Thursday, December 18, 2014

Rethink! 6 things to rethink about ministering to homosexuals

Rethink! 6 things to rethink about ministering to homosexuals
Let’s get our terms together
1.      Discern the difference between homosexual orientation and homosexual lifestyle.
·         One is a broken disposition toward sin. The other embraces that disposition. Remember at the fall of man sin entered in and brought brokenness and the Curse. As a result, death, disease, disasters and disorders came in.
·         One is a temptation, one is sin.
from A Church Statement on Human Sexuality: Homosexuality and Same-Sex “Marriage” A Resource for EFCA Churches
o   “We must carefully distinguish between same-sex attraction, sinful lust, self-selected identification, and sexual behavior. It is not a sin to be tempted in the area of same gender sex. Jesus himself was tempted, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15). He sympathizes with our weaknesses, and he promises to provide a way of escape in every temptation (1 Cor. 10:13).”

from 10 myths about homosexuality Peter Spriggs
o   “Sexual orientation” is actually an umbrella term for three quite different phenomena—a person’s sexual attractions or desires; a person’s sexual be­havior; and a person’s self-identification, either publicly or internally (as “gay,” lesbian, “straight,” etc.)”

o   “This understanding sheds new light on the ques­tion of whether “homosexuality is a choice.” Homosexual attractions are clearly not a “choice” in the vast majority of cases. However, it would actually be insulting to people with same-sex at­tractions to suggest that they are compelled to act on those attractions. Homosexual conduct (if it is consensual) clearly is a choice—as is self-identify­ing as “gay” or “lesbian.” One’s self-identification can be changed at will, as can one’s sexual be­havior.”



2.      Discern the difference between a person who is a Christian believer who practices homosexuality and an unbeliever who practices homosexuality.
·         One is saying they are a Christian and align themselves with Christ, his word and his cause. They say they have Jesus. As a Christian, they say they are dead to their sin.
·         The other is agnostic or atheist and live in rebellion to God.  They need Jesus. As unbelievers they are dead in their sin

3.      Discern the difference between a believer who embraces homosexuality and one who struggles with homosexuality.
·         Both have SSA. One is promiscuous. The other is celibate.
·         One is a regular Christian struggling daily with temptation, like all Christian, not perfect but becoming perfected by grace.
·         The other is living a lifestyle of sinfulness and is as it says in Romans “Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”( 1:32)
·          

4.      An unbeliever who practices homosexuality is to be evangelized. 
·         You’ll need to know what you will allow or not with that friendship evangelism.
·         As with all unbelievers we go after the spiritual condition before the moral condition.
·         God is at work… “ the sinful state of a person does not stop God from loving him or cause him to love the person any less.”  Rom 5:8  “While we were still sinners…”
·         Guard against constructing your wall of self righteousness, pride, hate or unloving spirit.

·         EFCA-  “We Christians who attempt to follow biblical mandates on sex and marriage are not immune to expressing our own sexuality in sinful ways, for "all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory" (Rom. 3:23). We must always be mindful of this and humbly relate to others accepting that we all are fallen creatures.

 At the same time, all human beings deserve to be treated with dignity and respect because each of us bears the image of God. An LGBT3 person deserves this dignity and respect no less than any other, and we, as Christians, should demonstrate this in our thoughts, speech, and behavior. Speech, including humor, which demeans LGBT people, has no place in the Christian community. Likewise, this means we oppose any mistreatment of those who identify as LGBT”

5.      A believer who practices homosexuality is to be warned and called to repentance
·         Any promiscuous sexual conduct would be graciously confronted by the Church leadership.
·         What complicates  this? Remember: Sin complicates things. (put that on your refrigerator!!) Those who have flagrant, unrepentant, contaminating may eventually be put in church discipline.
§  “When a sinner is repentant, the Elders should protect that sinner from the Church. When a sinner is defiant, the Elders should protect the Church from that sinner.” [1]
·         Family and Church disciplne?  the door of connectedness is much wider for the unbeliever than if he is a confessed believer.
o   This is hard to prescribe across the board:  for sure at least casual hangouts are no longer an option. Formal dinners, initiating (if its family)… it depends on relationship dynamic.
o    

6.      A believer who chooses to not practice homosexuality is to welcomed and counseled biblically

o    EFCA: “At the same time, all human beings deserve to be treated with dignity and respect because each of us bears the image of God. An LGBT3 person deserves this dignity and respect no less than any other, and we, as Christians, should demonstrate this in our thoughts, speech, and behavior. Speech, including humor, which demeans LGBT people, has no place in the Christian community. Likewise, this means we oppose any mistreatment of those who identify as LGBT”

o    We mourn with those who struggle with same sex attractions, and with their families, but as we grieve, we encourage behavior that follows the clear divine teachings of Scripture.

o    We in the Church must seek ways to minister to and support those among us who struggle with same-sex attractions, and those who have family members or others close to them who identify as LGBT

o   We in the Church must seek ways to reach out in love to those in our society who identify as LGBT

o   Christian churches should reach out in love and truth to minister to people touched by homosexuality, and that those who contend Biblically against their own sexual temptation should be patiently assisted in their battle, not ostracized or disdained.

The Church and Homosexuality: Ten Commitments

If the many complexities involving the church and homosexuality, one of the most difficult is how the former should speak of the latter. Even for those Christians who agree that homosexuality is contrary to the will of God there is little agreement on how we ought to speak about homosexuality being contrary to the will of God. Much of this disagreement is owing to the fact that there are many different constituencies we have in mind when broaching the subject. There are various groups that may be listening when we speak about homosexuality, and the group we think we are addressing usually dictates how we speak.
  • If we are speaking to cultural elites who despise us and our beliefs, we want to be bold and courageous.
  • If we are speaking to strugglers who fight against same sex attraction, we want to be patient and sympathetic.
  • If we are speaking to sufferers who have been mistreated by the church, we want to be apologetic and humble.
  • If we are speaking to shaky Christians who seem ready to compromise the faith for society’s approval, we want to be persuasive and persistent.
  • If we are speaking to liberal Christians who have deviated from the truth once delivered for the saints, we want to be serious and hortatory.
  • If we are speaking to gays and lesbians who live as the Scriptures would not have them live, we want to be winsome and straightforward.
  • If we are speaking to belligerent Christians who hate or fear homosexuals, we want to be upset and disappointed.
So how ought we to speak about homosexuality? Should we be defiant and defensive or gentle and entreating? Yes and yes. It depends on who is listening. All seven scenarios above are real and not uncommon. And while some Christians may be called to speak to one group in particular, we must keep in mind that in this technological day and age anyone from any group may be listening in. This means that we will often be misunderstood. It also means we should make some broad basic commitments to each other and to our friends and foes in speaking about homosexuality.
Here are ten commitments I hope Christians and churches will consider making in their heads and hearts, before God and before a watching world.
1. We will preach through the Bible consecutively and expositionally that we might teach the whole counsel of God (even the unpopular parts) and to avoid riding hobby horses (even popular ones).
2. We will tell the truth about all sins, including homosexuality, but especially the sins most prevalent in our communities.
3. We will guard the truth of God’s word, protect God’s people from error, and confront the world when it tries to press us into its mold.
4. We will call all people to faith in Christ as the only way to the Father and the only way to have eternal life.
5. We will tell all people about the good news of the gospel, that Jesus died in our place and rose again so that we might be set free from the curse of the law and be saved from the wrath of God.
6. We will treat all Christians as new creations in Christ, reminding each other that our true identity is not based on sexuality or self-expression but on our union with Christ.
7. We will extend God’s forgiveness to all those who come in brokenhearted repentance, everyone from homosexual sinners to heterosexual sinners, from the proud to the greedy, from the people pleaser to the self-righteous.
8. We will ask for forgiveness when we are rude, thoughtless, or joke inappropriately about homosexuals.
9. We will strive to be a community that welcomes all those who hate their sin and struggle against it, even when that struggle involves failures and setbacks.
10. We will seek to love all  in our midst, regardless of their particular vices or virtues, by preaching the Bible, recognizing evidences of God’s grace, pointing out behaviors that dishonor the Lord, taking church membership seriously, exercising church discipline, announcing the free offer of the gospel, striving for holiness together, and exulting in Christ above all things.



[1] Ortlund, Ray, The Gospel, How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ. Crossway: 2014, p.73

Rethink! 6 thoughts to rethink about homosexuality



Beginning statements
Regardless of where you stand on this issue you ‘ll need to behave. Whether you think I’m taking too light of a stance or too hard of a stance if you are going to shout out about it, you’ll be asked to leave. We will continue to respect God’s word, over man’s opinion. Having said that, there is going to be opportunity for you to ask any question you want… you’ll have opportunity to make comments. It’ll be (FAQ) so fill out your sheets I’ll collect them and go through them in the allotted time at the end.
We are not afraid to talk about the subject. We just need to do this respectfully. I will stay on task and if anyone takes me off and rabbit trails towards a subject out side of it, I’m going to say let’s talk later. Today is about this topic.

Let’s pray…

Truth, balance, loving, convicting graceful…

Introduction
While we are not afraid to dialogue on this…
Let me tell you what I am concerned about on this subject. (it has nothing to do about state of Wisconsin- although the timing is good. I didn’t even knew this was happening until it was over so… there you go now we are in 2 states that affirm this so best we think biblically on this.)any way what I am concerned about on this subject is
a.      Exalting one sin over another. Christians are notorious for making hot topic issues or cultural issues  the worst since Adam and Eve. In times past,  it used to be  what I call gray area behaviors, smoking, dancing, drinking. Then it turned to actual black and white sins of sexual promiscuity, and abortion. We at times deem something as the unforgiveable sin, like losing your virginity, divorce, watching pornography or any abuse or addiction that someone is under   But what we- the Christian  church at times do is elevate one sin over the other and I don’t want to play into that mindset here today. I have labeled the class room topic today Rethink 6 thoughts about homosexuality, because I want us to know what Scripture says and to rethink about this subject according to what the bible says, not what culture or media is cramming down our throats. But also I want us, as community of believer who are imperfect and have experienced God grace, to think how we are to respond graciously, but also uncompromisingly to God’s word. How do we minister and interact on this.
b.      Second concern about the subject of homosexuality is the faulty teaching that is rising up in the church.  It’s been on my heart for a little while but especially, since  God and the Gay Christian hit the Christian and larger market.  In fact his comments are featured in Time magazine this week. It is a young man who claims to be a Christian and believes in the full authority in Scripture and is trying to defend his right to sin, biblically.  How is he doing this? By mangling Scripture and parroting the liberal theologians who (he says he is not) who don’t believe God wrote the Bible. Yet he’s quoting them.  What is deeply concerning about this is, Matthew Vines (the author) is winsome and appeals emotionally very well. So well, that discernment may go out the door theologically for many and will tend to agree with him. I’m concerned that Matthew Vines is deceiving himself and other, straight into hell.
Theologians who refuted his book and tore the  supposed scholarship apart(Mohler and co. well done get it free) - ended very lovingly toward him saying “Matthew we are concerned for your salvation- you may not be saved! You need to repent”
 But I’m getting ahead of myself let’s set the stage for our class today.
To rethink somethink means I will put together thoughts startling enough to get your attention.  I hope that these key thoughts will get you meditating on Scripture, theology, world views as well as life, church and ministry.

3 Truths to Understand
1.    Sexual orientation was created by God, but it was broken at the Fall of Man.
First part…
Sexual orientation was created by God

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 2: 15-25
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat[d] of it you shall surely die.”
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for[e] him.” 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed[f] every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam[g] there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made[h] into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,
“This at last is bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
    because she was taken out of Man.”[i]
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

·         So here at the very start of all creation, God set up the way things were to be. We have general understanding of sexuality set within the  broader context of God’s grand purposes and design at creation.
·         God’s intent for human sexuality is imbedded in the fact that he created gendered being who have the ability to become “One Flesh”. This is irrespective of the globes population. It is beautiful complimentary relationship.
·         People ask why is homosexuality wrong? Because God had established a beautiful relational context of complimentary sexual intimacy, companion ship and support called marriage, between a man and woman… that was to reflect in a special way the image of God. To try to do this any other way or context is a distortion of what He set up even before the fall. If homosexual relations were to be legitimate in God’s eyes, we’d have a different creation story.
·         It is because of this foundational covenantal concept- that we will find throughout Scripture that same sex intercourse is contrary to nature.
In fact let’s get into the second part of the thought
Sexual orientation was created by God… but was broken at the Fall of man.
 What do we know about the fall of  man? Sin came into the world because Adam was passive and Eve was deceived. 
They sinned- and what happened to the nature of man? Right standing with God gone. Shame, despair, and guilt came in.
We have in our spiritual DNA what I call IG IC 2: Inherited Guilt- Inherited Corruption (in 2 parts)

Inherited Guilt: We Are Counted Guilty Because of Adam’s Sin.
Paul explains the effects of Adam’s sin in the following way:
Rom 5:12-14
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men[e] because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

Inherited Corruption:  We Have a Sinful Nature Because of Adam’s Sin
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Ps 51:5
·         Therefore, our nature includes a disposition to sin so that Paul can affirm that before we were Christians “we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Eph. 2:3).
This affects two area which is why the squared on my C
1.       In Our Natures We Totally Lack Spiritual Good Before God:
2.       In Our Actions We Are Totally Unable to Do Spiritual Good Before God
Now understand this:
It is not just that some parts of us are sinful and others are pure. Rather, every part of our being is
affected by sin—our intellects, our emotions and desires, our hearts (the center of
our desires and decision-making processes), our goals and motives, and even our physical bodies  Even our sexuality! We are unable to use it for the very good that God intended apart from God.
Paul says, “I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh” (Rom. 7:18), and, “to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted” (Titus 1:15). Moreover, Jeremiah tells us that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9)
Turn to Romans 1:21-30
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their of thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
                Broken!!!

23 and exchanged the glory the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.



·         There is a great exchange that happened at the fall that includes the Great exchange of who we worship.
o   Note v 23 we exchanged the worship of the Creator, for the worship of the created.
o   Note v 25 we exchanged the truth about God for a lie. (echoed in the lie of Satan- “You will not die if you disobey”) So we believe our selves more than we believe God’s word.”
o    Note v 26 we (both man and woman) exchange natural relations for what was contrary to nature. 

·         Finally note v 29-31 lived and behaved in manners that show brokenness over all- not just sexual. The most sobering thing is v 32- they know better yet did it and condoned it in others.

A Broken sexual orientation for both male and females can result in what? Sexual passions, can be either inhibited  or perverted. Let’s be clear on the word orientation- similar words to understand this is leaning, tendency, emphasis.
So our sexual leaning or emphasis as sinful human being are for what? Sin! We have desires to sin either by denying altogether our sexuality, or embracing everything our sex drive burns after.

People ask would it still be wrong if they found a gene that proves you are predisposition that in that manner? Would it be wrong if there was biological proof that you are born that way?  The answer is yes it would be wrong. Because for those who struggle with SSA and those who practice homosexuality ARE born with a sinful nature… they are corrupted.Nature itself is disordered and needs redeeming.
Romans 8:20-23
“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, xthe redemption of our bodies.”

 Let me say it this way. Is it wrong for someone to be promiscuous before marriage and then get married and then still have adulterous affairs with others because they found out that you have a predisposition to have a strong sex drive? It’s called being a nymophomaniac. Yes it would still be wrong and ultimately sinful. Why? Because  it is a broken expression of what God intends sex to be.
 Yes it would harm others too. But what is at the greatest stake  here, is God’s honor and intention for sex and what it represents in  marriage- In other words, God created man male and female so that there might be a one-flesh sexual union and covenantal cleaving with a view to multiplying the human race, and displaying God’s covenant with his people, and eventually Christ’s covenant with his church. This will glorify God


 That is all the first thought we need to rethink:  Sexual orientation was created by God, but it was broken at the Fall of Man. It’s lengthy, because we need to have a better education and understanding  in the church about sex than just the simple message of don’t do it outside of marriage.

Let’s move forward…
2.    Homosexuality is not just a sin, it’s a judgment.
Homosexuality is a Sin.
Let’s establish its sinfulness.

Holiness Code of the Old Testament
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. Leviticus 18:22
If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. Leviticus 20:13
·         What the word abomination mean? Something repugnant, loathsome, utterly disgusting. The degree of revulsion associate with the homosexual act is suggested by the specific attachment. In the concluding summary (Lev  18:24-30) all the practices mentioned in the chapter are described as abominations. Yet in the specific list of commands, the word is only mentioned in conjunction with same sex male intercourse.
·         Note the penalty what is it?  Death for BOTH participants


How do those who want to affirm homosexuality get around this verse? 
It’s in the Old Testament.- old covenant. Not relevant today Christ fulfilled, etc…

The Witness of Paul

 Romans 1:26,27- just read it…

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
How do those who want to affirm homosexuality get around this verse?
It’s talking about heterosexuals that are experimenting with homosexuality
but don’t have SSA or orientation. They imply that natural homosexuals are not sinning.
·         According to this text, both women and men who abandon the “natural function” of sexuality to engage in same-sex acts are committing sin. There are some who will tell you that “natural” refers to one’s sexual orientation—that this verse only con­demns people who participate in same-sex activity that have a heterosexual orientation. In other words, it’s not a sin for those who do so “naturally”—those who act in accordance with their own homosexual orientation.

·         But that’s not what Paul is talking about, is it? For Paul, “natural” is not defined by one’s per­sonal orientation (whatever that may be) but by God’s intention in creation. For Paul, what is “nat­ural” is defined by what we see in the garden of Eden before the fall. One man and one woman in a covenanted heterosexual union. Any other kind of union is “unnatural” and sinful in Paul’s way of thinking.
·         Paul couldn’t be any clearer here. Homosexu­ality goes against God’s design and is a sin.
Listen to what John Piper has to say
What is "Natural"? The point of all this is that, whatever the physical or social or personal origins of the homosexual disordering of our sexuality, none of that would define it as good or "natural" or "normal." In a world where God is the Creator and Designer of life, "natural" means in sync with God's purpose and design, not just anything that has physical causes. Having a physical root makes nothing right. Physically-based, aggressive tendencies may lead to violent behavior, but we don't condone it. Physically-based lethargic tendencies may lead to laziness and neglect, but we don't condone it. Frenetic tendencies may lead to disruption and workaholism. A gloomy bent may lead to suicidal thoughts. An anxious bent may lead to paranoia. Addictive tendencies may lead to alcoholism or bondage to gambling or deadly smoking. A low frustration threshold may lead to outbursts of rage. Strong sexual desires may lead to lust or pornography or fornication or adultery or polygamy.
In other words, in a world where the effect of sin permeates to the roots of nature and disorders all of life, we cannot define as good and natural whatever has physical roots. There must be a higher norm than fallen nature. There are many physically-based abnormalities in the world. Therefore having a physical base or root is not sufficient reason for condoning anything as natural or good.

It is such a sin, that practicing homosexuality will exclude you from the kingdom. That is in the end you are not saved.
1 Cor 6:9-11
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
        Three things to note:
1.       The unrighteous in excluded from God’s kingdom.(9) Not everyone gets in. Those who die in their sin will perish for eternity. They do not experience God’s redemptive reign through Christ. Because they are unrighteous, they are excluded.
2.       Homosexuals are excluded from God’s kingdom. Homosexuals are named among those who are unrighteous and excluded. The terms translated “effeminate” and “homosexual” refer to the active and passive part­ners in a homosexual encounter. And these two are included in a long list of other kinds of sinners: fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, thieves, the covet­ous people, drunkards, revilers, swindlers. It’s a bad crew, and homosexuals are named right there with them.
3.       The Gospel makes them righteous and included. (11) God is in the business of saving sinners, and homosexuals are included.
1 Timothy 1:8-11
Notice Paul labels homosexuals as sinners
“…understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.”
He includes homosexuals in a long list of sinners who are lawless, rebellious, ungodly, unholy, and profane. They are listed among a bad lot: those who kill their fathers or mothers, murderers, kidnappers, liars, and perjurers. Is there any question about the moral status of homosexuality?

Ok Part 2 Homosexuality is not just a sin, it’s a judgment
Not just a sin, it’s a judgment.
Homosexuality as Judgment (1:26a)
“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions (Rom 1:26a).”

The sin of idola­try is mentioned in verse 25. Paul says because humans were idolaters, God judged them by giving them over to “degrading passions.” We don’t desire the sexual ideal given in the garden of Eden. All of us are inclined (to one extent or another) toward perversions. We have degrading passions. In verse 26, the specific “degrading passion” is homosexual desire.
This text teaches that God’s judgment often consists in giving us what we want. When God gives you over, you are in a scary place.
In God’s passive judgment disorder destruction and death came
Piper…
The sexual disordering of the human race is a judgment of God for our exchanging him for the creature - all of us.
The sexual disordering of the human race, especially homosexuality (but not only homosexuality) is a judgment of God for our exchanging the truth of God for a lie.

The sexual disordering of our lives, most vividly seen in homosexuality (though not only there), is the judgment of God upon the human race because we have exchanged the glory of God for other things. Sometimes people ask, "Is AIDS the judgment of God on homosexuality?" The answer from this text is: homosexuality itself is a judgment on the human race, because we have exchanged the glory of God for the creature - and so is AIDS and cancer and arthritis and Alzheimer's and every other disease and every other futility and misery in the world, including death.
That is the result of the Fall Broken and cursed- We Need Jesus to redeem THIS.

3.    Homosexual marriages are not honored by God.
OK Here I’m going to borrow quite a bit of thought from Piper again
1. Marriage is created and defined by God in the Scriptures as the sexual and covenantal union of a man and a woman in life-long allegiance to each other alone, as husband and wife, with a view to displaying Christ’s covenant relationship to his blood-bought church.
God made man male and female with their distinctive feminine and masculine natures and their distinctive roles so that in marriage as husband and wife they could display Christ and the church.
Which means that the basic roles of wife and husband are not interchangeable. The husband displays the sacrificial love of Christ’s headship, and the wife displays the submissive role of Christ’s body. The mystery of marriage is that God had this double (of wife and husband) display in mind when he created man as male and female. Therefore, the profoundest reality in the universe underlies marriage as a covenantal union between a man and a woman.
Does God honor heterosexual marriages of unbelievers done by a judge? Yes Why?  Because the marriage set up is being fulfilled the way God intended male/ female.

2. There is no such thing as so-called same-sex marriage, and it would be wise not to call it that.
The point here is not only that so-called same-sex marriage shouldn’t exist, but that it doesn’t and it can’t. Those who believe that God has spoken to us truthfully in the Bible should not concede that the committed, life-long partnership and sexual relations of two men or two women is marriage. It isn’t. God has created and defined marriage. And what he has joined together in that creation and that definition, cannot be separated, and still called marriage in God’s eyes.
Here’s the practical truth: Through coming decades God is going to save people who are in same sex unions. Then they are going to be faced with a dilemma. How do I repent? Do I divorce? The Bible says no divorce…
What would you say?  I would say…Go through the legal hoops you need to get out of the binding relationship. God doesn’t view your union as marriage. Before God’s eyes, you’re marriage never existed. He doesn’t honor your homosexual marriage. Why, because he set it up male/female.
The next three thoughts are more about ministry- I come into this as a pastor, dealing with people in light of the truths we just mentioned,.
3 Stands to Take Boldly
4.    Homosexual temptations and behavior are to be resisted and/or repented of or you will risk eternal salvation.
This is the bold stand those who struggle with same sex attraction and homosexual desire need to take.
Acknowledgment
a)      We need to acknowledge homosexual orientation is a result of the fall of humanity.  People in our lives will struggle with homosexual lust, just like people in our  will struggle with heterosexual lust… Just as people in our midst will struggle with any temptation. Whatever biological or familial roots of homosexuality may be discovered, we do not believe that these would sanction or excuse homosexual behavior, though they would deepen our compassion and patience for those who are struggling to be free from sexual temptations.
b)      We need to acknowledge that repentance and dying to yourself daily is never easy…for any Christian… for any sin.
 We believe there is hope for the person with a homosexual orientation and that Jesus Christ offers a healing alternative in which the power of sin is broken and the person is freed to know and experience his or her true identity in Christ and in the fellowship of his Church.
That freedom is attained through a process which includes recognizing homosexual behavior as sin, renouncing the practice of homosexual behavior, rediscovering healthy, non-erotic friendships with people of the same sex, embracing a moral sexual lifestyle, and in the age to come, rising from the dead with a new body free from every sinful impulse. This process parallels the similar process of sanctification needed in dealing with heterosexual temptations as well. We believe that this freedom comes through faith in Jesus Christ, by the power of his Spirit.
Small point of clarity…
1 Cor 6:9-11 Paul is saying practicing a lifestyle of homosexual intercourse is what is condemned here and you will not be saved. He is NOT saying those who struggle with homosexual orientation or desire will not be saved. WE ALL STRUGGLE with sinful desires. But as believers we fight them, resist them.


5.    People who practice homosexuality are to be graciously confronted.
This is the bold stand Christians, need to wisely handle
Two cases to consider
PROFESSING BELIEVER
2 Thessalonians3:14,15
 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
·         The whole matter of confronting sin in a believer is a class all of its own.
·         It is not easy and will require wisdom.
Guidelines for confronting:
He is not your enemy-Any professing believer that is living in rebellious, unrepentant sin needs to be warned lovingly.  Believers practicing homosexuality are to be lovingly set apart from the body. Why? So they may know the seriousness and weight of their sin. You care for their eternal status
Speak humbly- speak as one who has experience the grace of God’s forgiveness and healing Has God’s grace to you made you gracious with others?
UNBELIEVER
        Practicing homosexuals are to be lovingly evangelized. They need Jesus. Be a light in their world. Pray for them. God can change them- you’ll never be able to condemn them enough to be saved. Let the Holy Spirit do his work and be available to share the gospel.

Simple restatement:
The door of connectedness is much wider for an unbeliever as opposed to a  believer


6.    Churches need to be more welcoming with those who struggle with homosexual orientation or same sex attraction.
Christians have often sinned against homosexuals by arguing that homosexuality is simply a “chosen” form of behavior and lifestyle. Clearly, participation in homosexual behavior is a matter of choice, but the underlying desire is often not experienced by homosexuals as a matter of choice at all. The biblical understanding of sin helps us to understand that every human being is a sexual sinner and every profile of individual desire is corrupted by sin’s effects. Even as our bodies show the effects of sin as we age, decay, and die, our affections show the corruption of sin because we desire what should not be desired. Christians must stand before the world and acknowledge that we often do not even understand our own desires and inclinations.

Let me read this…
All persons have been created in the image of God and should be accorded human dignity. Therefore that hateful, fearful, unconcerned harassment of persons with a homosexual orientation should be rejected. Respect for persons with a homosexual orientation involves honest, reasoned, nonviolent sharing of facts concerning the immorality and liability of homosexual behavior. On the other hand, endorsing behavior which the Bible disapproves endangers persons and dishonors God.

Christian churches should reach out in love and truth to minister to people touched by homosexuality, and that those who contend Biblically against their own sexual temptation should be patiently assisted in their battle, not ostracized or disdained. We affirm that both heterosexual and homosexual persons should find help in the church to engage in the Biblical battle against all improper sexual thoughts and behaviors.