2) The Lord never placed condemnation or judgment on anyone because of their race. However, there is condemnation on people based on their active and willful participation in sin. Leviticus 18:22 has the first defining of and prohibition of homosexuality within the Bible: Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. It does not end with this one verse or with the Old Testament. The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians living in Rome: 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. 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 (Romans 1:27-28) and in his first letter to Timothy: 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, 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 (1 Timothy 9-10). Every one of the sins mentioned throughout the Bible are choices. Overeating (gluttony), adultery, stealing, murder, and lies are all sins listed equally with homosexuality. These are all sins that are a violation of God’s law that requires us to repent, resist, and ask for the Lord to deliver us from the temptation to take part in them. In the eyes of the Lord, sin is sin; homosexuality is no worse than gluttony. And for the GLBTQ activist, they are correct, it is an alternative lifestyle and the Bible clearly teaches that we all have a choice – anything other than what honors God is an alternative to His divine plan.
Society is changing by design
What the world seeks to do, using people who are choosing this alternative lifestyle, is to force the church off its Biblical foundation. If the church compromises in areas that God has called sin for the sake of tolerance, then the church loses its moral authority to stand against other biblical viewpoints. If churches, out of fear of being labeled as hate groups or losing their tax exemption status, allow the sin of practicing homosexuality into the fellowship of the church, then the church will no longer be resting on the foundation of scripture but upon the foundation of the government of the state. The demands for Christian tolerance extends beyond the full acceptance of abortion and homosexuality and into other areas that are just as much against the Bible.
Already there are those that want Christians to be more accepted of the concept of universal salvation and the belief that all religious paths lead to God. This is contrary to what the Bible teaches, especially to what Jesus taught during his earthly ministry: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6) and Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:22-23). There are no more destructive and openly deceptive teachings than these two. What is even worse is that many churches have adopted the mindset that instead of actively engaging people in conversations about their need to turn to Christ alone for their salvation, they now avoid the potential conflict and proclaim that through lifestyle evangelism they can draw others to Christ. Again, instead of standing firm on the scriptural authority found in Mark 16:15b: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, the church has decided that it is less offensive, less controversial, and less problematic to adopt the world’s standard of live and let live. By doing so, we are condemning others to an eternity in Hell because we simply don’t want to be labeled as intolerant, hateful, and narrow-minded.
While society is changing, the Bible is not. Within the scriptures, almost as a reminder to us to remain faithful to its teachings, these verses bear testimony to God’s eternal nature: Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen (Psalms 41:13) and Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8). We serve the same Lord that Moses, Abraham, and Isaac served; we serve that same Lord that walked along the shores of Galilee, that healed the sick, raised the dead, and promised everlasting life to those who believe and trust in Him. As Christians, we need to stand firm on the foundation of His word, as members of a local church, we must make sure that our church remains firmly affixed to the teachings of the Bible. We must do these things so that we can serve as a beacon of the Lord as souls weary from the world seek out the Lord.
