Sex

This past week the United States Supreme Court handed down two rulings affecting the status of gay marriage in this country. I don't know what was more sad. The news of the rulings or the cover on The New Yorker magazine this past week of Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie, cuddling on the couch.

What is going on in this country? What is happening to us as a society that we embrace what once was unheard of? That is actually a very easy question to answer. We're removing God from our schools, our government and . . . our lives.

There are many sins I could write about here - drunkenness, gambling, drug and alcohol addiction, pornography, adultery. They're all pretty much the same. They basically the things we do when we forget about God and elevate ourselves above Him . . . and that is ANOTHER sin.
 

It is quite clear in God's word what is acceptable in His eyes and what is not - sex-wise. Sex outside of marriage is a sin and so is same-sex sex. There are plenty of passages in the Bible speaking about it. The typical verses used by those against gay marriage and homosexuality are usually Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 where God calls such acts "an abomination."

 

Those "Christians" who support the gay and lesbian lifestyle, or at least feel they should be allowed to practise what ever kind of sex we want, say that the Old Testament God and all of its rules no longer apply to us because of the New Covenant, the New Testament and Jesus. For those who believe that, I have some verses for you . . . from the New Testament.
 

"8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." - Hebrews 13:8

 

And this from the Book of John - "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." - John 1:1-5

 

Jesus has always been around and His Word, from beginning to end, has always been true. So much for excluding the Old Testament. These words are from Jesus. The One who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

 

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." - Matthew 5:17

 

God loves marriage. God loves relationships - healthy, monogamous relationships. But he does NOT love same sex relationships. He hates them. Yes, God hates. And He is a jealous God, not wanting that any should perish. Read this from the book of Romans and see if it sounds like what is happening in our world today.

 

"21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

 

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

 

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error." - Romans 1:21-27

 

That pretty much sums up how God feels about this topic and, as followers of Christ, it is also how WE should feel about it. So what do we do, as Christians, when we encounter friends and family in same-sex relationships in our lives? Jesus is pretty clear on that front too.

 

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:34-35

 

Some would say, "See? We're supposed to love one another, whether we're male or female! Yes, that is true but the word "love" from this text is "agapate" (unconditional love) in Greek, not "eros" - meaning sexual love as in marriage. We should love everybody! Just not sexually. Sexual love is only to be between a husband and a wife . . . of the opposite sex.

 

Here's some questions for you this morning . . . Can there be gay and lesbian Christians? Can there be murders who are Christian? The thief on the cross next to Jesus. He was a murderer and HE went to heaven. What about him!?

 

Well, he repented of his sins. But when we as a society CONDONE and ACCEPT sin rather thaan repent of it, what then? If we continue to live in sin, no matter what the sin is, are we truly Christians? Are we truly following Jesus?

 

"15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."" - John 14:15

 

So what do we do? First, we as a nation need to get on our knees and seek God's forgiveness. But that will never happen. At least not before Jesus returns. Then, we need to take a stand for God's Word in our churches. That won't happen either, at least not in ALL the churches. Many of our brothers and sisters are too busy worshipping man rather than God.

 

Some may call me a hater for speaking out on this issue. Nope. I am a Christian . .  a follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus told his followers to love everyone . . . agape love. Would you call Jesus a "hater"? I don't think so. Today, I am just speaking out against sin, and the path this nation and this world are walking on. Homosexuality just happened to be in the news this week.

 

The path this world is on does not lead to heaven. The path we need to be walking on leads to Jesus. But it is a path that is increasingly hard to find these days and in this world it is extremely narrow.

 

"13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." - Matthew 7:13

 

We are all sinners. None of us deserves to be called sons and daughters of The Most High God. We must REPENT of our sins and make JESUS Lord or our lives, not ourselves. May we always seek the narrow gate, the path that leads to Jesus. May we follow Him wherever He may go, no matter what the cost, for He is The Way, The Truth and The Life (John 14:6)

 

Jesus, Friend of Sinners by Casting Crowns