!1 Grace Church of Napa Valley 7-12-2015 Pastor John Fernandez God s plan for sexuality (pt. 2) God s answers to pro-gay arguments. Why deal with the issue of same sex marriage and the homosexual practice which fuels it? The media, entertainment industry and supreme court decision have propelled this issue to the forefront of American culture, legally demanding acceptance of it and ostracizing those who do not agree with it. We must give God s answers on this issue. If this had been a law legalizing polygamy, adultery or incest we would be compelled to do the same thing: give God s answers. Why? Because the gospel of Jesus and love for people demand we do. To not give them God s answers is to leave people in their sin, believing what God says is wrong is actually right. If same sex marriage and homosexual practice is not sin then repentance isn t necessary and if repentance for sin is not done, Jesus says there is no salvation and reconciliation with God. He calls Christians to preach the gospel of repentance for the forgiveness of sins to all the world (Luke 24:46-47). God saves from the penalty of sin, only those who believe in Christ and repent (1 John 1:9; Eph. 2:4-9; Acts 2:38; Luke 24:46-47; Romans 1:16-18). How are Christians to deal with this issue? With grace and truth. With love and the gospel. Jesus came to earth full of Grace and Truth (John 1:14-16). He displayed this to the prostitute caught in sin. He sternly rebuked those who were going to stone her and tenderly reached out to her helping her stand up and then saying to her, Go and sin no more (John 8: 1-11). We are told to give answer or explanation (of God s truth) for the reason of our faith yet do so (in love) with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-17). It s not hateful to tell someone you love that what they are doing is wrong. A loving Father warns his children for their good to obey him. God so loved the world He sent His eternal Son, Jesus, to not only die for our sins but warn us to repent of them. The son of Man came to lay down His life as a payment for the sins of many...i tell you... unless you repent you will all likewise perish.... Unless you believe that I AM you will die in your sins (Mark 10;45; Luke 13:5; John 8:24).
!2 A Christian from our congregation emailed me about what God had shown him regarding his attitude toward homosexuals: Thanks for addressing this timely topic. I confess that for many years I was one who hated and persecuted gay people, and loosely used Christianity as an excuse for that ungodly hate. God has forgiven me for that sin, and given me a heart of compassion for those whose lostness expresses itself in homosexual behavior, and who need a loving Lord and Savior just as desperately as me. I have been saddened by the apparent lack of compassion in Christendom toward these men and women. It prompted me to read my Bible again, and I was reminded that perhaps the harshest criticism is leveled at those who profess to know God and yet practice hypocrisy (Matthew 7:5; Mark 7 etc.). The fact doesn t make sin not to be sin, but hypocrisy (not homosexual acts) was the sin I was guilty of, and of which I could repent. God s word has answers for those who believe same sex marriage is good. Here are responses to 7 common pro-gay arguments: Defending God s plan for Sexuality. 1.If people are born homosexual or with a transgender orientation how can it be wrong for them to live that way? Leviticus 18:22 and Deuteronomy 22:5 clearly same homosexual sex and trans-gender dressing or role reversal is sin. You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.... A woman shall not wear man s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God. How can this be fair if people are born that way or it is natural to them? a.homosexuals are not born that way. In Genesis 1:27; 2:21, God says he created male and female not homosexual people. In Romans 1:26-28, homosexual practice is said to be unnatural, that is, contrary to God s created design for men and women.
!3 b.not everything comes natural to us is right. Proverbs 14:12 says, There is a way that seems right to man but the end is death. In Matthew 15:19, Jesus tells us many behaviors that are natural and heartfelt to us are wrong: For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders Jesus says when people murder, commit adultery, steal, lie and slander it is behavior that is not faked, but their genuine true desires which flows from their heart that is, it comes from who they really are. It is the behavior which comes nature and is true to who they are... yet sinful! Jesus says of these natural behavior that they are things which defile the man (Matthew 15:20) and are evil (Mark 7:23). The word defile meant to be unclean before God (Rev. 21:27). God warns that much of what comes natural to man is wrong. He says of the civilizations that perished in the flood, the intents of the thoughts of their heart (their natural inclination ) was toward evil continually (Genesis 6:5). Because of this, the bible warns against trusting in our natural inclination as the path that is right, He who trusts in his own heart is a fool... there is a way that seems right to man, but the end is death. God calls people instead to lean not on their own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him (Prov.28:26; 14:12; 3:6). c. Right is not defined by what feels right. If so, no sin would be forbidden. Homosexual practice is listed with other behaviors such as lying, adultery, kidnapping and murder which people rightly agree are wrong (1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:9-11). Even if stealing, lying, violence, adultery, etc. could be linked to genetic make up would it make the behavior right? If they found a gay gene or a adultery gene or an incest gene or a lying gene would it make it right? No. It still would be wrong. Joe Dallas, former homosexual and gay activist said of homosexuality: Whether inborn or acquired, it is still, like all sexual contact apart from marriage, immoral. And immoral behavior cannot be legitimized by a quick baptism in the gene pool. 7-7 Joe Dallas, Responding to Pro-Gay Theology pt.1 at www.exodusglobalalliance.org
d. Sin comes naturally to all people. The Bible says, Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child (Proverbs 22:15). Sin and selfishness do not have to be taught to a child, it comes naturally. Ask any parent of a toddler. It takes diligent, loving training to counteract that in a child (Prov. 22:15). The Bible makes it clear mankind s sinfulness and evil behavior stems from his natural disposition to do so from the womb (Psalm 51:7;573) so that he is by nature a child of wrath and a son of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2-3). In addition, man s sinfulness is worsened because he does not see and will not acknowledge his sin due to self-deception: The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9). Homosexual behavior IS natural to gay people because all sin is natural to all people. Sinful inclinations flow from the earliest days of our life and are with us all our life. Lifetime, strong, natural desires do not prove homosexual practice is right any more than life-long desires to lie, steal, deceive or commit adultery, or pedophilia.!4 2.Isn t it a matter of interpretation? Some believe the bible does not forbid homosexual practice. a. Jesus taught that the Bible was to be understood literally unless the context indicated otherwise. He interpreted literally the Old Testament passages that described the creation of male and female and the institution of marriage (Matt 19:4-8). He understood the scriptures were literal in their description of Jonah in the fish for three days (Matthew 12:40-41); the flood that destroyed the earth in Noah s day and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Luke 17:26-30). b. The Old Testament Scriptures speaking of Christ s first coming were fulfilled literally including the place of His birth (Micah 5;2) the manner of His death by crucifixion and burial in a rich man s tomb (Isaiah 53;5,9; Psalm 22:16), even the exact number of pieces of silver (30) by which he would be betrayed (Zechariah c. Jesus own prophecies were fulfilled literally, including his death by flogging and crucifixion (Matt 20:17-19), the utter destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (Matt. 245:2) and the taking of His gospel to all nation on the earth (Matt. 24:14).
d. The Old Testament scriptures were fulfilled literally. Jeremiah had predicted that Israel would be in captivity in Babylon for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11-12). It was literally fulfilled when Israel returned to their land after 70 years in captivity. e. Those who claim the bible does not forbid homosexual practice interpret the bible inconsistently. In Leviticus 18:19-24 God forbids incest, adultery and bestiality, child sacrifice and... homosexual practice. Yet, those who attempt to justify homosexuality, deny the passage forbids it, only the other sins. Why do they not interpret consistently? Their Presuppositions. They interpret the bible through the filter of their own presupposition that homosexual practice is good. This forces them to interpret inconsistently. Verses that speak of God forbidding incest and adultery are understood in their plain literal sense, those which forbid homosexual practice are not understood this way. They are often disregarded as not authoritative. Gary Comstock, a gay proponent and protestant Chaplain at Wesleyan University evidences this mindset when he says, not to recognize, critique, and condemn Paul s equation of godlessness with homosexuality is dangerous. To remain within our respective Christian traditions and not challenge those passages that degrade and destroy us is to contribute to our own oppression These passages will be brought up and used against us again and again until Christians demand their removal from the biblical canon, or, at the very least, formally discredit their authority to prescribe behavior. 3 - Quoted in Homosexuality and the Bible, by Al Mohler, ww.albertmohler.com, Articles, p. 7-8. f. The Bible s command must be regarded as universally applicable unless they are not carried over generationally into the NT. Jesus and the Apostles carried over into the NT the commands regarding heterosexual marriage and the prohibition of homosexual practice (Matt. 19:4-8; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Romans1:26-28). How do we know which biblical commands are authoritative only for bible times and which ones are for every generation? Jesus, speaking through the Apostles in the New Testament says Old Testament dietary laws (1 Tim. 4:3-4), ceremonial laws (Col. 2:16,21) and sacrificial laws (Hebrews 98:1-5;10:1-14) are no longer applicable, usually having been fulfilled in Christ.!5
!6 The moral laws, consisting of the Ten Commandments and all the statutes explaining them, such as those prohibiting homosexual practice, continue in every generation and through every generation, with the exception of the Sabbath observance laws, which were fulfilled in Christ (Hebrews 4:3-10, Rom.8:4). God condemned homosexual practice in 2000 B.C before the Mosaic law in Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18-19), during the Mosaic Law in 1450 B.C. (Lev. 18-19; 1 Timothy 1:9-11) and after the law by Jesus through the Apostles (Romans 1:26-28; 1Cor. 6:9-11). It s prohibition is universal not limited to the Old Testament circumstances or times. g. Interpretation of the bible must be based on understanding the author s intent not the reader s opinions or feelings. For example, Jesus was unconcerned with Scribes or the culture s opinions regarding divorce but quoted and explained the scriptures taking them literally (Matt. 19:4-7; 22:23-33). 3.Isn t it just the misuse of homosexual practice that God was against? Doesn t He approve of it in a loving, monogamous relationship? a. God prohibits homosexual practice not because it is unloving but unnatural. It contradicts His design for men and women. Romans 1:26-28; Matt. 19:5-6 b. God forbids unrepentant homosexual desires not simply unloving practices. Rom. 1:26-28 c. God says the nature of the homosexual sex act, not the nature of the relationship is an abomination to Him. Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:36-38 4.Isn t the Bible out of step with modern understanding of sexuality? Yes. a. God warned His people not to follow the ways of culture. After prohibiting incest, homosexuality, adultery and bestiality God says to His people: Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them. - Leviticus 23:13 b. Man instinctively knows that a culture is not the ultimate determiner of what is right and wrong. If so, then such things as cannibalism, human sacrifice,
!7 slavery would have to be condoned. However, cultures have rightly been outraged by other cultures evil and fought against them. c. Jesus quoted the scripture not man s opinions in dealing with controversial topics. Matt. 19:4-8; 22:23-33; Acts 17:11 d. God warned his people His word would always be out of step with man s culture. 2 Tim. 4:1-4; 1 Cor. 1:23-26; John 15:18-20 5.The bible condoned and allowed for slavery and oppression of women and also it allowed for the suppression of homosexuals. Its commands are out of touch with modern society. a. The bible never condoned slavery or women s oppression and is therefore not out of date in its commands regarding homosexual practice. It opposed slavery and oppression of women at the deeper level of human dignity, commanding that masters treat their slaves fairly as equals before God and as brothers (Colossians 4:1; Ephesians 6:9; Philemon) and that men treat their wives and women with love and giving them honor as equals before God (Ephesians 5:25-28; Galatians 3:28; 1 Peter 3:7). As a result of this, the institution of slavery, and the oppression of women fell away wherever the Bible was practiced. b. The bible however, never speaks of homosexuals as it does of slaves and women, whose dignity, well-being and loving care were to be guarded. It only speaks of homosexuality as a practice that is forbidden and whose proponents were not to be protected but warned of God s judgment and called to repentance (Leviticus 18:22; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). 6.Jesus didn t forbid or even speak of homosexual practice or marriage, why should we? a. Arguments from silence are not valid. Jesus also did not speak of incest, rape or bestiality yet no one would claim he endorsed these practices. b. Jesus was not silent about homosexuality because he approved it, but because it was not an issue of disagreement. As with incest, bestiality and rape, Jesus did not mention them because even his enemies did not disagree about the sinfulness of these acts.
c. Jesus prohibited homosexual practice and marriage by affirming all the OT laws, including those, which forbid it. Matt 5:17-19 d. Jesus prohibited same sex marriage by only affirming heterosexual monogamous marriage as God s plan for sexuality (Matt 19:4-8). He also prohibited homosexual practice through his apostles, the ones through whom he promised to give his additional truth (John 14:25-26; 1 Cor. 6:9-11) 7.Isn t gay marriage giving homosexuals their civil rights just like blacks in America were given their rights? Isn t it un-american to restrict personal freedom? a. Racial equality validates God s word of man s equal standing before Him (John 3:16). Same sex marriage violates God s word and created function of male and female.. The Bible commands the equal treatment and forbids preferential treatment of people based on race, sex, social levels or ethnic background (Galatians 3:26; Colossians 3:11). The civil rights movement in America validated God s word by affirming the dignity and equal standing of all people regardless of race. Practicing homosexuals are never described in the bible as a people group needing protection, care and equal rights, but as individuals needing to repent (Romans 1:18, 26-28; 2:4-5; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). The difference between the Civil rights movement and the Gay rights movement was summed up well by a black pastor who said: One is skin the other is sin b. Personal freedom and choice is felt by many to be the ultimate criteria for what is permissible. As long as I don t hurt someone, what I personally feel and choose is right is often the argument. America applauds and regards as hero s those who express their individual choices. Bruce Jenner receives an honorary ESP Y award because of his bravery in choosing the path of changing himself into a woman. The Bible say that because something is a personal choice does not mean it is commendable or permissible. God warns of His judgment on those who parade their sin before others and those who give hearty approval to what God says is wrong (romans 1:18,26-32). Society restricts personal freedom all the time and we re glad for it. Laws restrict a persons personal choice to drive 80 mph in a school zone, to trespass onto someone s property, to have sex with one s children (incest),!8
!9 to have multiple spouses (polygamy), to give false testimony in court. No one complains. Why? Moral rightness trumps personal freedom. c. Jesus calls us to give up our quest for unlimited expression of personal freedom and desires. He calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him (Luke 9:23-24). God promises that as we live to please Him, He would satisfy our hearts fill us with His joy (Matthew 6:33; Luke 9:23-24; Matthew 11:29-31; John 7:37-39). The Bible warns and pleads for those whose god is their appetite (personal desires) and whose glory is in their shame, (Philippians 3:19). Experiencing the joy of God s plan of sexuality Rejoice! God can deliver people from any sin. 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Matt 1:21 Receive! Christ as Lord and savior. He has the power to change our heart and behavior. 1 Cor. 6:11; Gal 5:16-24; Phil. 4:6-7 Recognize! Don t rationalize sin. Col. 3:5-6 1. Strong, lifetime desires don t legitimize sin. Col. 3:5-7 2. Inability to practice God s laws doesn t legitimize sin. Romans 7:21-25 3. Cultural approval does not legitimize sin. Romans 1:32; Isaiah 5:20 4. Recognize and repent of wrong thinking that leads to sin. Col. 3:5; Matt. 5:28-29 Repent! Admit to God our disobedience in our attitudes and actions. Col 3:5-6 Rejoice in His forgiveness. 1 John 1:9; Isaiah 66:2; 2 Cor. 3:18 Replace! Begin to practice righteous patterns of living. 1. If possible, remove ourselves from situations that tempt us. 1 Cor. 6:18; 1 Cor. 15:33; 1 Cor. 10:13 2. Practice pure relationships with the same sex. Relate to the same sex and opposite sex as God prescribes not what we feel. 1 Thess. 4:2-6; 1 Tim. 5:2 3. Fill your mind with God s truth. Phil. 4:8; Titus 1:15; Psalm 119:9-11; John 17:17
Renew! Let God renew your mind by faith in His word through the love, teaching, encouragement and joint worship with His people. Col. 3:14-16!10