to be distinctly un-Biblical, and most examples that are given as evidence against us have nothing to do with Biblical Christianity anyway. For example, racism and sexism among believers started with Darwin in the textbooks, believe it or not. Darwin’s views on the superiority of the white race and the male of the species were actually taught as SCIENCE in early textbooks thanks to the Scopes trial, and the effects of this were felt in every sector, including within the Christian community. The miss treatment of servants and of wives was not widespread in America, certainly not among the church until after Darwin permeated the culture with the “science” that proclaimed that interbreeding among the races would sully our “superior gene pool”. After all, these practices are contradictory to Ephesians 5:25 & 6:9, among many other passages.

Also, the Crusades are such a long and detailed story, that one cannot simply say, “The Christians did it” and then list atrocities as if this proves Christianity wrong. First of all, only the teachings of a faith can be used to judge that faith; whereas the things done in the name of that faith, if they were done in a manner not taught by it, serve for nothing but to defame the individuals who committed those atrocities; they should do nothing to defame a faith that teaches things quite contrary to those practices. Secondly, the Muslim attacks and conquests were the start of the conflict. To imply that “Christians went on a murderous/world conquering spree” is pure fantasy, and quite dishonest. Indeed the “Christian” crusader armies were actually Catholic, and Catholicism is an un-Biblical form of Christianity. Please see the following Hatena Diary entry where I take the Catholic doctrine; as set forth by the Rosary and the hail holy queen prayer, as well as the message of the Marian apparition “Our lady of Fatima” and compare those doctrines with those set forth in the Bible itself to show that the doctrines of the Catholic faith are in stark contrast to those set forth in the Word of God.

Hail holy queen

Part I - http://d.hatena.ne.jp/nicholighkun/20110527/1306508733

Part II - http://d.hatena.ne.jp/nicholighkun/20110525/1306349293

It is dishonest, or at best unlearned to suggest that any of these past events should color Christianity in general. Even if self-professed Christians perpetrated all of these events, the actions of a few should never be used to portray a faith. Only the teachings of that faith can be used to accurately portray its nature. Yes many unrighteous things have been done in the name of religion, and even in the name of Christ, but that doesn’t mean that religion or Christianity in particular is wrong. An honest appraisal of a faith can only be achieved by looking at what that faith teaches.

The Bible believing Christian should fight against laws that muddy the clear waters, but we should never fight fire with fire. We are to love our enemies, bless those that curse us, and pray for them that persecute and despitefully use us, all while holding firm in our faith, and proclaiming Grace and forgiveness to those who would trust in God. Jesus made it clear in Matthew 7:24-29 that those who hear His words, and do not commit them, are like a house built on the sand, and when persecutions arise for the Gospel’s sake, that house will fall. Those who hear and do the Words of Christ are like a house built on a rock. Persecutions will come and go, but that house will stand.