What Would Jesus Say to the Gay Community
“Please Read “ALL” of This Sermon Before Forming a Judgement”
Romans 1:26-27 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 recompence of their error which was meet.
""Nowadays homosexuality seems to be everywhere. It seems almost fashionable to be homosexual or at least bisexual. If you say anything is wrong with homosexual behavior, people will label you homophobic or say that you are judgmental. There are so-called gay pride parades, gay pride rainbow stickers and license plate frames, TV shows with homosexual characters. The world has even come up with some wonderful sounding terms for the people who participate in this activity. "Alternate lifestyle," "Life partners." Yes, the world will tell you that homosexuality is totally normal and something to be proud of.
`But God's Word tells us something totally different about homosexual behavior. And no matter what the world says about homosexuality or how "open minded" people of this earth become, God has not changed in how He feels about men lying with men, and women lying with women. So if you have traded in God's standards of living and begun to believe what this world tells you, look out!
`And by writing this paper, I do not mean to single out or condemn homosexuals just because of their lifestyle. All of God's laws that have been broken, whatever the sin -- be it the sin of lust or the sin of idolatry -- will be judged and answered for when a person faces God on Judgment Day. I do not believe that I am more righteous just because my sins might be different.
`With that said, in this paper, I will use Bible verses to answer frequently asked questions about homosexuality. Here are the topics that will be covered:
(1) Is homosexuality a sin?
(2) How does the Bible define homosexuality?
(3)Why is homosexuality a sin?
(4) Do genetics cause homosexuality?
(5) Can someone practice homosexuality and still love Christ?
`Just as your body gets old and begins to deteriorate, the standards of this world are deteriorating every day. But God's Word has not and will not change! Let's see what the Bible says on this issue.
** IS HOMOSEXUALITY A SIN?
`Yes, homosexuality is a sin. Leviticus 18:22 reads, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." That is stated as plainly and clearly as you can get. The Bible commands us that we are not to have intercourse with people of our same sex. It is not only a sexual sin, but it is an abomination (something that is impure and illicit in God's eyes).
`The verse does not say that homosexuality is okay if you are in a loving, committed relationship. It states that you shall not do it, period! We find a similar verse in Leviticus 20:13. It reads, "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
`The earliest account of homosexuals can be found in the book of Genesis, Chapter 19. The place was the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. Similar to our time today, Sodom and Gomorrah were places where all kinds of sexual habits were practiced. The people of that place had turned their backs on God's laws and did whatever their wicked minds told them to do. God eventually destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their wicked ways.
`The verses above from Leviticus are in a section of the Bible that lists immoral acts and the penalties for them. Homosexual activities are listed right alongside other immoral acts such as having sex with animals, incestuous relationships, adultery, etc. God does not say that this behavior is something that you should have "gay pride" about. God calls it a sexual sin and says that because of such practices, the nations in the land were being cast out. Leviticus 18:24, 30 reads, "Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God."
`Are you going to believe the world and continue thinking that homosexuality is perfectly okay, or are you going to believe the One who created you?
** HOW DOES THE BIBLE DEFINE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR?
`People in our generation are as bad as if not worse than the people from Sodom and Gomorrah. People are trading in God's laws and making up their own rules and worshipping the god of self by doing whatever they want to do instead of doing the things that God says are right. But God will not force His righteous truths on you. If you want to practice immorality by taking part in homosexuality, God will not stop you from sinking lower and lower in your perversion. But ultimately there will be a price to pay if you do not turn from your sin and seek God.
`Let's read what the Bible says about homosexual behavior and see how God feels when we turn our backs on His laws and embrace an "anything goes" attitude:
`Romans 1:24-28, "Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 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: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly (shameful), and receiving in themselves the recompense of their error which was meet. 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."
`Here the Bible shows us that homosexuality is defined as something that is unclean, a dishonoring of the body, a vile passion, something that is against nature and unnatural, shameful, something that occurs when you have a mind that has sunken to a place away from God. It is an act that people engage in when they do not retain God in their knowledge and when they have changed the truth of God for a lie.
** WHY IS HOMOSEXUALITY A SIN?
`Let's start with the question what is sin? Sin is when we know that something is against the law and will of God and we continue to practice it anyway. We have already read that according to the law of God, homosexual behavior is a sin. It is an unnatural practice. It is an abomination in God's eyes. It is against God's natural order.
`God created men to be husbands of wives, and women to be wives of husbands. That is God's natural order. When God sought to make a suitable mate for man, He created woman. Genesis 2:24-25 shows us this when referring to the first husband and wife, Adam and Eve. It reads, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."
And Ephesians 5:28,33, "So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself."
The only sexual relationships that have God's blessing are that of a husband and wife. Any sexual relationship that is outside of this is a sin. And homosexuality is labeled a sin and an abomination.
Also, we know that homosexuality is a sin and that it is against what God wants people to do. This is evident in the fact that homosexuals cannot reproduce. The one way that we humans get to be like God is by our God-given ability to create, to reproduce. Two men alone together could never create a baby, and two women alone together could never create a baby because what they are doing is not of God.
So, again, homosexuality is a sin because the person is willingly choosing to engage in behavior that is against what God would have him or her do.
* DO GENETICS CAUSE HOMOSEXUALITY?
`Some people will say, "But I was born this way. Since I was a child I was attracted to members of the same sex." To that I will say no, you were born a sinner and that at a young age your sin started to manifest itself. When I was perhaps six, I can distinctly remember going to a store and stealing from the store. I shoplifted for many years after that as well. Does that mean that I was genetically just a born thief or that my behavior should be accepted because I had had those feelings since my childhood? Of course not. Stealing was a sin I committed. It was not who I was.
`And even if so-called experts try to tell you that there is some kind of "homosexual gene," remember that these are sinful men telling you sinful tales. Be careful when you start to listen to and believe the men of this world instead of believing what God's Word tells you. This world will tell you that murdering babies is okay. It even gives the act a pleasant term, "pro choice." This world will tell you that alcoholism and drug abuse is okay and that you just "have a disease." This world will even tell you that there is no God and that you came from a monkey. The Bible warns us of such people. Isaiah 5:20 reads "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!"
God's Word says that God created you and that homosexuality is wrong. God would not have created you as a homosexual and then called homosexuality an abomination. So who are you going to obey? "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).
`And for those people out there who try to say, "Well, some people are born with male and female body parts" (hermaphrodites), to that I say you cannot use that as justification for you to engage in homosexual activities. Some people were also born as Siamese twins. If a Siamese twin gets married and has sexual relations, the act would have to involve three people being present, both twins and the spouse, but does that mean that God gives His approval to group sex? Of course not! God is going to judge each of us according to who we are, not according to how He created someone else.
* CAN SOMEONE PRACTICE HOMOSEXUALITY AND STILL LOVE CHRIST?
`Jesus said in John 14:15, 23-24, "If ye love me, keep my commandments. If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings."
So I would say that if you truly love Christ, you would want to do what pleases him. And as we have already read, homosexuality does not please the Lord.
And 1 John 2:4 reads, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." And 1 John 1:5-6 reads, "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth."
`Christ said that you are either for Him or against Him. You cannot pick and choose the parts of the Bible that you like and then ignore the parts that don't fit your lifestyle. God will give you the strength that you need to overcome your homosexual desires, but you have to love the Lord enough to turn from that sin. You cannot have it both ways. "If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries" (Hebrews 10:26-27). You have read the truth. Are you going to continue wilfully sinning?
**I don't write these things to Judge anyone. But as a Christian, I believe what God's Word tells me. And I care enough about each of you to share with you God's Truth.
How would Jesus address a gay man or a lesbian?
Looking through scripture, Jesus makes His thoughts fairly clear.
Five Things Jesus Says to the Gay Community:
1. I love you.
Amidst the protest signs, yelling crowds and political referendums, the simple message of Jesus’ love for you is often drowned out. Never doubt that Jesus loves you more than you could ever know.
Jesus doesn’t just love a future version of you; He loves you exactly as you are right now. Jesus’ love for you has no prerequisites or requirements.
Even if you hate Him, Jesus loves you and wants what is best for you.
Love is at the core of everything Jesus taught. Unfortunately, His message of love has been conveniently left out by many who would rather make a point than make a difference (John 3:16; 1 John 4:8-10; Romans 5:8; Psalm 86:15).
2. I understand rejection.
Jesus knows how it feels to be a social outcast.
You would think the religious leaders would have been His best friends, but they hated Him. They sought to kill Him and publicly shame Him any chance they had.
Eventually, the religious elite joined forces with local politicians and murdered Jesus in front of a cheering crowd.
Rejection hurts.
Jesus’ own family thought He was out of His mind; you probably understand how that feels. In Jesus’ greatest moment of need, His closest friends deserted Him.
You may feel rejected by society and the church right now, and that daily pressure takes a toll. Jesus understands.
His heart always breaks for the rejected and the outcast. Jesus wants to gather you in His arms and let you know that He loves you. You have a home with Jesus, you belong to Him and you are His child.
Don’t reject Him because He has not rejected you (Isaiah 53:3; Mark 3:20-21; Matthew 26:55-56; Matthew 27; Ezekiel 18:21-23).
3. I also was tempted.
Jesus was tempted in every way that we are tempted. He does not shame you or reject you because of your temptations and feelings.
He faced the same thing when He walked the earth. He never married, and faced daily pressure and temptation in every way imaginable.
Some like to pretend they are perfect and never face any struggles, but they’re lying. Jesus really was perfect and still faced temptation. He battled the desire to run away from His Father’s plan.
He understands what you are going through.
If you read about His life, you will see it was no cake walk, but if you will walk with Him and obey Him, you will find a greater reward than you could ever imagine (Hebrews 4:15-16; Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 12:2-3, 7-11).
4. I want more for you.
God created marriage and sex for your enjoyment. Sex was created for one man and one woman within the covenant of marriage, and it has been that way from the beginning. Anything else is sin.
Sin is not a fun word or a comfortable topic, but Jesus will not stop bringing it to our attention because we will miss out on life with Him if sin is left unaddressed. You may think Jesus is trying to take the one thing you enjoy or spoil your fun, but that is not the case. The reason He clearly defined marriage and sex in the Bible is because He wants what is best for you.
Ignore the political arguments, the protestors and the yelling. Jesus wants you to trust Him.
Trust that He has good things in store for you. Trust that He wants what is best for you. Before you decide that what you feel is right, decide if you trust Him (Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 3:17-21; 1 Timothy 2:4).
5. I will be here for you.
You may disagree with Jesus’ thoughts on sex and marriage, but He will not turn away from you.
You may enjoy the life you live right now, even if it disagrees with the guidelines He laid out in scripture. Jesus understands your hesitation to make changes. He does not give up on us.
For a long time now, people have disagreed with Him, yelled at Him and run from Him, and He patiently waits. Jesus is patient with us because He wants you to know Him.
Jesus wants you to live the life He has planned for you. When you are worn out from doing things your way, He will be here. Turn to Him and ask for help, and He will be there before you can blink.
There is no permanent joy outside of Jesus.
Jesus wants what is best for you, and He wants you to experience a full life.
Jesus is not concerned with winning an argument or forcing you to do something you don’t want to do. Jesus wants you to know that your relationship with Him is better than anything else out there.
Until you reach that point, He will be here patiently drawing you to Himself (Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Peter 5:7; Hosea 14).
Romans 1:26-27 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 recompence of their error which was meet.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 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, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Timothy 1:9-10 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, 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.
Matthew 19:4-6 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Mark 10:6-7 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
A portion of this message was taken from ChurchLeaders.com …..
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