Truly Gay Series

Towards the end of the last presidential debate there was finally a question on something that has the potential to be far more devastating to more people’s lives than a terrorist attack or even a war. The moderator asked “Homosexuality, is it a choice?”

-One of the candidates answered with a very strong religious statement. It wasn’t George Bush because he answered, “I don’t know” -It was Senator John Kerry who said - "We’re all God’s children," he said. "And I think if you were to talk to Dick Cheney’s daughter, who is a lesbian, she would tell you that she’s being who she was. She’s being who she was born as. I think if you talk to anybody, it’s not a choice." The reason it is important if homosexuality is important is because most people would not want to deny to homosexuals any civil right including marriage if they are created by God to be homosexual or if in secular parlance – they are born that way.

-well I have got an idea, since we are invoking God on this issue, let’s see what He has to say about the issue in the book HE has given us. The Bible has a lot to say about the issue. -But does this issue even matter? In this upcoming election, the fate of homosexual marriage hangs in the balance, it could very easily become law. If marriage of homosexuals is made legal, civil rights issues regarding homosexuals will explode.

-we have heard that homosexuals just wanted not to be discriminated against, then they wanted benefits at work for their partners, then they said they wanted civil unions with just some of the benefits of marriage and once the sodomy law from Texas was struck down by the Supreme Court within months they were ignoring state laws and marrying one another anyway and demanding full affirmation of their lifestyle.

So what are the stakes in the upcoming election? One or two more judges on the Supreme Court may be appointed by the next President. If they favor full rights of homosexuals to marry, the whole concept of the traditional family could be in the rearview mirror.

- The NEA, the National Education Association is already pushing for total acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle by teachers and in the curriculum of our kid’s schools. What would happen if they got marriage law on their side to promote that lifestyle as normal and healthy, even preferable?

-Textbooks could be required by law to present homosexuality in a positive light.

-Teachers could be required to only speak in positive terms about homosexuality or lose their jobs.

-Groups such as churches and even kids groups like the Boy Scouts could be compelled not to discriminate against homosexuals in hiring or leadership in their own organizations or lose all access to public funding or access to public facilities or even tax exempt status.

-As we continue our series called “Vote the Rock!” on how followers of Christ can get involved in the political process – I want to make clear that I am not speaking on this because I hate homosexuals. This morning I truly believe I am speaking in their defense – God offers a better way to them. A more happy, healthy satisfying life. They can be “Truly Gay”.

How to speak up for God’s plan for sex and marriage:

1) Know that God is against homosexuality (Romans 1:26-27).

-That the Bible forbids homosexuality is hard to deny. Let’s look at the evidence

Old Testament

-the account of Sodom and Gomorrah may be the first thing people think of when they think of the Bible’s view of homosexuality

-Genesis 19:4-5 Before the men (angels) went to sleep, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them (literally: “to know them”). -That they intended to have homosexual sex is clear that Lot says Genesis 19:6-7 But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and said, "Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly.

– but a passage in Jude totally settles this whole question about the fact that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah in large part because of their homosexuality -Jude 7 - just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

-BUT there are passages in the OT which say that God destroyed Sodom for other reasons too – it wasn’t just homosexuality - Ezekiel 16:49-Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.