Church of God, New World Ministries

Can A Homosexual Be A Christian Too?

Churches are increasingly accepting homosexuals into their folds, even ordaining them into their ministry. What’s the cause behind this modern trend? What does the Bible say about homosexuals?

It is time we pulled back the curtain of secrecy and take a look at the upsurge in homosexuality!

A few years ago a Protestant denomination ordained a declared homosexual into its ministry. Some shocking questions and answers were asked and received prior to approving the ordination. The ministerial candidate was asked by one of his examiners: “Do you regard homosexuality as a gift from God and a good gift?”

“I regard all sexuality as a gift from God and a good gift,” replied the candidate, an admitted homosexual. In answer to another question, this one concerning his attitude about marriage, he quickly responded: “I think love between any two people is beautiful and should be celebrated. I know that two men or two women can share such a love.”

Following these eyebrow-raising questions and answers, a debate and vote were held. In less than an hour, a final decision was reached. Representatives of 19 San Francisco Bay area churches of the United Church of Christ approved the ordination of an acknowledged homosexual into their ministry.

Accepting homosexuals into recognized churches and church ministries is not just a localized phenomenon. It is worldwide in scope.

In a 4,000-word report, a commission on Social Principles of the United Methodist Church recommended that their eleven-million member body accept homosexuals as “persons of sacred worth” and welcome them “Into the fellowship of the church.”

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Netherlands endorsed a commission report saying that homosexuality should not be a barrier to a person who wishes to become a pastor. The commission report recommended the acceptance of the “special form of life” practiced by homosexuals. Such persons should be equally eligible for any position in society, concluded the report, provided they have the training and necessary professional qualifications.

The growing attitude among many ministers and lay people alike is that practicing homosexuals should be welcomed into membership in the churches. One minister explained that he already knew of several homosexuals in his congregation, anyway.

An Anglican rector of Bobbingworth, Essex, in England, contemplating solutions to the world’s population problem, put forth this shocking question: “If reproduction was somehow to be prevented and love to be retained, may not a homosexual relationship be socially if not morally preferable?”

Entire Christian-professing churches now exist, complete with liturgy, choirs, and marriage ceremonies, which are comprised almost exclusively of male and female homosexuals, pastors included.

Said one homosexual who is preparing for the ministry (summing up this growing attitude toward acceptance of homosexuality): “I am a Christian, a homosexual, and a Baptist, and I do not find anything grotesque, unnatural, and sinful about loving a man and having sexual relations with him.”

Society (including the White House) as a whole is approving homosexual behavior. It is a prime reason why acceptance of homosexuality is spreading into the world’s churches. The prevailing attitude in society is that what a person does behind his bedroom door is his business, his “own thing.”

Laws against homosexuality are being minimized even eliminated (several states now approve of same sex marriages). England legalized homosexuality between consenting adults in 1967. Denmark did as far back as 1930; and Sweden did so in 1944. West Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland. Luxembourg and even Italy have also legalized acts of homosexuality between consenting adults. Already in the United States, such states as Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Oregon, and Hawaii allows acts of homosexuality between consenting adults and now even marriages.

Social scientists and educators are increasingly saying that society should have “more understanding for homosexuals.” We are asked to accept them as persons and accept their homosexuality as just another life-style.

Homosexuals themselves are openly grouping together in organized societies. They publish newsletters, magazines, books, and publicly demonstrate on behalf of their homosexuality. Some are even militant about it.

What is the pseudo-scientific reasoning behind this trend of accepting homosexuality? Homosexuals, and those on the side of accepting homosexuals, begin their argument with reference to history and noted historical persons who were homosexuals.

Throughout history homosexuality has been practiced by members of some of the most primitive tribes, as well as by members of some of the most advanced civilizations.

Anciently, the Greeks considered homosexuality normal. Female homosexuality was so widespread on the Aegean island of Lesbos in the 6th century B .C. that lesbianism became the term for female homosexuality!

Look at today. Homosexuality is practiced to some extent in every major country of the world. Most large cities around the world have their “gay” neighborhoods. Some cities have neighborhoods replete with “gay” parks, restaurants, bookstores, laundries, clothing stores, barbers, and even shops with greeting cards for “gay” occasions.

Homosexuals can be found among every class of people: truck drivers, farmers, laborers, factory workers, teachers, executives, artisans, scientists, and political and religious figures.

Homosexuality was common among the ancients. It’s common today, millions of people are homosexual So how could it be wrong, the homosexuals ask?

Amazingly, some professing Christians are caught up in the same arguments on behalf of homosexuals and homosexuality. Those who defend homosexuality claim a number of famous persons among the ranks of those who were homosexual in the past: Socrates, Plato, Julius Caesar, Whitman and others. But whether or not those famous men were homosexual doesn’t make any difference. That is not the criterion for judgment. No matter how many were homosexual in the past, are homosexual now, and no matter how widespread it is, how acceptable it may seem, who accepts it, or who says it is permissible, the actions and opinions of men are not the standard.

There is a standard by which men are to be judged. It is time we took a look at that standard instead of man’s opinions and human reasonings. It’s time we looked at the Bible.

The Bible is God’s instruction book to mankind. It reveals how man ought to live. Paul, John, Peter, Moses, and all others who wrote portions of the Bible did not of their own volition decide what to write and what should be part of the Bible as some want to say. They were directly inspired and guided by the Spirit of God to write and canonize what we now call the Bible.

Scripture is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Tim. 3:16). The question is: Are we willing to listen to what Scripture reveals about homosexuality? What the Bible says about the subject is unmistakable clear. In both the Old and New Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation, male and female homosexuality is condemned as an unnatural, abominable, vile perversion.

Read it for yourself! “If a man lies with a male as with woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall be put to death” (Lev. 20:13).

Who hasn’t heard the story of Sodom and Gomorrah? The entire plain around Sodom and Gomorrah, including the cities, crops and everything that lived, was destroyed by fire because of the grievous sexual sins and other vices of the inhabitants.

The men of Sodom and Gomorrah were so perverse sexually that they would even rape other men. See Genesis 19:4-9. In fact, read the entire detailed account in your own Bible, Genesis 18:20 through Genesis 19:28. See for yourself what God thinks about homosexuality! This account was recorded for our instruction. “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes,” God, as the context shows “condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample (example) unto those that after should live ungodly” (II Peter 2:6).

“Gay” churches and homosexuals who profess Christianity ignore this awesome account of Sodom and Gomorrah, of course. They reason that homosexuals should marry and not be promiscuous like the men of Sodom, or like heterosexuals who commit fornication and adultery.

What about so-called homosexual marriages or even a homosexual marriage that stayed intact twenty six years as claimed by one homosexual couple?

Jesus Christ said about true marriage, “have you not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 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?” (Matt. 19:4-5).

Marriage is between a man and a woman, not between two men or two women. Sex belongs in marriage, as the Bible plainly reveals, and should be between a man and his wife, not between two men or two women! Sex any other way is unnatural and sinful, bringing on penalties now (a seared mind: often a disorganized, unhappy, lonely, frustrated, empty life; no true mate; no children, no grandchildren; futility; a life often ending in suicide) and a final penalty of eternal death! Read it in Romans 1:24-32).

Paul was inspired by God to warn: “Do not be deceived (misled); neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality, nor cheats, swindlers and thieves, nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foul-mouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God” (I Cor. 6:9-10).

God plainly condemns homosexuality as sin! “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (I John 1:10). But does this mean that a homosexual is without hope? No. God makes it very clear that there is hope for the homosexual just as there is hope for the fornicator, the adulterer, the liar, for everyone who repents of his or her sin.

God is “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Ex. 34:6-7).

The humiliated woman taken in the very act of adultery – a sinful heterosexual act was forgiven by Jesus. He told her never to do it again (John 8:3-11), especially verse 11).

One must be willing to acknowledge sin, willing to see how evil it is in God’s sight, and willing to change, to stop sinning, to do what is right. God wants that. He is willing to help when he is asked, if a person really desires to quit sinning and to do what is right before Him. Even as deeply entrenched psychologically as the sin of homosexuality is, it can be forgiven and discontinued. “With God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26).

Homosexuals practicing homosexuality for years have made this change. It can be done. One man, a confirmed homosexual for twenty years, is now completely heterosexual. He is married and has several children.

As a one-time homosexual explained, giving up homosexuality involves completely giving up the homosexual way of living. There must be a total split away from homosexual friends. Visits to “gay” bars and known “gay” hangouts have to cease. A whole new set of acquaintances must be developed. Homosexual thoughts have to be rejected and expelled from the mind. In order to make this change, it may be necessary to move to another areas or another city to begin life anew.

With the change comes a new-found, guilt-free conscience, a way of life without kickbacks and an upright way of life free of sin.

Christians are commanded by God to make this change, whatever the past sin. It is erroneous to claim as some do, that “God called me that way” meaning as homosexual, a fornicator, an adulterer. According to this fallacious reasoning, homosexuality is acceptable, fornication is acceptable, adultery is acceptable. Absolutely not!

Christians are told to put off the “former conversation (conduct) which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts: and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4:22-24).

Some of the very people that the apostle Paul was writing to in the Corinthian Church had once been homosexuals themselves: “And such were some of you” (I Corth. 6:11).They had repented of their homosexuality. They had changed, been forgiven through Jesus Christ, and had become Christians. They did not continue being homosexuals.

Homosexuals can repent, can change, can stop practicing homosexuality, and can have their homosexual pasts completely blotted out. A repentant homosexual can become a Christian, but not a homosexual Christian.

The acceptance of homosexuality is a sign of moral sickness and decay, theologically, nationally, and individually. It is time we called a halt to this toboggan slide into sin and depravity!

 
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