God’s Plan for the Gay Agenda
May 16th, 2008
(By John MacArthur)
Yesterday, a California court ruled that same sex couples have a consitutional right to marry. Those promoting homosexual marriage see this as a major step forward. But what is God’s plan for the gay agenda?
If you’ve been watching the headlines over the last couple years, you may have noticed the incredible surge of interest in affirming homosexuality. Whether it’s at the heart of a religious scandal, political corruption, radical legislation, or the redefinition of marriage, homosexual interests have come to characterize America. That’s an indication of the success of the gay agenda. And some Christians, including some national church leaders, have wavered on the issue even recently. But sadly, when people refuse to acknowledge the sinfulness of homosexuality—calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20)—they do so at the expense of many souls.
How should you respond to the success of the gay agenda? Should you accept the recent trend toward tolerance? Or should you side with those who exclude homosexuals with hostility and disdain?
In reality, the Bible calls for a balance between what some people think are two opposing reactions—condemnation and compassion. Really, the two together are essential elements of biblical love, and that’s something the homosexual sinner desperately needs.
Homosexual advocates have been remarkably effective in selling their warped interpretations of passages in Scripture that address homosexuality. When you ask a homosexual what the Bible says about homosexuality—and many of them know—they have digested an interpretation that is not only warped, but also completely irrational. Pro-homosexual arguments from the Bible are nothing but smokescreens—as you come close, you see right through them.
God’s condemnation of homosexuality is abundantly clear—He opposes it in every age.
- In the patriarchs (Genesis 19:1-28)
- In the Law of Moses (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13)
- In the Prophets (Ezekiel 16:46-50)
- In the New Testament (Romans 1:18-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Jude 7-8)
Why does God condemn homosexuality? Because it overturns God’s fundamental design for human relationships—a design that pictures the complementary relationship between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5:22-33).
Why, then, have homosexual interpretations of Scripture been so successful at persuading so many? Simple: people want to be convinced. Since the Bible is so clear about the issue, sinners have had to defy reason and embrace error to quiet their accusing consciences (Romans 2:14-16). As Jesus said, “Men loved the darkness rather than the Light, [because] their deeds were evil” (John 3:19-20).
As a Christian, you must not compromise what the Bible says about homosexuality—ever. No matter how much you desire to be compassionate to the homosexual, your first sympathies belong to the Lord and to the exaltation of His righteousness. Homosexuals stand in defiant rebellion against the will of their Creator who from the beginning “made them male and female” (Matthew 19:4).
Don’t allow yourself to be intimidated by homosexual advocates and their futile reasoning—their arguments are without substance. Homosexuals, and those who advocate that sin, are fundamentally committed to overturning the lordship of Christ in this world. But their rebellion is useless, for the Holy Spirit says, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; cf. Galatians 5:19-21).
So, what is God’s response to the homosexual agenda?
Certain and final judgment. To claim anything else is to compromise the truth of God and deceive those who are perishing.
As you interact with homosexuals and their sympathizers, you must affirm the Bible’s condemnation. You are not trying to bring damnation on the head of homosexuals, you are trying to bring conviction so that they can turn from that sin and embrace the only hope of salvation for all of us sinners—and that’s through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Homosexuals need salvation. They don’t need healing—homosexuality is not a disease. They don’t need therapy—homosexuality is not a psychological condition. Homosexuals need forgiveness, because homosexuality is a sin.
I don’t know how it happened, but a few decades ago someone branded homosexuals with the worst misnomer—“gay.” Gay used to mean happy, but I can assure you, homosexuals are not happy people. They habitually seek happiness by following after destructive pleasures. There is a reason Romans 1:26 calls homosexual desire a “degrading passion.” It is a lust that destroys the physical body, ruins relationships, and brings perpetual suffering to the soul—and its ultimate end is death (Romans 7:5). Homosexuals are experiencing the judgment of God (Romans 1:24, 26, 28), and thus they are very, very sad.
First Corinthians 6 is very clear about the eternal consequence for those who practice homosexuality—but there’s good news. No matter what the sin is, whether homosexuality or anything else, God has provided forgiveness, salvation, and the hope of eternal life to those who repent and embrace the gospel. Right after identifying homosexuals as those who “will not inherit the kingdom of God,” Paul said, “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).
God’s plan for many homosexuals is that they come to salvation. There were former homosexuals in the Corinthian church back in Paul’s day, just as there are many former homosexuals today in my church and in faithful churches around the country. With regenerated hearts, they sit in biblical churches throughout the country praising their Savior, along with former fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, thieves, coveters, drunkards, revilers, and swindlers. Remember, such were some of you too.
What should be your response to the homosexual agenda? Make it a biblical response—confront it with the truth of Scripture that condemns homosexuality and promises eternal damnation for all who practice it. What should be your response to the homosexual? Make it a gospel response—confront him with the truth of Scripture that condemns him as a sinner, and point him to the hope of salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Stay faithful to the Lord as you respond to homosexuality by honoring His Word, and leave the results to Him.
Praise the holy name of our Lord for the Truth which sets men free from bondage to sin! Amen to this well stated and compassionate article.
The only living and true God is praised when His Word is upheld as the only authority for Truth and righteousness.
Lord fill our hearts with Your Word and guide us in proving faithful to bring the Truth to mankind, that those whom You draw to yourself may be saved from their sins against You.
Please help us to study to show ourselves approved of You, that we may be useful laborers in the harvest.
In our Lord Jesus’ holy name, Amen.
John MacArthuer & Staff:
I don’t see how you can keep your cool. I’m more like Jesue when he over turned the mergants tables that surrounded God’s temple. My anger is kindled to no end. The sin of man is a revolting stinch to my nosrails.
God judges sin. He will judge my sin and he will judge this nation. We have just taken a giant leap backwards. Romans, Chater 1 is correct. GOD has turned his back on this nation to let us chase our sinful lust.
I know I have sin my life but I ask GOD every day to forgive me. GOD the Father put his son on the cross for my sins.
The day grows nearer for jesus return. This is another strong sign that the time grows near. It shall be like the days of Sodom & Gamorah, thus says the Lord.
I always have & I always will speak out against the homosexual movement in this nation.
God have mercy on our nation.
God Bless America
Ron Tanciar
I recntly had a discussion with a secular Medical Psycologist regarding my “issues” of life. Naturally I knew that they look for “Traumas of the Past”, which you need to confront etc.
What confounded her was my testimony to the grace of our LORD Jesus in my life.
You see as a young man I was abused sexually by homosexuals, I was also taken advantage of by other homosexuakls in my teens (When I still was innocent enough in this area and without discernment).
What the Psycologist could NOT grasp was my desire:
“I desire to speak with those that took advantage of me as a child and young man, I desire to share with them the Grace, Mecry and Compassion of JESUS Christ (My Redeemer and Saviour from my sins). I want to let them know that my sins are forgiven by Grace through Faith in Jesus’ work. That I desire for them to be Freed from Pedophilia and from Sexual Idolatary. That I will forgive them and that God sent His Son to take their punishment, should they REPENT and turn away from those sins and receive His Gift of forgiveness and newness of life in Jesus. I want them to know what God has done for me, and for them to accept this Gift of Mercy. Because I have also sinned and I meritted God’s Wrath, but He has now given me Repentance and Newness of Life in turning away from sins.”
I shall always pray that in accordance with:
Exodus 34:6-7
“And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
The LORD may show forth His charecter in accordance with:
Ephesians 2:7
“…that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
and that Christ commission be fulfilled through us:
Luke 5:32
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Because:
James 2:10
“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is GUILTY OF ALL.”
MAY ALL SINNERS of ALL DEGREES Repent and Turn away from sin, deny themselves nd seek the LORD Jesus as their Master for His righteousness and His glory.
By grace alone to a wretched worm like me.
Romans 8:1
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
A constitutional right? C’mon, perhaps we’re reading INTO the U.S. Constitution just a bit?
I think it is out of love and compassion that we are to be honest about what the bible says regarding homosexuality.
To deceive homosexuals by telling them their acts are not sin and affirming their walk on the broad road that leads to eternal destruction is not an act of compassion. It is an act of hate.
My question is whether or not confronting this issue as you have prescribed calls for political involvement. Should Christians band together to oppose gay marriage legislatively?
@ Scott
We have the privilege in this country to vote on these things, so I think we should def. take advantage of this opportunity. This is an issue of morality and I think our government has the responsibility to uphold basic moral standards so that we remain a civilized society.
If we allow gay marriage, how can we rightfully stop incestual marriages (btw there have been 2 cases in Europe recently) and polygamy? These have devastating affects on the family and our society will reap those affects and thus Christians should band together and oppose marriage legislatively while we can.
The hard part really is to be loving and compassionate to these people and let them know that God is loves them and is warning them to change their ways. Thank God, Christ is always ready to embrace any sinner who comes to Him.
Institutional Christianity is a bulwark of conservatism and therefore it may be farfetched for its leadership to rethink and reconsider their position about same-sex marriage or relationship. But I think individual followers of Christ should view this matter in the light of what we know about Christ and his teachings.
Jesus Christ is the most non-conformist, anti-institutional and most radical personality there is in the bible. He trashed so many old testament regulations (e.g. he violated the sabbath, breached
prohibition about eating certain foods, never offered animal offerings), he lashed out at the religious leaders of his day calling them hypocrites and brood of vipers, he dumped their traditions. He never compromised his principles. While most people are beholden to the rich, he was on the side of the poor and the oppressed calling
them blessed. He introduced God as a loving father instead of a stern lawgiver as God is portrayed in the
old testament. He had profound respect for individual personality, advanced the idea of brotherhood and sisterhood of all humanity, advocated peace, admonished people to love another and called for sincere friendship and complete devotion (laying down one’s life for
a friend) and generosity (more blessed to give than to receive). He is, of course, much much more than all of that.
Jesus Christ is never bigoted. He was truly sincere; there was nothing of the hypocrite in him; free from affectation; always so refreshingly genuine; never stooped to pretense; so reasonable; so approachable;
so practical; free from all freakish, erratic, and eccentric tendencies; well-poised personality; with an extraordinary sense of propriety; courageous but never reckless; prudent but never cowardly; sympathetic but not sentimental; unique but not eccentric; pious but
not sanctimonious. The most original of his teaching was the emphasis of love and mercy. He was free from all narrow-mindedness.
In the light of Jesus’ teachings and his personality and character, I think Christians should re-examine all those biblical passages relating to same-sex relations. Christ himself did not speak directly on the issue. But let’s study and re-examine those passages deeply as they may be proscribing attitude or behavior other than decent, honest, sincere and loving relations between same-sex couples. To me, sexual relations between married couples is a mere incident, albeit a very important one, in the marriage. Marriage, be it heterosexual or homosexual, is not all about sex. Its much much more than that. I think, married couples, both heterosexual and homosexual, should enjoy the legitimization of the other profound aspects of the relationship like trust and commitment and love, and support, common vision of service to humanity, companionship and many other factors.
What distinguishes the Old Testament from the New Testament is that the New looks at the world more positively. Where the Old Testament called on fire and brimstone to befall those who failed to obey their ten “Thou shalt not’s” and all the other rules, the New Testament called on God’s grace to fall on those who obeyed his Son’s single commandment of “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” That seems like a pitch for tolerance and largeness of spirit.
If Jesus Christ frowned on anything, it was on prissiness and hypocrisy, preferring the company of fishers and a reformed prostitute to those that scorned them.
Pastor John, you’re a tremendous blessing to so many people. I’m a recipient of God’s many blessings through you. I truly respect you very much. Please know that I am not a gay person, and while I may sound doing so, I’m not really advocating gay rights and all that. The above comments are my personal opinion and I’m open to correction, and pardon some of my language too.
James,
I am in TOTAL agreement wth your statement.
We must seek to speak truth in love that by the Word of the LORD the Spirit may convict of sin, righteousness and judgement unto salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. If we where to withold this truth in love, we are acting in judgement of souls unto eternal condemnation.
We are to behave in a manner consistent with Christ Jesus and of Ezekiel 3 and 18. Seeking the lost, those dead in trespasses and sisns (Ephesians 1 & 2); that thay may be sinners brought to repentance, accepting the gift of merciful grace and being transformed by the renewing of their minds through Sanctification by the Spirit through being filled with the Word of the Scriptures.
Thank you brother!
By merciful grace through faith in our Redeemer Jesus Christ, a new creation to the Glory of our LORD God.
o As a Christian, you must not compromise what the Bible says about homosexuality—ever. No matter how much you desire to be compassionate to the homosexual, your first sympathies belong to the Lord and to the exaltation of His righteousness.
o As you interact with homosexuals and their sympathizers, you must affirm the Bible’s condemnation. You are not trying to bring damnation on the head of homosexuals, you are trying to bring conviction so that they can turn from that sin and embrace the only hope of salvation for all of us sinners—and that’s through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
o What should be your response to the homosexual agenda? Make it a biblical response—confront it with the truth of Scripture that condemns homosexuality and promises eternal damnation for all who practice it. What should be your response to the homosexual? Make it a gospel response—confront him with the truth of Scripture that condemns him as a sinner, and point him to the hope of salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Stay faithful to the Lord as you respond to homosexuality by honoring His Word, and leave the results to Him.
John MacArthur is an excellent servant-leader for the Lord. I agree with him: Telling the truth in love is the most loving thing a person can do for a neighbor.
John,
Thank you for your perspective and comments. Have you considered the argument that the government is not currently upholding a biblical view of marriage as it is (divorce and adultery are not illegal); therefore, banning same-sex marriage still falls short of God’s moral standard. I’m not questioning whether or nor same-sex marriage is okay. I simply am trying to sort out if lobbying politically really gets us anywhere. (Without a doubt, if it were ever on the ballot in my state, I would vote to uphold marriage as one man/one woman.)
I don’t usually stop and comment on blogs. That being said, I must post here to reject the ideas that Jun M puts forth about Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ was not a rebel. He was and is the Son of God.
He was not anti-intitutional. He is the head of an institution, His Bride called the church.
He was not a “radical personality”. He was and is God in the flesh.
The reason he lashed out at the Pharisees is because they were hyporcrites. Yes He dumped their traditions, but why, because He was a trouble-maker? No, because they were legalistic and led people to Hell.
He was not free from all narrow-mindedness. The contrary, He describes the way as narrow which leads to Him, Matthew 7: 14.
I wished I had more time to comment on Jun’s post. Please forgive any typos. Jun, my purpose here is not to pick on you, but to encourage you to examine the scriptures and see what they say about Jesus Christ. I would also recommend John MacArthur’s book “Hard To Believe”.
Grace and peace. Dustin Price
Hi pastor John, I really appreciate your approach to this situation and the reminder that homosexuals need salvation, not physical healing or psychological evaluation.
I was wondering if you would be willing to write a little about how one addresses the issue of homosexual “marriage” as it arises in our state (Ca). Obviously it is sinful and we should approach it with the understanding that we were all saved by grace while still dead in our sin, but I have been wrestling with a few questions that I would love to see addressed:
Should we speak out against it or would that be counter productive to the cause of furthering the Gospel in the homosexual community? Is it enough to simply vote on it or do we have an obligation to address it in a more public manner?
I am inclined to think that the statement you made at T4G about the outcome of the election holds true in this instance, that this issue (homosexual marriage) has absolutely no effect on the Kingdom of God or how we are called to live in this world. Then again, I may just be wrong.
Thanks for your time and your continuing ministry.
Hi Dustin, I appreciate your reaction to some parts of my post. I knew beforehand that my usages and tone, and most of all, the more substantive aspects of what I wrote, would raise some critical observations. But please note the last line of the post where I indicated being amenable to correction and apologized for some language.
Let me address the particular concerns that you raised. I believe you have issue, among others, with my use of the words “anti-institutional” and “radical personality” in referring to Jesus Christ. I will define the terms and expound a little bit.
When I said He was “anti-institutional” I meant Jesus opposed Pharisees in many of their practices and traditions that they deemed important, in their hypocrisy and self-righteousness, and in their obsessiveness with strict adherence to rules and formalities. My emphasis was on how the Pharisaical system manifested itself on the people.
By “radical” I meant fundamental, thorough, and far reaching. Jesus shook the foundations of the Jewish religious beliefs. He sought the comprehensive and thorough transformation of peoples’ lives. Jesus and His words’ transformed hearts of men, kingdoms, nations and peoples. The influence of Jesus and His words are so far reaching. Its in these senses that I used the word “radical” when referring to Jesus.
To me, the word “rebel” does not necessarily entail a negative connotation. But I did not say that Jesus Christ was a rebel. Jesus Christ was more than a rebel. (Even the first rate revolutionaries and legendary warriors of different historical epoch combined are no match to Jesus Christ in terms of influence upon the world.) He was more radical than the rebels of His day. While they seek to overthrow Roman rule and oppression, Jesus sought to overthrow sin from the hearts men and free men from the bondage and oppression of sin. While they sought change with the force of arms, Jesus sought transformation with the force of Love. Jesus’ weapon is so radical, so unique, so effective it could only come from God.
I’m sure you did not mean to say that Jesus is narrow-minded or that those who walk through the narrow path are narrow minded. To me, Jesus is the most enlightened, most broad-minded person that ever walked on earth. He saw through the minds of men, he knew their hearts, He empathized with them and loved them so much. The most broad-minded people I know are Christians. They know how the world works, the lures, the temptations. But they still chose to walk in the narrow path. If they are narrow-minded, they would have opted for the broad way and forsook their Savior. (Of course its not really their broadmindedness that keeps them in the narrow path, its the faithfulness of their Savior.) But Christians should never be openminded when it comes to sin.
I hope I was able to address your concerns.
Jun
Jun,
Jesus did not seek transformation with the force of whatever it is you mean by “Love” with a capital “L.” Jesus sought perfect adherence to the law so that He could offer Himself as a holy, living sacrifice to atone for the sins of His bride, the church. The ultimate act of love, certainly, but about so much more than love, His sacrifice was also about God’s holiness and the cost that must be paid in order for the church to be reconciled with God. Jesus sought transformation through atonement. God’s love existed throughout the OT, it did not suddenly appear in the NT. It was not a new thing.
You diminish God’s love if you fail to recognize God’s holiness. You can’t take one and leave the other, they work hand in hand. And asking Christians to redefine what God has called sin is an affront to the holiness of God and is therefore also an affront to the love of God.
God’s Word plainly tells us that homosexuality is a sin.
Jesus death paid for the debt of our sins. But Jesus did NOT recreate homosexuality, or any other sin, as a non-sin.
Hi Hadassa: Sorry for that “L”. All I was saying is that Jesus loves and have so much affection for people that he sought and is seeking to transform their hearts and lives.
When you wrote “Jesus sought perfect adherence to the law” I understand you to mean that Jesus Himself embodies perfect fulfillment of the law and therefore a worthy sacrifice for atonement of the Church. Its the same view that I hold. But I also believe that Jesus did not seek peoples’ perfect compliance with the law. He knew they could not. That’s why He was so critical of the Pharisees who sought to impose upon the shoulder of the people the yoke (of the law) which the Pharisees themselves are not willing to touch.
God’s love is the same in the OT and NT. But God’s hatred is also not manifest in NT. The Romans were probably not any less pagan than the Philistines and the Amalekites and the other “ites” and probably committed equal offense against God and the Jewish people but nowhere in the NT will you read God’s command to annihilate the Romans. This is the difference that I’m talking about. There are parts in the gospels where Jesus said: “Its been said of old…but verily I say unto you…” And they are not trivial matters to which those “verily I say unto you” phrase refers. They’re about important social relationships and attitudes: marriage, divorce, adultery, murder, revenge, humility, forbearance, generosity and even love for enemies, among others. Its like Jesus was saying: “OK, here’s the old law, and here’s the new law. The old law is not good anymore, and that’s another new law.” If Jesus were a strict constructionist, he would have been like the Pharisees. And if the Pharisees brought to Jesus’ attention the issue of homosexuality, its likely the world, and Christians too, would have an entirely different view of homosexuality.
As I wrote in my original post, I’m not a gay person neither do I advocate gay rights. But I suspend a definitive judgment about morality on the matter. My stand now is one of respect: I respect honest, sincere, caring, decent and loving relationship between couples, heterosexual or homosexual. I respect the decision of the court allowing gay marriage. I think honest, sincere, caring, decent, and loving relationship between two consenting adults should be legitimized and protected.
Sharing God’s love necessarily implicates His holiness. I think its impossible to share God’s love without the spirit of God’s holiness. I think its wrong to purport to share God’s love to the homosexual when you are judgmental and tactless. That’s the real affront both to God and to the homosexual.
“Homosexuals need salvation. They don’t need healing—homosexuality is not a disease. They don’t need therapy—homosexuality is not a psychological condition. Homosexuals need forgiveness, because homosexuality is a sin.”
Same-sex attraction is a mentality which many homosexuals have just as sure as heterosexuals have an opposite-sex attraction mentality. It’s not something one can give up easily. I draw a parallel with alcoholism - is it possible for a person who has repented from an alcoholic lifestyle, who doesn’t drink at all but still struggles terribly with being tempted to drink, sinning? Yes, for Jesus was tempted in the desert yet He was without sin. In the same way, many homosexuals find it hard to give up their attraction to others of the same sex as them - their homosexuality - even if they have decided not to have a lifestyle of homosexual sex, which is condemned in 1 Corinthians.
“I don’t know how it happened, but a few decades ago someone branded homosexuals with the worst misnomer—“gay.” Gay used to mean happy, but I can assure you, homosexuals are not happy people.”
I’ve met depressed and mentally ill homosexuals and I’ve met depressed and mentally ill Christians. I’ve also met many happy people in my life, Christian, non-Christian, heterosexual and homosexual. This proves nothing.
The church - we Christians - need to really understand the issues surrounding homosexuality if we are to win the debate in society over homosexuality in society.
As a young Christian with several gay friends, living in a society much more tolerant of homosexuality than the US, I find the current answers the church is giving for homosexuals to be lacking in appeal and I would find it extremely hard to explain to my friends why homosexual sex is wrong, and why God calls them to a non-sexual or heterosexual lifestyle when they’ve obviously grown up homosexual, with little apparent ability to change. I hope I haven’t got off topic here - I’m just trying to explain my motives for needing to bring up the points above.
Jun, I think if you will carefully examine the “verily I say unto you” parts of the Gospel, you will see that Jesus INCREASED the standard by which we will be judged. He made it even harder for us to adhere to the law by illustrating that outward actions are inadequate, our hearts and our minds must be completely without blemish in order for us to be in compliance with the law.
Impossible, yes. That is why Christ’s sacrifice was necessary. But, again, Jesus never remade ANY sin into a non-sin. You either accept that sin is sin is sin, or you place your own desire to be acceptable to society above what God has CLEARLY revealed.
I would like to suggest that your understanding of God’s holiness seems to be incomplete. God’s holiness and His love are evident throughout the entire NT and the entire OT. If God is not holy, Jesus death would be unnecessary. It is exactly b/c of what you call God’s “hatred” that Jesus came and died for our sins.
And by the way, I am a very tactful and non-judgmental person. I know and love many sinners, some of whom are homosexual. I even have a homosexual person in my extended family. I love and pray for that relative as I love and pray for the rest of my non-Christian family. But sin is still sin. And God calls homosexuality a sin.
I think its wrong to purport to share God’s love to the homosexual when you are judgmental and tactless.
Jun - what is God’s love that you purport to share?
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
God’s love made my salvation possible. But, in order to benefit from that love, I must repent of my sin and turn from it. How do I know this is true? Because God said so. How judgmental and tactless of God to be this way - to only offer salvation to those who repent of their sins and turn from them.
The love of God is made visible in the gift of salvation. In order to receive this gift, this love, one must repent and turn from their sin. How can you truely be sharing the love of God with anyone if you don’t also include this need to repent and turn from sin in your presentation?
Remember that God’s love does not benefit everyone. It only benefits those who obey Him. You are not truely sharing God’s love if you tell people otherwise.
—–
For Ben Smith: People have many different kinds of strong urges (from gluttony to addictions to sexual preference). It may be true that there are valid reasons why these urges exist. But it is equally true that God simply says: “don’t give in to these urges; to give in to these urges is sin”. I think preachers are off-base when they insist that these urges have no basis is a person’s biology or psychology, that they are nothing more than “sin”. I think laypeople are equally off-base when they insist that, because the urges have a valid biological or psychological basis, we must give in to them. The urges may have valid biological and/or psychological reasons for existing, but God says simply “don’t give in to them”. Ultimately, that is what matters. I don’t know why God set things up that way, and I know this tension causes a great deal of grief, but God does allow us all to have valid urges that He expects us to not give in to.
Jun, Dustin, and Hadassah,
I think you are all saying the same things with different words. It sounds to me like you both agree, yet think you disagree because of the wording being used. I don’t believe that Jun means that Christ was a rebel in the sense that He was rebellious. However, He was a rebel in the sense that He challenged the authority of the Pharisees. I think what Jun means is that Christ was notably different and non-compliant, and I think you would agree.
Finally, someone is talking some sense!
If you’ve been watching the headlines over the last couple years, you may have noticed the incredible surge of interest in fighting slavery around the globe.
How should you respond to the success of the anti-slavery movement?
God’s acceptance and endorsement of slavery is abundantly clear — He allows slavery in every age.
- In the Patriarchs (Genesis 9:26; 16:16; 17:12-13; 20:17)
- In the Law of Moses (Leviticus 25:44-46)
- In the Old Testament Historical Books (Joshua 9:23)
- In Wisdom Literature (Proverbs 11:29; 12:24)
- In the Prophets (Jeremiah 15:14; 17:4)
- In the New Testament Epistles of Paul and Peter (I Timothy 6:1-2; Titus 2:9; I Peter 2:18)
- In New Testament Historical Book (Acts 2:18)
- And from the Mouth of the Lord Himself in all four Gospels! (Matthew 24:45-46; 25:14, 23, 26; Mark 12:2; Luke 2:29; 7:2, 8; 12: 37-38, 47; 17:10; 19:22; John 13:16)
Why, then, have anti-slavery interpretations of Scripture been so successful at persuading so many? Simple: people want to be convinced. Since the Bible is so clear about the issue, sinners have had to defy reason and embrace error to quiet their accusing consciences. As Jesus said, “Men loved the darkness rather than the Light, [because] their deeds were evil” (John 3:19-20).
What should be your response to the anti-slavery agenda? Make it a biblical response—confront it with the truth of Scripture that accepts and endorses slavery and all who practice it.
Don’t allow yourself to be intimidated by anti-slavery critics and their futile reasoning—their arguments are without substance.
To claim anything else is to compromise the truth of God.