Gladly Would I Leave Behind Me

What's A Christian To Do? Part #1

June 26, 2015.  It's a date you will want to forget but will be unable to.  That date marks the day of God giving us over to our own desires and passions. As a nation, we have had our sights set on destruction and God has allowed us to have our own way.

  "For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.  Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because  they exchanged the TRUTH about God for a LIE and worshiped the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.  For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions.  For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passions for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their ERROR. (Romans 1:21-27)

     How many of us have read this verse before and were so thankful that it was past tense.  Well I have news for you, it's not past tense anymore.  Our nation has rejected God by redefining the most fundamental aspect of our existence.  Perversion is now praised and sin is now esteemed.  What is a Christian supposed to do?
     I believer there are four responses we can have:
1) Ignore it
2) Conform to it
3) Become enraged by it
4) Respond Biblically
     The first is pointless because the outcomes and effects of this decision are inevitable and unavoidable.  With the adoption of same sex marriage, society will be altered greatly.  Let's take a look at just a few of the outcomes:

• Tolerance will be required
• Calling sin sin will be labeled discriminating and that's not tolerable.
• Morality will downward spiral even more with the adoption of polygamy and other perversions
• Darkness is going to get darker

 This is not to mention the change that will occur in "the church":

• With increasing pressure over time, pastors and churches will compromise and conform to the world on this issue. 
• Pastors who refuse to perform same-sex marriages will most likely get their licenses revoked.
• Persecution will come
• Many professing "believers" will fall away.
• At some point you will have to make a decision on where you stand and that decision will have consequences.

This issue will reveal who the troe Church is.   You can't ignore it because when it comes to the homosexuality debate, there is no middle ground.  You either accept it or stand for marriage as God defined it.
     You also can't conform.  That is, if you are truly His you must stand on His truth as He defines it.  The Supreme Judge, who established design, can never be redefined or re-purposed, His truth stands no matter what man may say. Homosexuality is sin.  There is no way around it.
      Some of you have probably felt enraged over this issue.  Anger has taken root in your heart for those who live this life style and for those who have ruled for it's acceptance.  For you who are currently struggling with this response in your heart, I would like to remind you of three things.
1) God is Sovereign

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;

He turns it wherever He will.

Proverbs 21:1 

     This decision did not take God by surprise.  Rather, it is part of His plan.  Anything and everything that will result from this decision is in God's complete control.  He is God, and at times, He uses sinful men to bring about His purpose for judgement. 

2) Our Battle is Not against flesh and blood

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, 

against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, 

against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

and

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.

2 Corinthians 10:3

and

The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone...

 patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps 

grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their 

senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

3) These people need Christ

     The truth is judgement is coming.  We are seeing the temporal judgement that comes as God gives depraved men over to the perverted passions of their flesh but there is an eternal judgement to come.  Our hearts should be broken with compassion for these lost and dying men and women. They are victimized by their sin, the love the darkness and hate God but that does not mean that God is unable or unwilling to save them.  This world needs Christ and we are called to proclaim the truth that homosexuality is sin and all men need to be saved by Christ.  

"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, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards,

 nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

"Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or his ear dull, that it cannot hear..."

Isaiah 59:1

Upon hearing the news last Friday, fear, anxiety, confusion, discouragement, hopelessness and many other thoughts and emotions filled by heart.  But then I remembered....Jesus has WON the victory!  Jesus is our hope.  Jesus is our confidence even in the greatest storm. Jesus will never leave or forsake.  Jesus will make all things right.  Jesus, True Love, wins.  

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 

John 1:5

~

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.