Article by: Kenneth J. Ester
Christianity vs Homosexuality
If your focus is on attacking homosexuality and not reaching homosexuals with the gospel, then you seriously have your priorities messed up.
When we attack homosexuals for their sin, we are not bringing them to the Lord. We are chasing them away from God. That is not what Jesus wants us to do. The Bible never once tells us to go out and attack the world for their sins. Not once. In fact, Paul tells us just the opposite.
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1 Corinthians 5:12 (NASB)
12 For what business of mine is it to judge outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?
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We are not to judge unbelievers. We are only to judge our brethren in the church. If our brother or sister in Christ is in sin, we should try to guide them back to the straight and narrow. The unbelieving world is for God to judge. Again, we are not to be attacking unbelievers for their sin. We are supposed to be bringing them to Christ. Not chasing them away.
I know, you are only warning them of their sins that will send them to hell right? Hog wash!
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John 3:18 (KJV)
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
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Anyone who does not believe in Jesus as the only begotten Son of God, is already condemned. Which means it makes no difference if they stop sinning or not. If an unbeliever stops sinning and never commits another sin in their life, they will still go to hell, because they do not believe!
That is why Jesus did not tell His disciples to go out and attack the world over their sins. He commissioned the to go out and spread the gospel of Jesus.
If you tell an unbeliever that they cannot go to heaven because they are gay, you are doing the devil's work! Not God's! Where does the Bible ever says that we must stop sinning before we turn to Christ? Does a drug addict stop taking drugs in order to turn to Christ? Does a murderous gang member have to stop sinning before being saved? No! As with every sinner in the world, they need to turn to Christ first to be saved. Only then, once they know Christ, can they start building on their personal relationship with Him. The closer we get to the Lord, the less we desire sinful things. It goes the same way for homosexuals!
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Ephesians 1:13 (NASB)
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
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If a gay couple, who are married in the eyes of the law, hear the gospel of Jesus and believe, they are saved. Even if they never separate and stop being gay, they will still go to heaven so long as they continue to truly believe. You can argue that we have to change and stop sinning to be saved, and I can prove to you beyond a doubt that the sins we commit are not even what sends us to hell! I dont care what your pastor teaches you!
The Truth of Salvation
At this point, I need to clarify something. I am not arguing that it is okay to be gay. I am not saying that God is okay with it. I am not saying that homosexuality is not a sin.
The simple blunt truth, is that homosexuality is absolutely a sin! I hate it. God hates it! But the fact is, everyone sins! Even the apostles continued to sin.
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1 John 1:8 (NASB)
8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
------
John used words like 'we', 'us' and 'ourselves'. I call these inclusive words. The one using them is including himself in the statement. John was saying he too still sinned! Paul says we have all fallen short of the glory of God. Everyone sins!
When they caught the prostitute in the act and brought her out to stone her, what did Jesus say? "He who is without sin can cast the first stone." And not one person stuck around to throw a stone.
Christians need to stop chasing homosexuals away from God, and start showing them the love of Christ! For Jesus died to save the homosexual just as much as He died to save you!
As for Gay Churches...
I would be remiss to not mention the gay churches. I will not deny that one of the sickest things I have ever heard was the idea that the homosexual church has re-written the Bible to remove passages against homosexuality out of it. Yes it is sad that any church would promote something that is obviously a sin to anyone who actually studies the Bible. Every time homosexuality is mentioned or even eluded to, it is always, always in a bad light. Marriage is only mentioned as good between a man and a woman. Homosexual churches are clearly in the wrong.
With that said, the Bible also warns us that it is the teacher who will be held accountable.
------
James 3:1 (NASB)
1 Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment.
------
The teachers in those churches will incur a much harsher judgment for what they teach. Those who learn from them and do not know better will not. Does that mean we should stand against those churches? Absolutely not!
If a homosexual or even a straight person should enter their church and learn about Jesus and what He did to save us, and they believe, they are still being saved. We are not saved according to who teaches us, but according to what we believe.
Jesus said it clearly. A house divided against itself cannot stand. Do you think the devil would lead people to a gay church, knowing that the gospel of salvation is being taught there? Gay Christians, though they are stuck in a sin, are still saved. That sin will not send them to hell. It will interfere with the growth of their personal relationship with the Lord. But they are still saved! The homosexual Christians in a gay church are still our brothers in Christ. Not our enemy. They are not perfectly right with God but lets face the facts. Very few truly are, if anyone is at all.
You might think that since Paul said we can judge our brother, that it gives you the right to judge gay Christians. Not so. Paul says to judge the brother within the church. He is speaking of your church. Not the body of Christ necessarily. Paul was not looking to start wars between churches. If a church is doing something wrong, the pastor of a church can go to that pastor and discuss it with him. But those who attend the churches should not be warring with each other. We should do as Jesus plainly says.
------
John 13:34-35 (NASB)
34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”
------
Whether you personally like it or not. If they believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. You are to love them!
It is time for Christians to stop attacking each other and love each other. It is time for us to stop chasing the world away from God and instead start showing the world the love of Christ and leading them to salvation. If you are not part of the cure, you are antichrist by spirit.
When we attack homosexuals for their sin, we are not bringing them to the Lord. We are chasing them away from God. That is not what Jesus wants us to do. The Bible never once tells us to go out and attack the world for their sins. Not once. In fact, Paul tells us just the opposite.
-----
1 Corinthians 5:12 (NASB)
12 For what business of mine is it to judge outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?
-----
We are not to judge unbelievers. We are only to judge our brethren in the church. If our brother or sister in Christ is in sin, we should try to guide them back to the straight and narrow. The unbelieving world is for God to judge. Again, we are not to be attacking unbelievers for their sin. We are supposed to be bringing them to Christ. Not chasing them away.
I know, you are only warning them of their sins that will send them to hell right? Hog wash!
-----
John 3:18 (KJV)
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
-----
Anyone who does not believe in Jesus as the only begotten Son of God, is already condemned. Which means it makes no difference if they stop sinning or not. If an unbeliever stops sinning and never commits another sin in their life, they will still go to hell, because they do not believe!
That is why Jesus did not tell His disciples to go out and attack the world over their sins. He commissioned the to go out and spread the gospel of Jesus.
If you tell an unbeliever that they cannot go to heaven because they are gay, you are doing the devil's work! Not God's! Where does the Bible ever says that we must stop sinning before we turn to Christ? Does a drug addict stop taking drugs in order to turn to Christ? Does a murderous gang member have to stop sinning before being saved? No! As with every sinner in the world, they need to turn to Christ first to be saved. Only then, once they know Christ, can they start building on their personal relationship with Him. The closer we get to the Lord, the less we desire sinful things. It goes the same way for homosexuals!
-----
Ephesians 1:13 (NASB)
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
-----
If a gay couple, who are married in the eyes of the law, hear the gospel of Jesus and believe, they are saved. Even if they never separate and stop being gay, they will still go to heaven so long as they continue to truly believe. You can argue that we have to change and stop sinning to be saved, and I can prove to you beyond a doubt that the sins we commit are not even what sends us to hell! I dont care what your pastor teaches you!
The Truth of Salvation
At this point, I need to clarify something. I am not arguing that it is okay to be gay. I am not saying that God is okay with it. I am not saying that homosexuality is not a sin.
The simple blunt truth, is that homosexuality is absolutely a sin! I hate it. God hates it! But the fact is, everyone sins! Even the apostles continued to sin.
------
1 John 1:8 (NASB)
8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
------
John used words like 'we', 'us' and 'ourselves'. I call these inclusive words. The one using them is including himself in the statement. John was saying he too still sinned! Paul says we have all fallen short of the glory of God. Everyone sins!
When they caught the prostitute in the act and brought her out to stone her, what did Jesus say? "He who is without sin can cast the first stone." And not one person stuck around to throw a stone.
Christians need to stop chasing homosexuals away from God, and start showing them the love of Christ! For Jesus died to save the homosexual just as much as He died to save you!
As for Gay Churches...
I would be remiss to not mention the gay churches. I will not deny that one of the sickest things I have ever heard was the idea that the homosexual church has re-written the Bible to remove passages against homosexuality out of it. Yes it is sad that any church would promote something that is obviously a sin to anyone who actually studies the Bible. Every time homosexuality is mentioned or even eluded to, it is always, always in a bad light. Marriage is only mentioned as good between a man and a woman. Homosexual churches are clearly in the wrong.
With that said, the Bible also warns us that it is the teacher who will be held accountable.
------
James 3:1 (NASB)
1 Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment.
------
The teachers in those churches will incur a much harsher judgment for what they teach. Those who learn from them and do not know better will not. Does that mean we should stand against those churches? Absolutely not!
If a homosexual or even a straight person should enter their church and learn about Jesus and what He did to save us, and they believe, they are still being saved. We are not saved according to who teaches us, but according to what we believe.
Jesus said it clearly. A house divided against itself cannot stand. Do you think the devil would lead people to a gay church, knowing that the gospel of salvation is being taught there? Gay Christians, though they are stuck in a sin, are still saved. That sin will not send them to hell. It will interfere with the growth of their personal relationship with the Lord. But they are still saved! The homosexual Christians in a gay church are still our brothers in Christ. Not our enemy. They are not perfectly right with God but lets face the facts. Very few truly are, if anyone is at all.
You might think that since Paul said we can judge our brother, that it gives you the right to judge gay Christians. Not so. Paul says to judge the brother within the church. He is speaking of your church. Not the body of Christ necessarily. Paul was not looking to start wars between churches. If a church is doing something wrong, the pastor of a church can go to that pastor and discuss it with him. But those who attend the churches should not be warring with each other. We should do as Jesus plainly says.
------
John 13:34-35 (NASB)
34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”
------
Whether you personally like it or not. If they believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. You are to love them!
It is time for Christians to stop attacking each other and love each other. It is time for us to stop chasing the world away from God and instead start showing the world the love of Christ and leading them to salvation. If you are not part of the cure, you are antichrist by spirit.