The issue here is a spiritual one, not one based on loving
or not loving someone. It is not about
equality, nor about rights. The gay
community is not a minority but a group of people who wish to gain minority
status based upon choice of lifestyle.
Certainly in this free country, a person has the freedom to live his
life as he chooses.
But, the legal issue
of marriage is a matter of belief in the validity, inerrancy, and power of God’s
Word, which very clearly states that marriage is to be between one man and one woman, and the homosexual lifestyle is not permitted. It is not about how we feel, nor about the
struggles we face, nor about what we want; it is about obedience to the Word of
God, and following Him, according to His Word. If a person is not a believer in Jehovah God Almighty, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and does not believe that the Bible is the
inspired Word of God, then certainly it is easy to understand why he does not
agree nor understand what the Bible teaches and what are the parameters on this
subject.
Of course, there are many places in the Scripture where
sexual issues and sexual immorality are discussed, and where sexual immorality is clearly prohibited…just one of them is
Romans 1:18-32. If you should desire to
read even a small portion of what God has to say about this subject, here it
is:
Romans 1:18-32
·
18 For the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress
the truth in unrighteousness,
·
19 because that which is known about
God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
·
20 For since the creation of the world His
invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being
understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
·
21 For even though they knew God, they did
not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their
speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
·
22 Professing to be wise, they became
fools,
·
23 and exchanged the glory of the
incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and
four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
·
24 Therefore God gave them over in the
lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored
among them.
·
25 For they exchanged the truth of 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 over
to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for
that which is unnatural,
·
27 and in the same way also the men
abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward
one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their
own persons the due penalty of their error.
·
28 And just as they did not see fit to
acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do
those things which are not proper,
·
29 being filled with all unrighteousness,
wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they
are gossips,
·
30 slanderers, haters of God,
insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
·
31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving,
unmerciful;
·
32 and although they know the ordinance of
God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not
only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice
them.”
I have had many friends through the years who have lived and
do live a gay lifestyle; I love them dearly.
I do not wish them harm and ill-will – I wish them joy and abundant
life! They are my friends and precious
creations of God. My desire is that
they will seek to know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and to believe
in the Truth of what He says in His Word.
The issue of homosexuality is one that I gladly leave at the foot of the
Cross, because until a person is convinced of and surrendered to the Lordship
of Jesus Christ in his life, and the Truth of God’s Word, the argument is in
vain. The Holy Spirit is the One Who
convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8) and I know
I can trust Him to do His work.
I do not accept and condone the gay lifestyle because God’s
Word teaches that homosexuality is wrong, as is sexual sin of any kind. The Bible also teaches that sexual sin is
different than any other kind of sin, because it is a sin against one’s own
body. Another place in Scripture where
these issues are dealt with is in 1 Corinthians 6.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11,
15-20
·
9 Or 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 effeminate, nor
homosexuals,
·
10 nor thieves, nor the covetous,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of
God.
·
11 Such were some of you; but you were washed,
but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
·
15 Do you not know that your bodies
are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make
them members of a prostitute? May it never be!
·
16 Or do you not know that the one who
joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “The two
shall become one flesh.”
·
17 But the one who joins himself to the
Lord is one spirit with Him.
·
18 Flee immorality. Every other sin
that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against
his own body.
·
19 Or do you not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and
that you are not your own?
·
20 For you have been bought with a
price: therefore glorify God in your body.”
I know that there are many of you out there who disagree
with what I have written here, but I am confident that your argument is not
with me, but with God’s Word. If you do
not believe that God’s Word IS God’s Word, then our discussion stops
there. I do believe it is true, it is
real, it is living and active, and it is valid in this world today.
Jesus said, “I AM the Way, and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6
Amy Stuart Stockwell
2/10/2012
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