Posted on 02/16/2014 9:10:27 PM PST by ReformationFan
Even as we exercise our voice, we need a generation of Christians who are willing to do even more; willing to be courageous enough to minister with compassion and truth to the homosexual community. We need brothers and sisters in Christ, who know the depths of grace and are deliberate in ministering to others by that grace. We must raise an army of men and women, who are compelled, in all humility, to seek to understand the homosexual struggle and enter into relationships that will challenge, encourage, and hold friends and loved ones accountable.
Even before the Grammy Awards showcased Macklemore singing “Same Love” and Queen Latifah presiding over a “same sex couple’s wedding” ceremony, I had most of this blog written as the topic has been on my mind for quite some time.
I am not a Kuyperian or a Neo-Kuyperian, but there are certain watershed cultural issues for every generation of Christians; issues in which they cannot be silent. For our generation, abortion and homosexuality are key watershed issues. They are watershed issues, because abortion snatches away life and homosexuality reaches out and grabs hold of death.
The average Evangelical Christian continues to believe we should speak out against the acceptance of abortion in our culture. And the pro-abortion forces have been losing ground over the past five years. No doubt, much of that is due to the church’s resolve to stand against this agenda. However, it seems to me that in the past few years, Evangelical Christians in the United States have increasingly and passively grown in their acceptance of homosexuality. This should concern all of us.
I understand the discouragement. Our culture has done a quick “about face” on this issue. It was just yesterday that the Ellen DeGeneres sitcom announced its main character was homosexual (1997) and a firestorm erupted. Now, it seems almost “normal” to have Queen Latifah presiding over a “wedding” ceremony of a homosexual couple. We cannot let it feel “normal.” Make no mistake, homosexuality may be the issue of the day. It brings secularism to the forefront like few other agendas and it undermines the foundation of family, church, and the Scriptures.
Therefore, it should concern us when Christians throw their hands up and declare with finality that the homosexuality debate in this country is over–the battle has been waged and lost. This agenda has fooled us into thinking it is here to stay and must be adopted and adapted to. It has bullied us into believing we cannot continue to speak out against the acceptance of practicing this sin in our culture. Too many denominations, Christian schools, churches, and individual Christians are raising the white flag. This is something we cannot and must not do.
Homosexuality is a matter of extreme importance to us. Make no mistake, this is a gospel issue. When our culture embraces something that sends people to hell (1 Cor. 6:9-10; 1 Tim. 1:10) then it must matter to us. We cannot roll over and play dead. We cannot give up and just let the issue go. We are compelled to continue to engage our culture on this issue and challenge its wayward course. We are not doing this because we are feverish to return to the 1940′s or 1950′s or because we are a “backwards people.” Rather, we are a people looking forward to eternity and that is our motivation. Neither are we seeking to engage in this cultural battle because we are haters. We do so because we are lovers of men and God. We do not endeavor to be sticks in the mud, who refuse to change. We, of all people, know the value of change as we have been brought from death to life. However, we are only willing to change where we are freed by the Scriptures to do so. We are a people bound by the Word of God; our conscience is constrained by it, and from this position we cannot move.
We must be bold and courageous in our day. Not rabble rousers, but valiant and resolute according to our convictions. Our starting place, should be to disapprove of homosexual practice, knowing that we do so in the context of our own sexual fallen state. We are not haughty. We are not decrying the sins of others and ignoring our own, but neither are we willing to sit silently when our culture calls that which is evil “good.”
Let us resolve, that as we continue to speak against homosexuality and its acceptance in our culture, we will do so winsomely and lovingly; yet, we are also committed to doing so clearly. In our pulpits, in our conversations around the water cooler, with our children, or in simple talks over the fence with our neighbors, we will be clear that homosexual practice is a sin. We will not attempt to separate love and truth. A careful guard against the subtle language of “gay” and “gay marriage” should be in place. Neither one of those terms should be used in our discourse about the homosexual lifestyle or homosexual union. There is nothing “gay” or God-honoring about the homosexual lifestyle, and it is not a God-ordained marriage when two homosexuals join together in a “state approved marriage,” even if it is a monogamous and committed relationship. We, as a people of the Word, know the importance of language and words, and it is crucial we give clear articulation of God’s purpose and plan for sex and marriage.
Even as we exercise our voice, we need a generation of Christians who are willing to do even more; willing to be courageous enough to minister with compassion and truth to the homosexual community. We need brothers and sisters in Christ, who know the depths of grace and are deliberate in ministering to others by that grace. We must raise an army of men and women, who are compelled, in all humility, to seek to understand the homosexual struggle and enter into relationships that will challenge, encourage, and hold friends and loved ones accountable. We need elders and pastors with a vision to establish churches where a person struggling with same-sex attraction or even homosexual practices are lovingly warned, discipled, and given care. We need to continue to declare that homosexuality is not the unforgivable sin, but that repentance is called for. We must be clear in our application of theology that identifying the sinful desire and abstaining from such practices does not negate personhood or necessitate the deprivation of joy.
Above all, we need to pray. We need to pray for those in our churches who struggle with same-sex attraction, for those who have given into this temptation and sin, and for the salvation of those who are trapped in a lifestyle that leads to death. We need to pray that our society would alter its present course on this issue and never look back.
It may be an uphill battle, but our God moves mountains. We serve a God who can change things in an instant. Does it seem impossible? Our God majors in the impossible. May it take a miracle? There is good news, we serve a God who performs miracles. We cannot roll over and play dead on this issue. It is too important. It is an issue with eternal implications for the souls of men and women. We believe in the power of the gospel, so let us believe it is good news even in the midst of this debate, and declare it without shrinking. May God turn the tide and do a mighty work of change in our generation, for His praise and His glory. He can do it. Never lose hope.
God has already won and has told us what is to come. We need to be more concerned with our own behavior than what others are doing. Witnessing with the Truth of the Good News and setting good examples are probably the best we can do. We are incapable of defeating evil - that's His job. We can only do our best to resist Evil in our own lives and lean on Christ as He intended.
Most of the states that have legalized gay marriage have done so either via the legislature or in the case of three states, via referendum. I do believe that it will be nationalized by the courts, however.
The Gates of Hollywood have.
Oh, rubbish. Are you going to stand there waving your little white hankie and saying, "I have not yet begun to fight--- and deary me, I'm not going to, either!"?
This isn't the honorable OR dishonorable end of the battle: this is just a preemptive surrender.
Most of us have NOT so much as
We've done NOTHING but wring our hands and say, "Oh, we lost the race" when we haven't even gotten off the starting block.
They're coming for our children's bodies and souls, and we're bending over and saying, "Schtup me."
Please. No more.
Man up and fight.
This is very accurate.
I think the cornerstone of addressing this will be in blazing a faith trail for people finding themselves in homosexuality but who want something better instead. Thanks to the loud mouths, a lying spell has been cast over the country that this is impossible. Now even secular counselors who have stuck to their guns have proven it’s NOT impossible. The wonderful people at www.NARTH.com. But when the power of God is called upon, frank miracles can be seen to happen over and above what secular psychology can help.
Get rid of the excuse, and the support for this kind of sinning will collapse. Ex-gays need to come out of the closet, and Christendom needs to stop being squeamish about the issues that are encountered as gays become ex-gays. It will actually need to talk about sex. In public.
... and yes, evangelicals and Catholics (and Orthodox for that matter) will differ on some methodologies. But from what I have observed, I am beyond persuaded that all may successfully call upon the same Christ, and that it is Christ that brings the blessings and makes the blessings flow. Christ died on one cross for all, not on three of them.
Let’s pray to the Lord and then see if there is an erring brother or sister that we can guide, in some manner, back to the truth and healing power of the Lord. That is the manner of Christ.
First, I am a lot more likely to head out with a shotgun than a white flag.
Second, you are conflating "surrender" with acceptance of reality. I have accepted reality. The reality is that queer 'marriage' and its concomitant harassment of straights (e.g. Arlene's Flower Shop One mile from me) is LAW in my state -- it's not going back, short of major societal upheaval (war; natural disaster). Anyone who thinks it is is delusional. State after state is falling, with or without the concurrence of the voters.
Third, you have no idea of what I have done to "fight". This would include personally escaping from police pursuit after a certain "protest", and letters to the editor, and being harshly sanctioned at work for putting up a pro-family poster, etc., etc. The other people you're addressing probably have done similar things (excepting maybe, the pursuit). And, of course, the prayers. Lots of prayers, every day.
Finally, and most importantly, many of you refuse to believe that we are in the end times. The country, society, world, have been given over to the devil for a period of time. You can't change this, overall. Prayer and personal persuasion can still change an individual outcome (e.g. a woman considering going for an abortion), but to rid the country of evil -- or to go back to "normal" times -- isn't going to happen any time soon.
And my pastor already preaches against faggotry, but thanks for the suggestion. And my kids/grandkids have heard all about the issue, and probably wish I'd shut up about it.
They're coming for our children's bodies and souls, and we're bending over and saying, "Schtup me." Please. No more. Man up and fight.
This part is too asinine. I'm not going to respond to it.
Agree with all of that. And add lots of prayer.
WE’VE LOST WHEN THIS KIND OF STUFF HAPPENS. But the part about broken-up “couples” getting married without their consent is funny!
Domestic Partnerships to Become Marriage in Washington State in June
Posted: Monday, February 17, 2014 2:18 PM EST Updated: Monday, February 17, 2014 2:18 PM EST
SEATTLE, WA - Washington state plans to convert thousands of same-sex partners into married couples on June 30, if they haven’t gotten married on their own or dissolved their union by then.
This change is the final piece of the state’s same-sex marriage law.
But it’s a provision many couples are unaware of and some may not even like. Some couples may have broken up years ago and are now married - illegally - to other people. Some live in other states where their partnerships are not recognized and dissolution is not possible.
By mid-to-late March, the Secretary of State’s Office plans to send out notices to those in the domestic-partnership registry, alerting them to the pending change.
As of Friday, an estimated 6,500 same-sex couples remained in the state registry.
Nope, you have waved the cheese eating surrender flag.
It is you who are spouting the rubbish.
Setback, yes.
Loss... well that’s between you and God.
Nobody expects that “Christians are going to save the whole world.”
Some will refuse.
However if the will to answer the call for harvesters is there, we could see something astoundingly good.
You are conflating being unable to save the whole world with being unable to be a part of a remarkable revival.
Thank you.
Some of us are boycotting, to the best of our ability, the companies that promote this and other leftists causes. I recently did so at the expense of my beliefs in buying American while making a major purchase. That left me with some buyer's remorse, but seeing what I avoided supporting helped me get over it.
We can't out vote the entitlement crowd, but we still have one weapon, and that's our $$$. Do we still have the will to use it?
Amen to that. I try to vote with my dollar whenever I can.
Amen, brother.
You make excellent points.
To which I can only add that we face many more political fights in the near future, fights we may also lose if we refuse to learn from our failures. If we are strong enough to take an honest look at where we lost this one (even to admit that), we might be better prepared for the next.
Read the Bible and listen to God/Jesus/the Apostles. We will not win that fight - God has won it. I vote and I speak of Biblical Truths to try to carry the Word. I do my best to love and trust in Jesus and to allow Him to do the final justice. I don't bend over and say "Schtup me" and relinquish my children to the evil - I tell them the good news of the New Covenant and teach them what is right and wrong. I tell them to bolster their own relationship with Christ and to do their best to resist the temptations of the Evil One. I tell them that when temptation wins, to redouble their efforts and turn back to Jesus and beg Him to help them resist evil - as many times as it takes.
What would you consider a plan to do what God said He would do and maybe make it so He doesn't have to send Jesus back to do it? Of course, that would make Him a liar and the Bible irrelevant because He has already told us of the cesspool the world will become. he said it and we can't stop it - we can tend to our own relationships and teach others so they can develop their relationships. We can vote against evil when we are i n position to do so, but we will not defeat it - it has been prophesied and I believe the prophesy.
Please enlighten me of a plan that you think would erase the evil that the Evil One visits upon his realm. What do your spiritual leaders/priests/pastors/bishops/popes say you should do to defeat evil? I'm all ears.
God Bless
1 Timothy 6:12
Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you1 Peter 5:8-10
Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you.
The point is not that we will win the final victory, expel the Devil, and redeem the world by our own virtue or our own strategy. Far from it. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. His is the victory.
We shouldn't go around announcing defeat, repeating "It's useless, give up, give in," as those who follow the Beast will say, according to Revelation:
Revelation 13:4
Men worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
No. Let's not give up. Trust God. Resist and fight.
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