Be Ye Doers. . . Of The Word!

One does not need to watch very much news on television to know that there is a huge controversy over homosexuals in America today. There are the "Gay Rights" people who are trying with all their might to force American society into freely accepting homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle. There are those whom the news media refer to as the "Religious Right" (meaning religious and ultra conservative) that say that homosexuality is a sin and should not be permitted the "rights" that the rest of Americans enjoy. I also feel that there is a multitude of people in the middle who are probably very confused.

American public education is being bombarded with this issue as well. There are some schools in America that teach that homosexuality is an alternative lifestyle. They teach that it really doesn't make any difference what your sexual preference is, just do what you want. We even had a former President of the United States trying to force the U.S. Military to openly accept homosexuals into the ranks of the military. The issue here is not whether homosexuals can perform their duties up to expectation, they no doubt can. The issue is that once the military is forced to accept homosexuals, there will be absolutely no institution in America which can "legally" bar homosexuals.

I am an educator by profession. Not too long ago I was attending a meeting of educators concerning the subject of teacher training. As part of the meeting, the moderator ask all the participants to share ideas of what we thought the school of the Twenty-first Century would look like. In this discussion were many excellent ideas. However, the discussion became centered around teaching children to be tolerant of the differences of others. The examples (of where we should be tolerant) were of people of different color, socio-economic status, and sexual preference. I could hold my tongue for only about one and one-half minutes, then I had to speak out on this travesty. I spoke for about five minutes on why we cannot allow our children to be taught that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle. After I finished, only one person (out of about 25) made any comment. His comment was that he agreed with me. Later when we were having a break, one of the ladies came up to me and said that she appreciated my comments. So, three people out of 25 indicated in some manner that we could not accept homosexuality being taught in our schools as acceptable. Does that mean that the other twenty-two people think it is OK? I hope not. I pray not!

So, who is right, the "Gay Rights" or the "Religious Right?" Let's take a look at what the Holy Bible has to say about homosexuals both directly and indirectly.

"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'" (Genesis 1:27,28) "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24) These two verses show explicitly that it was God's original plan for man and woman to be joined together, not man to man or woman to woman. It should go without saying that it is impossible to obey the commands found in these two passages and be committed to a homosexual lifestyle.

Homosexuality is not a new idea by any stretch of the imagination. It was being practiced by the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament. By reading the account of God's destruction of these two cities in Genesis Chapter 19, we can plainly see what God's attitude towards homosexuality is. Because this sort of lifestyle was so prevalent in those two cities, God destroyed them. We can also read in the New Testament a reaffirmation of this attitude, "as Sodom and Gomorrah , and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." (Jude 1:7) America would be well served to learn from this example. See also 2 Peter 2:4-7.

We know by studying God's Word in the New Testament that the Law given in the Old Testament is what makes it possible for us to know what sin is; the law gives us knowledge of sin. Therefore, if a form of conduct is forbidden under the Old Testament Law, then we can have knowledge that the particular conduct is sinful. Is homosexual conduct forbidden under the Old Testament Law? "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." (Leviticus 18:22) "If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20:13) These passages make it clear that homosexuality was forbidden in the Old Testament Law.

The books of history in the Old Testament show us that homosexuality was fought against. In First and Second Kings, David and Josiah were commended for striving to stamp out those who committed sodomy and other forms of perversion. See 1 Kings 14:24, 15:12; and 2 Kings 23:7.

The New Testament writers also spoke out against homosexuality as sinful. Paul, in is letter to the Romans says, "For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which is due." (Romans 1:26,27) And in his epistle to Timothy Paul says, "But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine," (1 Timothy 1:8-10) And finally in his epistle to the Corinthians we find, "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, not adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, not thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9,10) Paul put homosexuality in the category of sin right along with fornication, worshiping idols, committing adultery, stealing, drunkenness, kidnapping, and other such acts which are repulsive to Christians.

So, the Bible makes it clear that homosexual conduct is a sin. There can be no doubt that this is so if one reads and studies the Holy Scriptures. So I ask these questions: Why are some in America bent on making homosexuality an accepted lifestyle? Why do some insist that homosexuality be taught as an alternative lifestyle in our schools? Why do they insist that it be portrayed as being OK?

Would we stand for the following being taught as alternative lifestyles: thievery, child molestation, wife beating, murderers, rioters, and drug addiction. In reality these are just as much an alternative lifestyles as homosexuality. But that doesn't make it right!

Now please don't misunderstand me, I do not hate homosexuals. We should pray for them, show compassion to them, and attempt to show them the error of their ways. They should not be mistreated, treated as outcasts, persecuted, or discriminated against. Nor, on the other hand, can we accept their way of life as normal any more than we would other forms of sexual perversion.

Is it time for Christians to take a stand on this issue? I think so. Can we let this issue get so far gone that the majority of Americans accept it? I think that's what we (Christians) have done with the abortion issue. If we just sit idly by, the humanists in America will set the agenda and homosexuality will not only be accepted by a majority of Americans, it will be promoted daily on the liberal news and entertainment networks. Editors note: When this was originally written, it was just a prediction.  Now it is reality!

We should keep the words of Joshua in our minds constantly, for the perversions which plagued the Israelites in those days are still with us today plaguing Christians. Joshua, in his speech to the Israelites said, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,. . . But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15) Also the words of Paul should be indelibly stamped on our minds: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 1:1,2)