Ozias
Full Member
Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you
Posts: 100
|
Post by Ozias on Apr 27, 2023 13:52:20 GMT -8
I would like to find the answer to the question of whether you can truly follow Jesus and practice homosexuality at one and the same time. I find the answer pretty much cut and dry, but this day and age opinions seem to differ from mine. As a committed follower of Jesus and I find that the Scriptures, which reflect God’s heart and will, forbid homosexual practice.
I'm deeply concerned with the pervasive effects of gay activism in our culture, and I'm convinced that they are a real threat to our freedoms of speech, conscience, and religion. I believe people who claim to be “ex-gay”—in other words, former homosexuals or people who simply no longer identify and live as homosexuals—and I'm quite sure that Jesus can set us free from anything.
I'm simply interested in what the Scriptures teach about this very important subject or in how we are to respond to the issue of homosexuality (for ourselves or for those to whom we minister). The reason why I referred to it is a very important subject is nowadays we're seeing the pastor's leading churches and major Christian denominations condoning LBGT Lifestyle in their churches.
As a happily married heterosexual man, I do not claim to be able to relate in full to the challenges faced by those who identify as gay or lesbian (or, for that matter, bisexual or transgender), but I can honestly say that I have taken these issues to the Lord. I see it as another way of Satan deceiving people. It's definitely not the way God created us to be. I think it's another form of Satan doing what Satan does best, rob kill and destroy.
In the spirit of Isaiah 1:18, then, let us come before the Lord and reason together, embracing His will with confidence and joy, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2), knowing that whatever God has for His people is best.
I cannot imagine that God's best for his creation would be a gay lifestyle.
The “gay Christian” argument: Love is the fulfillment of the Law and does no harm to its neighbor. But the church’s teaching that homosexual practice is sin has done tremendous harm to many fine LGBT people and is therefore not loving. If we are to love our neighbor as our self, then we must affirm our LGBT brothers and sisters.
The biblical answer: While it is true that many “gay Christians” have been wounded by the church, and while the church has often failed miserably in reaching out with compassion to LGBT people, the greatest possible expression of love is to tell people God’s truth, knowing that His ways are best. Just make sure you are prayed up and have the full armor of God on.
|
|
|
|
Post by Redeemed on Apr 28, 2023 9:19:33 GMT -8
According to Paul in Romans 1:20-32 God's not real pleased with homosexual activity or the behavior and mindset that leads to it:
For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse. (21) For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. (22) Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools (23) and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. (24) Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. (25) They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
(26) For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, (27) and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. (28) And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. (29) They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, (30) slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, (31) senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. (32) Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.
How does the gay Christian get around that? Simple they refer to the law of love. Laid out in the words of Paul:
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
This, in fact, has become one of the most forceful arguments in the “gay Christian” debate: the law of love requires us to embrace same-sex couples. Indeed, common humanity calls for it. In fact, to deny these committed same-sex couples the right to marry and be together is not only to violate the law of love. It is to deny them the right to love. To me this is circle logic. And I'm just not going to buy into it.
Is it, then, “cruel idiocy” to deny a gay person the right to love another person, especially if we do so in Jesus’s name? Is this a matter of the church practicing “hate thy neighbor” rather than “love thy neighbor”? This is the thesis of Linda Patterson, a former heterosexual Christian, now a lesbian agnostic and civil litigations attorney, who authored the book Hate Thy Neighbor: How the Bible Is Misused to Condemn Homosexuality. Is she right? In my opinion, No she's not right she's being deceived by the enemy. She took the date hook line and sinker. And rest assured if you don't agree with her you're wrong and a heretic, that doesn't understand the love of God.
Yes, this is the central argument being raised by gays and some straights alike: love requires, even demands, that we recognize, embrace, sanction, and even celebrate committed same-sex unions.
|
|
Ozias
Full Member
Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you
Posts: 100
|
Post by Ozias on Apr 28, 2023 13:10:55 GMT -8
I believe the root cause of Homosexuality is the sin of ungodliness. Ungodliness may be defined as living one’s everyday life with little or no thought of God, or of God’s will, or of God’s glory, or of one’s dependence on Him. As Redeemed pointed out above in Romans 1:20-32.
For the godly person, God is the center and focal point of our life. Every circumstance and every activity of life, whether in the temporal or spiritual realm, is viewed through the lens of this God-centeredness; however, such a God-centeredness can be developed only in the context of an ever-growing intimate relationship with God. No one can genuinely desire to please God or glorify Him apart from such a relationship.
I believe that all sins can ultimately be traced to this root sin of ungodliness. To use a tree as an illustration, we can think of all our sins, big and small, growing out of the trunk of pride. In this case we're talking about sexual immorality expressing itself in the form of homosexuality. But that which sustains the life of the tree is the root system, in this case the root of ungodliness. It is ungodliness that ultimately gives life to our more visible sins.
So it's the pride of life, That is... we choosing what we believe is best for us, that ultimately leads us to ungodliness and a totally sinful lifestyle.
If ungodly habits of thinking are so commonplace with us, how can we deal with this sin? How can we become more godly in our daily lives? Paul wrote to Timothy, “Train yourself for godliness.” 1 Timothy 4:7
The word train comes from the athletic culture of that day and refers to the practice athletes went through daily to prepare themselves to compete in their athletic contests. It implies, among other things, commitment, consistency, and discipline.
|
|
Ozias
Full Member
Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you
Posts: 100
|
Post by Ozias on Apr 29, 2023 8:08:44 GMT -8
The Gay Agenda & the Spiritual Realm, what's really going on?
The “gay Christian” argument: The Word of God and our own experiences both tell us that following Jesus and homosexual practice are perfectly compatible, as long as we are in committed relationships.
The biblical response: While it is possible to have same-sex attractions and be a devoted follower of Jesus, living a holy life and not yielding to those attractions or affirming them, it is impossible to follow Jesus and engage in same-sex practice at the same time.
|
|
Ozias
Full Member
Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you
Posts: 100
|
Post by Ozias on May 8, 2023 14:44:15 GMT -8
News Flash Hot Off the Wire...'God is Trans' exhibit at Catholic church divides parishioners: 'Enough is enough'
One angry parishioner said 'the church should not be promoting this'A progressive Catholic church in New York City has divided churchgoers with a new art display declaring, "God is trans[gender]." The exhibit entitled "God is Trans: A Queer Spiritual Journey" was displayed next to the altar at the Church of Saint Paul the Apostle in Manhattan on Sunday. Three paintings depicted the "queer spiritual journey" as "sacrifice, identity and communion." One parishioner told the New York Post the church had gone too far in pursuing its liberal "agenda." "The church should not be promoting this," the unnamed person told the outlet. "I understand there are transgender people. I pray for all people but enough is enough. It seems like they are trying to force the agenda on others." The person claimed that priests would not answer questions about the display. "You can’t put this out on the altar and then hide," they added. "That’s what gets the church in trouble." However, other churchgoers voiced support for the exhibit. Cherri Gosh, 80, told the Post she loves the church because it is "very liberal," even if she doesn't understand the exhibit. "They are really in the present when others are not," she said. Bill O'Connor, 79, said he had been attending the church for decades and praised the church for its welcoming stance to the "queer community." "This is a place of welcome," he added. "It’s also a place to question one’s own path."
|
|
|
|
Post by gustav on May 24, 2023 5:57:51 GMT -8
I do not believe a person who is a Christian can be living an active gay lifestyle. They can struggle and battle with it like any other sin but it cannot be a continual sin and practice in their life.
|
|
|
|
Post by civic on May 25, 2023 6:58:00 GMT -8
I do not believe a person who is a Christian can be living an active gay lifestyle. They can struggle and battle with it like any other sin but it cannot be a continual sin and practice in their life. You are correct regarding those who practice sin. 1 Corinthians 5 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. 12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you 1 Corinthians 6 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. Galatians 5 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Ephesians 5 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. hope this helps !!! |
|
|
|
Post by forgiven on Jun 15, 2023 16:31:08 GMT -8
According to Paul in Romans 1:20-32 God's not real pleased with homosexual activity or the behavior and mindset that leads to it: For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse. (21) For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. (22) Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools (23) and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. (24) Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. (25) They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (26) For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, (27) and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. (28) And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. (29) They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, (30) slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, (31) senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. (32) Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them. How does the gay Christian get around that? Simple they refer to the law of love. Laid out in the words of Paul: Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. This, in fact, has become one of the most forceful arguments in the “gay Christian” debate: the law of love requires us to embrace same-sex couples. Indeed, common humanity calls for it. In fact, to deny these committed same-sex couples the right to marry and be together is not only to violate the law of love. It is to deny them the right to love. To me this is circle logic. And I'm just not going to buy into it. Is it, then, “cruel idiocy” to deny a gay person the right to love another person, especially if we do so in Jesus’s name? Is this a matter of the church practicing “hate thy neighbor” rather than “love thy neighbor”? This is the thesis of Linda Patterson, a former heterosexual Christian, now a lesbian agnostic and civil litigations attorney, who authored the book Hate Thy Neighbor: How the Bible Is Misused to Condemn Homosexuality. Is she right? In my opinion, No she's not right she's being deceived by the enemy. She took the date hook line and sinker. And rest assured if you don't agree with her you're wrong and a heretic, that doesn't understand the love of God. Yes, this is the central argument being raised by gays and some straights alike: love requires, even demands, that we recognize, embrace, sanction, and even celebrate committed same-sex unions. 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And " such were some of you: " but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified { Set apart to be Holy}, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. certainly a person who was a practicing gay gets saved. it takes a bit to get the old man put down and the new man take over. but Lgbt movement is ANTI GOD ANTI FAMILY as Christians we must stand against it in Love . speaking the truth in Love. God will remove the desire yes our flesh will crave sin .but we have learn to be crucified with Christ... Note learn |
|
|
|
Post by forgiven on Jun 15, 2023 16:48:27 GMT -8
Grace is not a license to sin. Romans 6:14-16
King James Version
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
|
|
|
|
Post by Parker on Jun 16, 2023 8:58:34 GMT -8
Grace is not a license to sin. Romans 6:14-16 King James Version 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? I think the trend we see today of the church allowing gay ministers stems from a desire to please or oblige others. It seems like these liberal churches have a desire not to be offensive. They seem to have forgotten that Jesus was a stumbling block and a rock of offense. They stumble, being disobedient to the word. As far as homosexuality goes some Christians may be judgmental and even hateful, which is wrong and inexcusable, but as followers of Jesus we are called to recognize the difference between right and wrong, to make proper moral judgments rather than be judgmental and condemning. We all needed a healthy dose of regeneration, “to be born again” when we were saved. We leave our old way of life behind and walking newness of life. We don't want to be that dog that returns to his vomit. You just can't have it both ways. You can't serve two masters. |
|
|
|
Post by forgiven on Jun 17, 2023 3:55:35 GMT -8
We all needed a healthy dose of regeneration, “to be born again” when we were saved. We leave our old way of life behind and walking newness of life. We don't want to be that dog that returns to his vomit.
You just can't have it both ways. You can't serve two masters.
agreed all the way
|
|
Ozias
Full Member
Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you
Posts: 100
|
Post by Ozias on Jun 17, 2023 14:32:03 GMT -8
Pastor Brian McClaren, a well-known “Emergent Church” leader says, the church needs to make major changes in its dealing with gays, lesbians, and transgenders, noting that:
… although the debate has been agonizing, liberals have blazed the trail in seeking to treat homosexual and transgender persons with compassion. Conservatives may follow in their footsteps in this issue just as they have in others, several decades down the road, once the pioneers have cleared the way (and once their old guard has passed away).
To be sure, many conservative Christians would immediately protest this exaggerated statement, as if the only way to treat homosexual and transgender-identified people with compassion was to affirm their sexual desires, romantic attractions, or gender confusion. But is there truth to Pastor McClaren’s larger point that liberal Christians—often called “progressive” Christians today—are the ones who break down walls of prejudice and bigotry, only to be followed decades later by the new generation of conservative Christians?
We're talking the old given inch take a mile analogy here. Once you open that door and naive people accept it there's no turning back. If Christians don't accept the whole nine yards of the gay agenda were accused of being unloving.
|
|
|
|
Post by forgiven on Jun 17, 2023 14:58:21 GMT -8
Pastor Brian McClaren, a well-known “Emergent Church” leader says, the church needs to make major changes in its dealing with gays, lesbians, and transgenders, noting that: … although the debate has been agonizing, liberals have blazed the trail in seeking to treat homosexual and transgender persons with compassion. Conservatives may follow in their footsteps in this issue just as they have in others, several decades down the road, once the pioneers have cleared the way (and once their old guard has passed away). To be sure, many conservative Christians would immediately protest this exaggerated statement, as if the only way to treat homosexual and transgender-identified people with compassion was to affirm their sexual desires, romantic attractions, or gender confusion. But is there truth to Pastor McClaren’s larger point that liberal Christians—often called “progressive” Christians today—are the ones who break down walls of prejudice and bigotry, only to be followed decades later by the new generation of conservative Christians? We're talking the old given inch take a mile analogy here. Once you open that door and naive people accept it there's no turning back. If Christians don't accept the whole nine yards of the gay agenda were accused of being unloving. it does but then again how can we speak the Truth in Love with out offending? A women i graduated with is full blown lesbian even married/. she made a post on facebook about LGBT dont recall details of it.. i replied back i told her the lifestyle she was living had no effect on us being class mates and friends, i preceded to let her know i did not agree with her lifestyle. i also told he my thoughts on transgenders . so to deal with LGBT we speak the truth in love. the most of them will get defensive and yes some will even get belligerent. the day is coming it will be hard to speak out against Lgbt . in fact if our present president had his way. there would be a law against speaking out... |
|
|
|
Post by forgiven on Jun 17, 2023 14:59:41 GMT -8
were accused of being unloving. HOMO PHOBIC
|
|
Ozias
Full Member
Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you
Posts: 100
|
Post by Ozias on Jun 17, 2023 15:31:44 GMT -8
“I think the most plausible reading of Leviticus 18:22 is ‘No male-male sex, period. With that in mind here's my goal:
From Billy Graham
So, for me, it is with care and concern before the Lord that I take any of the stands that I take, and I never do so without much introspection and, often, genuine pain, not wanting to hurt the LGBT community more than it has been hurt, not wanting to reflect my heart rather than God’s heart, not wanting to be a poor witness of Jesus, not wanting to reject those whom He is affirming, and always wanting to be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit, the voice of conscience, and the voice of the disenfranchised.
And while awaiting the ultimate day of accounting before God’s throne, I bring myself before Him (often daily), asking Him to examine my heart, my life, my motives, my responses, my words, my actions, praying for both mercy and forgiveness where I fall short and for courage to stand where His truth requires it, regardless of the cost or consequences.
And most important of all that I try to always respond in love and truth.
|
|
