The Rise of Homosexuality & the Great Falling Away
Jul 5, 2011 22:13:06 GMT -5
Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 5, 2011 22:13:06 GMT -5
The Rise of Homosexuality and the Great Falling Away
By Jason Lovelace
Key Verses:
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” - 2nd Thessalonians 2.1~4
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”- Jude1.7
The Legislative passage and signing into law of the Gay ‘Marriage’ bill by the New York State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo was a clear cut victory for homosexuals seeking their lifestyle to be legitimatized in Mainstream American Culture. It was also yet another of a series of defeats for the Church of Jesus Christ in the USA. Most glaring has been the Church’s response to this passage and signing of such a reprehensible bill and law: Silence. What are the reasons for this silence? Why has the church gone to sleep when it comes to issues such as this, especially with regards to the homosexual community’s push for special rights? What are we seeing in these days where sin and debauchery and depravity are heralded as acceptable and worthy of embracing, all the while the Church of Jesus Christ sits on its hands, covers its mouths and ears, and does naught to stem the flow?
The Failure of the Watchmen
Ezekiel the Prophet, in his written Oracle, presents believers with a stark and serious predicament: that of a sleepy and non-vigilant watchman. In ancient times, with cities of import having high and thick walls, it was the job of the watchmen to signal the rest of the city in case of enemy attack. Failure of the watchmen to carry out their job often led to a successful invasion and envelopment and investment of the city and all within it. The watchmen on duty in such a scenario were often treated in similar manner as traitors. Such is the case in Ezekiel 18 and 33, where the Prophet warns of the dangers of failing to warn those of the approaching sword. Those who died were not guilty on their own: the watchmen was indicted with the blood of their deaths on their heads and hands. In the Church of Jesus Christ, we have lost the watchmen. We have lost the vigilance that was the hallmark of the earlier centuries, particularly in the United States of America. Because we have not kept our guard up here in the USA, we have allowed every sin under the sun to encroach, gain a foothold, then a bridgehead, then a beachhead, and finally, inroads into the church hierarchy itself, to the extent that now, in several mainstream US Denominations, sin has gained a stronghold. It is believed and has been reported that in the church of Jesus Christ in the USA, divorce is now more rampant than in the secular world. It is also known that adultery -- once shunned and blasted as a sin worthy of the worst of shame -- is also reigning in the church. Abortion - the scourge and holocaust of the unborn being butchered in their mother’s wombs merely to appease the god of convenience - has gained such ground inside the church, that it is believed and rumored that there are more abortions performed among those in the Church, than those outside. Teenage sex, and premarital sex, is also on the rise in the church, with several mainstream denominations going so far as declaring premarital sex among teens and the college aged no longer sinful. Pornography - once relegated to the shady and embarrassed sectors of society - is a rampant problem in the church, with as many as 11% of all Protestant, Evangelical clergy admitting to being addicted. Alcoholism is also rampant, with Christians and even Church Leaders admitting to regularly imbibing, with the preaching against alcohol and its use and abuse falling to the wayside. With all of this is mind, it is no surprise that the Church of Jesus Christ in America has given up ground where it once held strongest.
A Compromised Message of Extremes
We, the Church of Jesus Christ in the United States of America, no longer preach against the damning and destructive nature of sin. In fact, in most of the popular and mainstream churches and church denominations, you would be hard pressed to find a church that still preaches or even uses the word “sin” at all, and of those that do, the message of sin is usually two-fold:
1.) Sin is an outdated, narrow, fundamentalist form of fear-mongering and is no longer valid and/or applicable in today’s society…at least, sin was we once knew it. “Sin” nowadays is more akin to failing to love our fellow man, upholding ideas that promote division, hate, and/or extremism, or failing to lend a hand to those who are downtrodden, disenfranchised, or marginalized form society. After all, this is what Jesus preached - a social gospel that is meant to heal the world’s ills - and carried out in his miraculous signs.
2.) Something we commit every day in word, thought, and deed. After all, nobody’s perfect, not even Jesus Christ himself. Did he not “sin” in his “relationships” with Mary Magdalene and/or Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus? Did he not imbibe alcohol, even going so far as making the best kind at a wedding in Cana? Did he not vent his rage and uncontrolled anger when he whipped the money changers and the merchants out of the temple? If Christ himself is so besotted with sinful acts, how is it possible that we, God’s “children” can ever hope to be perfect and without sin?
It is in this vein that we have seen the rise of so-called preachers such as Robert H. Shuller and Joel Osteen (preaching a self-help gospel of works), Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggert (preaching a gospel of riches and wealth), Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland (preaching a “name-it, claim it” gospel of false faith and questionable “healings”), Rick Warren (heralding despotic dictator Bashar Assad as “Christian” and his dealings with the Church of Jesus Christ in Syria as “right” and “good” despite Assad jailing Christians while Warren was in Damascus), just to name a few. No longer do we hear from these men or their churches anything having to do with sin. In fact many preachers, such as former Spiritual Advisor to President Obama Jeremiah Wright, Jesse Jackson, and al Sharpton, preach directly against such sins as abortion on demand, all the while preaching the evils of “America” rather than that of true and real sin. Gone are such spiritual giants, such as Charles H. Spurgeon and D. L. Moody and their messages directly against sin; Jonathan Edwards and his “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”; Billy Sunday, and his outspoken stand against Alcohol; Increase and Cotton Mather and their messages against debauchery and depravity; George Whitefield and his sermons castigating sin in all its forms; and John Bunyan and his hard hitting literary work Pilgrim’s Progress. Even such spiritual giants such as Jerry Falwell, D. James Kennedy, David Wilkerson, Zola Levitt, and Billy Graham have, either through passing form this world or age, have fallen silent with few taking up their standards, though Franklin Graham, in his father’s footsteps, has continued to preach rightfully against the evils of this day and age; Zola Levitt’s prophecy organization is also continuing to grow and go strongly under the sound leadership of Dr. Jeffrey Seif. Nowadays, we hear messages on how true sin is failure to help our fellow man, having an attitude of judgment rather than love, and marginalizing those who only want to live in peace and are “really hurting no-one”. We’ve thrown away the truth of creation and have embraced Darwin’s idea of evolution - whether theistic or not - insomuch that even in the Church creation is down trodden, and evolution upheld. And holiness and preaching of such is a thing of the past; any kind of holiness preaching is marginalized and declared as unacceptable and fundamentalist extremism. The message of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ is now rejected in the church, and a compromise with sin and message of love, acceptance, and “feel good” all the rage. We have churches in the tens of thousands, where crowds gather for coffee, a doughnut, and a message with wistful and “touchy-feely” songs and a shallow self-help outline. Stadiums and arenas are filled with people seeking “help for today’s problems” rather than a lifeline away from sin and an escape route from hell. Mega-church buildings are built with the latest technology, the most up-to-date tools, and the most fashionable interior design to attract and enthrall those who enter, but entirely without substantive messages, clear stands against sin, or the warnings and the eternal nature of the Lake of Fire.
Enter Homosexuality
Is it any surprise that, with all of the above and afore mentioned running wild in the Church of Jesus Christ in the USA, we hear news stories of the United and Free Methodist Churches accepting and ordaining Gay and Lesbian pastors and clergy? Should we at all be astonished when the Episcopal Church of the USA ordains first an openly gay bishop, only to follow such an action up a few years later by ordaining and openly lesbian bishop? Should we be at all stunned when we see how the Homosexual Community has not only established a “gay” church (in the Metropolitan Community of Churches), not only entered in and gained a strong relationship in most mainline US Denominations, but has, effectively, silenced the Church of Jesus Christ when it comes to their plans for “legitimacy” and their quest for special rights? Yet such is happening exactly as this article is being typed up. In December of 2010, homosexuals were granted the “right” to openly serve in the United States Military with the overturn of “Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell” (DADT) by both houses of the United States Congress (and one of the VERY few campaign promises fulfilled by President Obama). How was this “historic” decision met by the Church of Jesus Christ? With Silence: not one word of dissent was heard by or from any major church leader when the overturn of DADT was passed nor later at the President’s December 23rd signing of the overturn into law. And there has been no word from the church or from Major Church Leaders since it took place. On June 24th, 2011, the New York State Assembly passed a “gay ‘marriage’” law that is set to take effect in 30 days from the signing by the Governor, Mr. Andrew Cuomo (who signed the law shortly after midnight on June 25th). Again, as in the previous DADT overturn, what has been the response from and by the church to this passage of bill and singing into law? What has been the reaction from Church Leaders to this latest development? Again, it has been almost complete silence. Not one word of dissent has been heard an any sector in the days since, most deafeningly by the Church of Jesus Christ in the USA. No leader whatsoever has uttered one word of dissent since this law passed last Friday and was signed into law.
The Great Falling Away: The Beginning, or…?
In the Bible, God, speaking through the pen of the Apostle Paul, warned of a coming Great Falling Away. He spoke of this falling away being one of the means in which the Antichrist is ushered into the world stage. Could it be that this overwhelming silence, the embracing of Homosexuality, and the glaring compromise of the Church on such key issues is a signal of that falling away taking place? Is this the beginning of the Falling Away….or are we already well on our way, and underway towards final destruction? Folks, this silence by the Church is simply inexplicable in any other light! The Bible speaks clearly against practicing homosexuality. The Old Testament shows time and again the demise of cities and nations that give into the practice and recognition of homosexuality as legitimate, acceptable, and worthy of being embraced. The New Testament makes it crystal clear that homosexuality will not only be judged as sinful, but those who partake are damned to an eternity without the presence of Jesus Christ. The total non-response and “ho hum” attitude of the Church in such a crucial point of society is not only surprising, but deeply troubling! If we, as the church, can so casually and blithely give up ground on such a key issue, what other strongholds of the church could be next? The Bible again gives ample proof that the acceptance and embracing of homosexuality is a sign of the worst of depravity. The only glaringly worse area of society’s acceptance that is worse than homosexuality is the shedding of innocent blood (see Proverbs 6), and, much akin to the blithe and casual acceptance of homosexuality in society, the Church has begun to accept abortion on demand as the status quo. Yes, the church has been in the thick of the fight against abortion “rights”, but -- as we have seen with homosexuality and the gay and lesbian community -- if we can so easily give ground on one issue, how much more easily will it be to accept a practice that has been on the law books for the last nearly-forty years?
America’s Manasseh is On the Throne and Judgment is Coming
The king who did more to provoke God to wrathful action against Judah was King Manasseh (see 2nd Kings and 2nd Chronicles), the son of the Great (probably greatest next to David) King Hezekiah, who - through his faithfulness to God - led Judah to victory against the Assyrians. King Manasseh did and promoted such things as we are seeing in these days in Judah and Jerusalem, insomuch as sacrificing his own son to the grotesque and grisly idol Molech. He set up idols inside of the Temple of Jerusalem, worshipped the sun, moon, stars, and the false gods from the nations around Israel and Judah. Though Manesseh later repented and basically turned around his pagan reign into one of the godliest, the damage was done: Judah was judged, sentenced, and within three generations after the passing of Manasseh, Judah had been conquered and erased as a national entity by the Babylonian Empire and Armies under King Nebuchadnezzar. Friends, the same can be said for the USA. We have had a President that was akin to Ahab for Israel in President Clinton. We had our Josiah/Hezekiah in Presidents Reagan and Bush, in which the church and belief thrived. We now have our Manasseh in the form of President Obama who -- while claiming Christ -- has acted and carried himself about in any way but, and whose spiritual mentor is a rabid, raging “preacher” and purveyor of hate and destruction. The fact that President Obama has supported Gay “Rights” albeit quietly is proof positive that he is - as Manasseh - setting up idols to the sun, moon, stars, and gods of the neighbors of Israel, both ancient and modern. We have learned naught from the September 11th, 2001 terror attacks, a day in which God, fulfilling his Word and promises in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, pulled is hand of protection away from us, and allowed the USA - a population of 300 million - to be controlled for the better part of a day (directly), and in our actions ever since (indirectly), by a mere 20 men (including the late Osama bin Laden). Friends, worse than 9/11 is in the offing if we, as a nation and a s the Church of Jesus Christ in the USA, continue to blithely stumble along, allowing deviant groups and chosen lifestyles to gain not only unprecedented rights, but to do so in the face of an Almighty God who has promised that those who sow to the flesh will reap destruction (see Galatians 5).
The Bottom Line - Homosexuality is SIN!!!
Like it or not, folks, homosexuality is NOT natural. Despite Lady Gaga’s song, people are not born gay. Homosexuality is as much a choice as deciding whether or not to eat a doughnut for breakfast, or an omelet. The science is lacking, the medical proof is non-existent, and the proof is vacant concerning homosexuality being “natural”. Quite the contrary, homosexuality is a sin, something the Lord himself has spoken out against time and time again in the Bible. Those who practice homosexuality - just like those who practice bank robbing or practice murder or practice lying - will not enter into heaven. No matter how Hollywood portrays it, no matter how television makes it look acceptable, no matter how many homosexual-led talk shows crop up, no matter how many gay and lesbian comedians become popular, the fact remains: homosexuality is a sin. Period. And God - like it or not - will one day judge sin (including homosexuality) with a heavy hand.
Conclusion - The Church Needs Revival and Needs to Take a Stand
We, the Church of Jesus Christ, need ot wake up and smell the coffee. This world around us is decaying by the minute, and we can either be salt and light, or we can be cast out and spewed out (see Matthew 5 and Revelation 3). So long as we, the Church of Jesus Christ in the USA, stand idly by and allow sin to have reign in our land and nation, so too we will be counted as not only irrelevant by an unbelieving world, but God, too, will withdraw his glory and his lamp stand, and will give it and his Spirit to someone else. As Esther did, we, too, need to decide to follow God wholeheartedly, or we need to get out of his way and let him work through someone and/or something else. So long as we try to get along with the world, we are, in actuality, going along with the world. Silence is not an option. Standing blithely by is not an option. Throwing up our hands and saying “It can’t be done!” and “My little will have no impact!” and “We can’t save the world!” is also not an option. We need to fish or cut bait. It is my prayer that we, the Church of Jesus Christ, will hit our knees, and beg God for forgiveness, as Daniel did in Daniel 9, and experience a revival the likes of such hasn’t hit our shores in generations. The alternative is not pretty…
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we need revival. We need revival today! Start in this life and this heart, O Lord! Save our Nation and stay the judgment that is surely and certainly coming! Bring full and free salvation to each and every self-professing homosexual in the USA and in the world! May they come to know the saving, freeing grace of Jesus Christ! We pray this in Jesus’ Precious Name, Amen!
By Jason Lovelace
Key Verses:
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” - 2nd Thessalonians 2.1~4
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”- Jude1.7
The Legislative passage and signing into law of the Gay ‘Marriage’ bill by the New York State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo was a clear cut victory for homosexuals seeking their lifestyle to be legitimatized in Mainstream American Culture. It was also yet another of a series of defeats for the Church of Jesus Christ in the USA. Most glaring has been the Church’s response to this passage and signing of such a reprehensible bill and law: Silence. What are the reasons for this silence? Why has the church gone to sleep when it comes to issues such as this, especially with regards to the homosexual community’s push for special rights? What are we seeing in these days where sin and debauchery and depravity are heralded as acceptable and worthy of embracing, all the while the Church of Jesus Christ sits on its hands, covers its mouths and ears, and does naught to stem the flow?
The Failure of the Watchmen
Ezekiel the Prophet, in his written Oracle, presents believers with a stark and serious predicament: that of a sleepy and non-vigilant watchman. In ancient times, with cities of import having high and thick walls, it was the job of the watchmen to signal the rest of the city in case of enemy attack. Failure of the watchmen to carry out their job often led to a successful invasion and envelopment and investment of the city and all within it. The watchmen on duty in such a scenario were often treated in similar manner as traitors. Such is the case in Ezekiel 18 and 33, where the Prophet warns of the dangers of failing to warn those of the approaching sword. Those who died were not guilty on their own: the watchmen was indicted with the blood of their deaths on their heads and hands. In the Church of Jesus Christ, we have lost the watchmen. We have lost the vigilance that was the hallmark of the earlier centuries, particularly in the United States of America. Because we have not kept our guard up here in the USA, we have allowed every sin under the sun to encroach, gain a foothold, then a bridgehead, then a beachhead, and finally, inroads into the church hierarchy itself, to the extent that now, in several mainstream US Denominations, sin has gained a stronghold. It is believed and has been reported that in the church of Jesus Christ in the USA, divorce is now more rampant than in the secular world. It is also known that adultery -- once shunned and blasted as a sin worthy of the worst of shame -- is also reigning in the church. Abortion - the scourge and holocaust of the unborn being butchered in their mother’s wombs merely to appease the god of convenience - has gained such ground inside the church, that it is believed and rumored that there are more abortions performed among those in the Church, than those outside. Teenage sex, and premarital sex, is also on the rise in the church, with several mainstream denominations going so far as declaring premarital sex among teens and the college aged no longer sinful. Pornography - once relegated to the shady and embarrassed sectors of society - is a rampant problem in the church, with as many as 11% of all Protestant, Evangelical clergy admitting to being addicted. Alcoholism is also rampant, with Christians and even Church Leaders admitting to regularly imbibing, with the preaching against alcohol and its use and abuse falling to the wayside. With all of this is mind, it is no surprise that the Church of Jesus Christ in America has given up ground where it once held strongest.
A Compromised Message of Extremes
We, the Church of Jesus Christ in the United States of America, no longer preach against the damning and destructive nature of sin. In fact, in most of the popular and mainstream churches and church denominations, you would be hard pressed to find a church that still preaches or even uses the word “sin” at all, and of those that do, the message of sin is usually two-fold:
1.) Sin is an outdated, narrow, fundamentalist form of fear-mongering and is no longer valid and/or applicable in today’s society…at least, sin was we once knew it. “Sin” nowadays is more akin to failing to love our fellow man, upholding ideas that promote division, hate, and/or extremism, or failing to lend a hand to those who are downtrodden, disenfranchised, or marginalized form society. After all, this is what Jesus preached - a social gospel that is meant to heal the world’s ills - and carried out in his miraculous signs.
2.) Something we commit every day in word, thought, and deed. After all, nobody’s perfect, not even Jesus Christ himself. Did he not “sin” in his “relationships” with Mary Magdalene and/or Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus? Did he not imbibe alcohol, even going so far as making the best kind at a wedding in Cana? Did he not vent his rage and uncontrolled anger when he whipped the money changers and the merchants out of the temple? If Christ himself is so besotted with sinful acts, how is it possible that we, God’s “children” can ever hope to be perfect and without sin?
It is in this vein that we have seen the rise of so-called preachers such as Robert H. Shuller and Joel Osteen (preaching a self-help gospel of works), Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggert (preaching a gospel of riches and wealth), Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland (preaching a “name-it, claim it” gospel of false faith and questionable “healings”), Rick Warren (heralding despotic dictator Bashar Assad as “Christian” and his dealings with the Church of Jesus Christ in Syria as “right” and “good” despite Assad jailing Christians while Warren was in Damascus), just to name a few. No longer do we hear from these men or their churches anything having to do with sin. In fact many preachers, such as former Spiritual Advisor to President Obama Jeremiah Wright, Jesse Jackson, and al Sharpton, preach directly against such sins as abortion on demand, all the while preaching the evils of “America” rather than that of true and real sin. Gone are such spiritual giants, such as Charles H. Spurgeon and D. L. Moody and their messages directly against sin; Jonathan Edwards and his “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”; Billy Sunday, and his outspoken stand against Alcohol; Increase and Cotton Mather and their messages against debauchery and depravity; George Whitefield and his sermons castigating sin in all its forms; and John Bunyan and his hard hitting literary work Pilgrim’s Progress. Even such spiritual giants such as Jerry Falwell, D. James Kennedy, David Wilkerson, Zola Levitt, and Billy Graham have, either through passing form this world or age, have fallen silent with few taking up their standards, though Franklin Graham, in his father’s footsteps, has continued to preach rightfully against the evils of this day and age; Zola Levitt’s prophecy organization is also continuing to grow and go strongly under the sound leadership of Dr. Jeffrey Seif. Nowadays, we hear messages on how true sin is failure to help our fellow man, having an attitude of judgment rather than love, and marginalizing those who only want to live in peace and are “really hurting no-one”. We’ve thrown away the truth of creation and have embraced Darwin’s idea of evolution - whether theistic or not - insomuch that even in the Church creation is down trodden, and evolution upheld. And holiness and preaching of such is a thing of the past; any kind of holiness preaching is marginalized and declared as unacceptable and fundamentalist extremism. The message of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ is now rejected in the church, and a compromise with sin and message of love, acceptance, and “feel good” all the rage. We have churches in the tens of thousands, where crowds gather for coffee, a doughnut, and a message with wistful and “touchy-feely” songs and a shallow self-help outline. Stadiums and arenas are filled with people seeking “help for today’s problems” rather than a lifeline away from sin and an escape route from hell. Mega-church buildings are built with the latest technology, the most up-to-date tools, and the most fashionable interior design to attract and enthrall those who enter, but entirely without substantive messages, clear stands against sin, or the warnings and the eternal nature of the Lake of Fire.
Enter Homosexuality
Is it any surprise that, with all of the above and afore mentioned running wild in the Church of Jesus Christ in the USA, we hear news stories of the United and Free Methodist Churches accepting and ordaining Gay and Lesbian pastors and clergy? Should we at all be astonished when the Episcopal Church of the USA ordains first an openly gay bishop, only to follow such an action up a few years later by ordaining and openly lesbian bishop? Should we be at all stunned when we see how the Homosexual Community has not only established a “gay” church (in the Metropolitan Community of Churches), not only entered in and gained a strong relationship in most mainline US Denominations, but has, effectively, silenced the Church of Jesus Christ when it comes to their plans for “legitimacy” and their quest for special rights? Yet such is happening exactly as this article is being typed up. In December of 2010, homosexuals were granted the “right” to openly serve in the United States Military with the overturn of “Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell” (DADT) by both houses of the United States Congress (and one of the VERY few campaign promises fulfilled by President Obama). How was this “historic” decision met by the Church of Jesus Christ? With Silence: not one word of dissent was heard by or from any major church leader when the overturn of DADT was passed nor later at the President’s December 23rd signing of the overturn into law. And there has been no word from the church or from Major Church Leaders since it took place. On June 24th, 2011, the New York State Assembly passed a “gay ‘marriage’” law that is set to take effect in 30 days from the signing by the Governor, Mr. Andrew Cuomo (who signed the law shortly after midnight on June 25th). Again, as in the previous DADT overturn, what has been the response from and by the church to this passage of bill and singing into law? What has been the reaction from Church Leaders to this latest development? Again, it has been almost complete silence. Not one word of dissent has been heard an any sector in the days since, most deafeningly by the Church of Jesus Christ in the USA. No leader whatsoever has uttered one word of dissent since this law passed last Friday and was signed into law.
The Great Falling Away: The Beginning, or…?
In the Bible, God, speaking through the pen of the Apostle Paul, warned of a coming Great Falling Away. He spoke of this falling away being one of the means in which the Antichrist is ushered into the world stage. Could it be that this overwhelming silence, the embracing of Homosexuality, and the glaring compromise of the Church on such key issues is a signal of that falling away taking place? Is this the beginning of the Falling Away….or are we already well on our way, and underway towards final destruction? Folks, this silence by the Church is simply inexplicable in any other light! The Bible speaks clearly against practicing homosexuality. The Old Testament shows time and again the demise of cities and nations that give into the practice and recognition of homosexuality as legitimate, acceptable, and worthy of being embraced. The New Testament makes it crystal clear that homosexuality will not only be judged as sinful, but those who partake are damned to an eternity without the presence of Jesus Christ. The total non-response and “ho hum” attitude of the Church in such a crucial point of society is not only surprising, but deeply troubling! If we, as the church, can so casually and blithely give up ground on such a key issue, what other strongholds of the church could be next? The Bible again gives ample proof that the acceptance and embracing of homosexuality is a sign of the worst of depravity. The only glaringly worse area of society’s acceptance that is worse than homosexuality is the shedding of innocent blood (see Proverbs 6), and, much akin to the blithe and casual acceptance of homosexuality in society, the Church has begun to accept abortion on demand as the status quo. Yes, the church has been in the thick of the fight against abortion “rights”, but -- as we have seen with homosexuality and the gay and lesbian community -- if we can so easily give ground on one issue, how much more easily will it be to accept a practice that has been on the law books for the last nearly-forty years?
America’s Manasseh is On the Throne and Judgment is Coming
The king who did more to provoke God to wrathful action against Judah was King Manasseh (see 2nd Kings and 2nd Chronicles), the son of the Great (probably greatest next to David) King Hezekiah, who - through his faithfulness to God - led Judah to victory against the Assyrians. King Manasseh did and promoted such things as we are seeing in these days in Judah and Jerusalem, insomuch as sacrificing his own son to the grotesque and grisly idol Molech. He set up idols inside of the Temple of Jerusalem, worshipped the sun, moon, stars, and the false gods from the nations around Israel and Judah. Though Manesseh later repented and basically turned around his pagan reign into one of the godliest, the damage was done: Judah was judged, sentenced, and within three generations after the passing of Manasseh, Judah had been conquered and erased as a national entity by the Babylonian Empire and Armies under King Nebuchadnezzar. Friends, the same can be said for the USA. We have had a President that was akin to Ahab for Israel in President Clinton. We had our Josiah/Hezekiah in Presidents Reagan and Bush, in which the church and belief thrived. We now have our Manasseh in the form of President Obama who -- while claiming Christ -- has acted and carried himself about in any way but, and whose spiritual mentor is a rabid, raging “preacher” and purveyor of hate and destruction. The fact that President Obama has supported Gay “Rights” albeit quietly is proof positive that he is - as Manasseh - setting up idols to the sun, moon, stars, and gods of the neighbors of Israel, both ancient and modern. We have learned naught from the September 11th, 2001 terror attacks, a day in which God, fulfilling his Word and promises in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, pulled is hand of protection away from us, and allowed the USA - a population of 300 million - to be controlled for the better part of a day (directly), and in our actions ever since (indirectly), by a mere 20 men (including the late Osama bin Laden). Friends, worse than 9/11 is in the offing if we, as a nation and a s the Church of Jesus Christ in the USA, continue to blithely stumble along, allowing deviant groups and chosen lifestyles to gain not only unprecedented rights, but to do so in the face of an Almighty God who has promised that those who sow to the flesh will reap destruction (see Galatians 5).
The Bottom Line - Homosexuality is SIN!!!
Like it or not, folks, homosexuality is NOT natural. Despite Lady Gaga’s song, people are not born gay. Homosexuality is as much a choice as deciding whether or not to eat a doughnut for breakfast, or an omelet. The science is lacking, the medical proof is non-existent, and the proof is vacant concerning homosexuality being “natural”. Quite the contrary, homosexuality is a sin, something the Lord himself has spoken out against time and time again in the Bible. Those who practice homosexuality - just like those who practice bank robbing or practice murder or practice lying - will not enter into heaven. No matter how Hollywood portrays it, no matter how television makes it look acceptable, no matter how many homosexual-led talk shows crop up, no matter how many gay and lesbian comedians become popular, the fact remains: homosexuality is a sin. Period. And God - like it or not - will one day judge sin (including homosexuality) with a heavy hand.
Conclusion - The Church Needs Revival and Needs to Take a Stand
We, the Church of Jesus Christ, need ot wake up and smell the coffee. This world around us is decaying by the minute, and we can either be salt and light, or we can be cast out and spewed out (see Matthew 5 and Revelation 3). So long as we, the Church of Jesus Christ in the USA, stand idly by and allow sin to have reign in our land and nation, so too we will be counted as not only irrelevant by an unbelieving world, but God, too, will withdraw his glory and his lamp stand, and will give it and his Spirit to someone else. As Esther did, we, too, need to decide to follow God wholeheartedly, or we need to get out of his way and let him work through someone and/or something else. So long as we try to get along with the world, we are, in actuality, going along with the world. Silence is not an option. Standing blithely by is not an option. Throwing up our hands and saying “It can’t be done!” and “My little will have no impact!” and “We can’t save the world!” is also not an option. We need to fish or cut bait. It is my prayer that we, the Church of Jesus Christ, will hit our knees, and beg God for forgiveness, as Daniel did in Daniel 9, and experience a revival the likes of such hasn’t hit our shores in generations. The alternative is not pretty…
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we need revival. We need revival today! Start in this life and this heart, O Lord! Save our Nation and stay the judgment that is surely and certainly coming! Bring full and free salvation to each and every self-professing homosexual in the USA and in the world! May they come to know the saving, freeing grace of Jesus Christ! We pray this in Jesus’ Precious Name, Amen!
