by Gary T. Panell
There is a trend, today, in many countries, to make "same-sex marriages" as legal as heterosexual marriages. To have this trend take place now is not really surprising, for several reasons. The first reason is because the Bible predicts this will happen: "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 was due." Romans 1: 26-27 In God’s mind, He sees the future as if it has already happened, even though this passage was written about 2000 years ago. You see God knows what is going to happen before it happens. Does that mean that He likes everything that is happening? No, certainly not!
In 2 Peter it says, "…and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly…" 2 Peter 2: 6.
Another reason, it does not surprise me that homosexual marriages are becoming more popular, is because we humans have this strange belief that if we say something is ok to do, then God needs to agree with us. This has happened in the United States in the area of abortion. Many people today don’t even debate whether this is right or wrong; they just assume that God has said it is ok now because the Supreme Court says it is ok. What a rude awaking they will have one day, when they stand before the Supreme Court of God!
As we think about this point, that means if you could get the government to legalize drugs, prostitution and murder, etc. then it would be all right to do these things, right?, Wrong! What is our standard? Is it an opinion poll? What is our law? It is the Word of God! There is no other standard other than what God has said in His Word. Some people say, "Well, it is all in the way you interpret it." Let’s see how you would interpret these verses and how they relate to homosexual marriages: "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Revelation 21: 7, 8
Some religious leaders would say, well, that doesn’t apply to us today because the Bible is not relevant to us today. The prophets of the Bible didn’t know that one day two men would live together as husband and wife, or two women would live together in "holy matrimony." First, this type of thinking denies that God knows what is going to happen in the future, and that He is omniscient. The second thing this says is that God’s Word is not infallible (without errors). So now we have a choice, either we can believe what fallible men (with errors) say, or we can believe God and the Bible!
If you believe the Bible is God’s Word, and you want to know what it says in this area of marriage, here is what it says: "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (You see, it takes both the male and the female married together to show God’s image.) Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it… Genesis 2:27,28a (It is a little hard for two males or two females to be fruitful and multiply, so God is obviously talking only about a man and a woman being married together.)
The Scripture goes on to say: "And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Genesis 2:21-24 There is something the woman has that the man doesn’t have without her, he can not find it in another man, nor can she find it in another woman.
In Leviticus 19:22 it says, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." This is also repeated in the New Testament in 1 Corinthians 6:9 & 11 "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolater, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites…" But I also like how it goes on to say that if people repent of these sins and turn from them they can be saved. "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but your were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." So if you are living in sin with another man or woman turn from your sin and receive Christ’s pardon and He will receive you.
There are those who say they are Christians, but living together with a person of the same sex ("married" or not) claiming to be right with God. This cannot be because the Bible has already condemned this practice through out all of Scripture, and He has not changed His mind about it. 1 John makes it very clear that if we say we are a Christian but practice sin, we are liars. "He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him." I John 1:4
The indication from Scripture is that in the "Last Days" it will be like it was before the flood, and like it was in Sodom and Gomorrah. Those days were characterized by violence, immorality, and homosexuality. "But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." Matthew 24: 36-39
Jesus himself made it very clear what marriage is all about, He says, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh." Matthew 19: 4b-6a. Then Saint Paul makes it unmistakable as to what marriage is as well. He says in 1 Corinthians 7: 2b-5 "…let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." It sure doesn’t sound like God ever intended for any other combination to be together other than a man and a woman!
I’m sure that people before the flood rationalized their evil behavior also. God does not change though, and neither does Scripture on this important subject of human sexuality. Some say, "I was born this way I can’t change." Yes, we are all born with a sin nature, but we can change with God’s help. Is there hope for homosexuals? The good news is, yes, there is hope in Christ! Many are saved now, and happily married to the opposite sex, even though they lived in sin before. God does forgive, He hates the sin of homosexuality, but He loves the sinner. Those that teach that God hates homosexuals are missing the point. God hates the sin, but He loves the sinner. This sin is bad, but so is every sin. A person that holds onto their sin until they die will be dragged down to hell by that sin. Those that repent and give up the sin of homosexuality will be saved.
If you want help, you will need to first admit you need help. Tell God you are sick and tired of your sin of homosexuality. Tell Him that you believe Jesus died for your sin, and you want Him to save you. "For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’" Romans 10: 10-11. All the Scripture references are taken from the New King James Bible.
For More Information:
Should Practicing Homosexuals Be Allowed To Become Leaders In The Church?
The 'L' Word—Does God Love Lesbians?
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Gary Tomás Panell
1211 Pollock Avenue
Zillah, Washington 98953
Email
© 2004-2008 by Gary T. Panell
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