The Rise of Homosexuality & the Great Falling Away

[PrisonerOfHope]

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!

[shann0]

After all, nobody’s perfect, not even Jesus Christ himself.

This statement is the most damnable blasphemy I've ever read.

I understand that the person who wrote this article probably doesn't think that, but there should be some sort of disclaimer after such a statement was made.

I believe this behavior is much more complicated than a simple choice.
Homosexuality is a curse specifically pronounced by God on those who deny His existance, and who embrace evolution as the means by which life came into being.

So that being the case, while homosexuality is not genetic or attributable to any inherent trait, in a sense because God has given them over to the depravity they lust after by way of that curse, they bring it on themselves due to denying Him. That's why people who are practicing this sin believe they have no choice in their sexual preference. 1st they deny God, the result is that they're automatically given over to become homosexuals. The people who consider themselves christian homosexuals do not believe Gods Word in it's entirety, therefore the Jesus they say they believe in is a false Christ.

Several months ago, MSN put an article on their front page which claimed that a gene had been discovered that was linked to homosexuality. I was incredulous, so I did a little digging. It turned out that the article came from The Onion, a fake news website. The story was a total fabrication. But MSN never retracted or corrected the story. Most people wouldn't take the time to track down the source, rather they only read headlines. This is an insidious way to shape public opinion, floating a false story. The sheeple never invesigate further and the falsehood is incorporated into their belief system.

[PrisonerOfHope]

I don't agree that all homosexuals reject God. Back in the early 80s I had to share an office for a while with a very sweet guy who loved the Lord, but was as gay as they come. I'm still scarred from overhearing some of his conversations - like how everyone in Rio wears a thong and nobody judges how you look, and (his friend) really should try it because they're soooo comfortable.

My gay friends know I love them, but they also know I could never accept their lifestyle choice. I pray for them; hopefully they'll wake up to the truth before it's too late.

Interesting about The Onion article....

[emortimer]

as a friend and my pastor said at a group...if being gay is a sickness or hereditary or you are just born that way...guess what in the bible it says not to do it, just like murder and stealing. So maybe God put that on you as a test or a way of you to show others to make the choice to be with God. Then it is also the same with porn and all the other things just to feel good....

I think that is about right....sorry only a couple hours of sleep

[ELKTOOTH]

i believe the only way to love anyone.. is to tell them the truth of the gospel..
that ALL ARE BORN IN SIN..YES WE ARE ALL BORN THIS WAY..as lady gaga says...
and that GOD WAS IN CHRIST RECONCILING THEM UNTO HIMSELF..NOT COUNTING THEIR SINS
AGAINST THEM...AND HE HAS GIVEN US THIS MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION...THE GOSPEL..THE VERY POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO ALL WHO BELIEVE IT....this is what have to give them..it is all that they need...they are forgiven their sin weather they believe it or not...they are forgiven but still dead without the spirit indwelling in them to bring them life.eternal life by the simple faith in jesus and his righteousness alone...they deny scripture..pick and choose their own set of laws from it and are very religious about following it... presenting themselves as true and obedient to love and acceptance,tolerance, not being hypocrites like the rest of christianity...
but the GOSPEL is over ALL..OVER ALL WORKS....OVER ALL GOOD OBEDIENCE...OVER ALL PRIDE

[ELKTOOTH]

the standard that is held up is the gospel...the snake on the pole..
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
we rally to this banner..beneath the shelter of HIS wings..not that of our deeds and our works done for him..but HIM..HE IS THE GOSPEL...and whomever does so is a new creation in CHRIST JESUS and HE is the one who justifies by his own finished work...whoever believes on him is saved..

[shann0]

www.gotquestions.org/gay-Christian.html

Is it possible to be a gay Christian?

gay Christian

Question: "Is it possible to be a gay Christian?"

Answer: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). There is a tendency to declare homosexuality as the worst of all sins. While it is undeniable, biblically speaking, that homosexuality is immoral and unnatural (Romans 1:26-27), in no sense does the Bible describe homosexuality as an unforgivable sin. Nor does the Bible teach that homosexuality is a sin Christians will never struggle against.

Perhaps that is the key phrase in the question of whether it is possible to be a gay Christian: “struggle against.” It is possible for a Christian to struggle with homosexual temptations. Many homosexuals who become Christians have ongoing struggles with homosexual feelings and desires. Some strongly heterosexual men and women have experienced a “spark” of homosexual interest at some point in their lives. Whether or not these desires and temptations exist does not determine whether a person is a Christian. The Bible is clear that no Christian is sinless (1 John 1:8, 10). While the specific sin / temptation varies from one Christian to another, all Christians have struggles with sin, and all Christians sometimes fail in those struggles (1 Corinthians 10:13).

What differentiates a Christian’s life from a non-Christian’s life is the struggle against sin. The Christian life is a progressive journey of overcoming the “acts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19-21) and allowing God’s Spirit to produce the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23). Yes, Christians sin, sometimes horribly. Sadly, sometimes Christians are indistinguishable from non-Christians. However, a true Christian will always repent, will always eventually return to God, and will always resume the struggle against sin. But the Bible gives no support for the idea that a person who perpetually and unrepentantly engages in sin can indeed be a Christian. Notice 1 Corinthians 6:11; "And that is what some of you were. 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."

First Corinthians 6:9-10 lists sins that, if indulged in continuously, identify a person as not being redeemed—not being a Christian. Often, homosexuality is singled out from this list. If a person struggles with homosexual temptations, that person is presumed to be unsaved. If a person actually engages in homosexual acts, that person is definitely thought to be unsaved. However, the same assumptions are not made, at least not with the same emphasis, regarding other sins in the list: fornication (pre-marital sex), idolatry, adultery, thievery, covetousness, alcoholism, slander, and deceit. It is inconsistent, for example, to declare those guilty of pre-marital sex as “disobedient Christians,” while declaring homosexuals definitively non-Christians.

Is it possible to be a gay Christian? If the phrase “gay Christian” refers to a person who struggles against homosexual desires and temptations – yes, a “gay Christian” is possible. However, the description “gay Christian” is not accurate for such a person, since he/she does not desire to be gay, and is struggling against the temptations. Such a person is not a “gay Christian,” but rather is simply a struggling Christian, just as there are Christians who struggle with fornication, lying, and stealing. If the phrase “gay Christian” refers to a person who actively, perpetually, and unrepentantly lives a homosexual lifestyle – no, it is not possible for such a person to truly be a Christian.

[shann0]

gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/born-gay/

Born Gay?

I have a brother-in-law who has left his wife of 17 years and three almost grown daughters, for another man. He has convinced himself and daughters that he fought off this desire for years until God told him he was born that way and must embrace the lifestyle for his happiness.

Q. I can’t get enough of this website. It’s so full of useful information. Thank you for the time and energy you obviously put into it.

I read all I could on homosexuality as I have a brother-in-law who has left his wife of 17 years and three almost grown daughters, for another man. He has convinced himself and daughters that he fought off this desire for years until God told him he was born that way and must embrace the lifestyle for his happiness. His Christian parents are accepting him and his partner into the family, encouraging the grandchildren to call him “uncle”!

My question: My husband (his brother) and I have three young children and while we let him know we love him, we however do not approve of his actions, and we are not willing to embrace him while he is with his partner. In other words if they are coming together to family gatherings, we will not be present. We grapple with this, please know, but we strongly feel it sends a message to our kids that what they are doing is OKAY if we do! We also feel it sends the same message to him and his partner, if everyone acts as if what they are doing is okay. If everyone goes on as if nothing is wrong with the picture what is that really saying? Isn’t that Christians tolerating blatant sin? Our whole family has been torn apart over this!

A. I don’t know who told your brother-in-law that he was born a homosexual, but it wasn’t God. The thing we most depend upon where God is concerned is His word. We have to know that He doesn’t ever change His mind, or else He could suddenly decide to “unsave” us and we’d be hopelessly lost.

In Leviticus 18:22 God called homosexuality detestable. In Lev. 20:13 He made the act punishable by death, along with adultery, incest, and other sexual sins. In Romans 1:27 He called homosexuality a perversion and said that it’s a judgment for sin.

If He created some to be homosexuals, then He couldn’t condemn homosexuality this way, any more than He could condemn someone for having blue eyes. Neither can He condemn something so completely at one point and then accept it at another. God is the same, yesterday, today and forever. It’s clear that God views homosexuality as a sin like theft, murder, adultery, blasphemy, etc.

In Christianity we’re supposed to hate sin but love sinners, but that’s not the same as accepting or even tolerating behavior that’s sinful. Paul told the Corinthians to expel an immoral brother from the fellowship. (1 Cor. 5:1-11) Later, when he admitted his sin and asked their forgiveness, Paul told them to restore him. (2 Cor. 2:5-11)

The Lord is always working toward restoration and reconciliation, even if it takes an entire lifetime, and so should we. While leaving no question as to where you stand on his behavior, and why, be sure to continue expressing your love for your brother-in-law and your desire to be reconciled. Pray that God will keep all your hearts open to His will in accomplishing this.

[shann0]

gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/will-gay-believers-be-raptured/

Will Gay Believers Be Raptured?

Q. Your response to the woman whose sister was gay but also a believer gave me pause…I guess I always have read 1 Cor 6:9-10 to mean that those who engage in such activities will not inherit the Kingdom of God. So I’m wondering how one who is living as a homosexual and is convicted but not repentant ,as she seems to be, would still be included in the Rapture of the Church? Doesn’t repentance mean literally, turning away from one’s sin and walking in a new way? Which leads me to now wonder if the Kingdom of God is different from the Kingdom of heaven. I’m having a very hard time reconciling your response to this woman’s question…and please understand, I’m not coming from the perspective that homosexual sin is greater or worse than any other sin. I hold fast to the fact that none of us is perfect and it’s only by His blood and His grace that any of us are saved..but I also believe I have some responsibilities in walking out my salvation with fear and trembling. I know salvation is not about works but shouldn’t our lives be expressed in Christian living that continues to look more like Christ and not like the rest of the world we’re living in? Would you please clarify?

A. Please forgive me in advance, because I’m probably not going to appear as diplomatic in answering your question as you have been in asking it. I’ve been asked about this several times and want to make certain that I’m absolutely clear, for you and for the others who’ve asked.

In 1 Cor. 6:9-10 the key phrase is “the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom”. Paul followed it with a partial list of behaviors that are exhibited by the unrighteous. The problem is that believers often exhibit this behavior too. You only have to read a little bit of the Sermon on the Mount to see that. How can this be? Because our righteousness is imputed to us by faith, in spite of our behavior. In God’s sight the old us has already gone and the new us has already come. (2 Cor 5:17) Accepting the Lord’s death as payment for our sins made us as righteous as God is (2 Cor. 5:21) We’re no longer part of the unrighteous who won’t inherit the Kingdom.

The writer said her sister is born again, and recognizes her behavior as sin. If so, that makes her repentant because to repent means to change your mind. It doesn’t mean to stop sinning. If it did then the Bible’s admonition to repent and be saved wouldn’t make sense because if we could stop sinning we wouldn’t need to be saved. Even Paul confessed that he couldn’t stop sinning, but was grateful that when He sinned, the Lord saw it as the sin nature living in him, and not he himself. (Romans 7:20)

And working (not walking) out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12) means to come before the all powerful Creator of the Universe with absolutely nothing to your credit, and ask the one who has no reason at all to save you from your sins to do so anyway. Remember the word “therefore” in verse 12 ties it to verses 9-11 that preceded it. They talk about Jesus being the one before whom all will bow.

All through the New Testament we’re admonished to behave in a manner that pleases God as a way of saying thanks for our salvation, but nowhere are we threatened with the loss of it if we don’t. This woman is not living a victorious life on Earth and will miss out on blessings because of that, but the loss of her place in eternity is not one of them.

And if you’ve fallen for the heresy that some will be raptured only to spend 1000 years in the outer darkness, weeping and gnashing their teeth, then you’ve been misled by some of the sloppiest scholarship I’ve ever seen.

If the writer’s sister is born again then she’s already guaranteed a place in the Kingdom (Ephes. 1:13-14) and she’ll be taken in the Rapture. When she gets there she will be in a new perfect body and all her sins will be part of the dark and distant past, just like yours and mine. Until then the only difference between us is that her sins are more obvious to us than ours are to her.

[shann0]

gracethrufaith.com/selah/homosexuals-in-the-rapture/

Homosexuals In The Rapture

Commentary by Jack Kelley

Last week’s question on whether homosexual believers will be taken in the Rapture or not has really sparked some interesting, even emotional comment.

As we begin this study, let’s clarify a few points. Living a homosexual lifestyle is living in sin. Both Old and New Testaments make that clear. But all believers are sinners, and we’re all living in sin of some kind. Half of us who’ve been married have also been divorced. The percentage of Christian women who’ve had abortions is the same as for non-believers. Many of us have sins we simply cannot stop committing. (These are sometimes called besetting sins.) Some don’t really want to stop committing these sins, but many have “cried out to the Lord in sack cloth and ashes” for deliverance and still can’t stop.

This is not a new phenomenon. Some of the great heroes of the Bible had sin problems they couldn’t control. Moses had trouble with his temper, David had a weakness for women, and we’ll get to Paul in a minute.
Just Do It

If you don’t have any besetting sins, praise the Lord. But dismissing someone else’s problem by saying they should just stop sinning shows an appalling lack of sensitivity. This is especially true since millions of believers have spent years trying unsuccessfully to stop doing things like smoking, drinking to excess, watching porn, etc. Others can’t control their anger, lust, appetite, or envy. Would you deny all of them participation to the rapture? Maybe the next time you hear of someone struggling with sin you should take some time to ponder the old saying, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” And if you don’t have any sins you can’t keep yourself from committing, why are you sinning at all?

If you’re part of the vast majority that does struggle regularly with a besetting sin, you can understand the plight of others like you. Paul had this in mind when he wrote Romans 7:14-25.

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Please read this carefully. Judging by the standards of some believers I’ve received eMails from lately, Paul has identified himself as an unrepentant sinner in these verses, because he continues to do things he knows he shouldn’t be doing. They would say that he’s either not qualified to go in the rapture or will spend the Millennium in the outer darkness, learning how to be an overcomer. (Don’t get me started on that one.)

But Paul’s reaction was totally different. He said that when he was sinning, he was not being himself. In other words, it wasn’t Paul who was sinning but the sin nature that dwelt within him. He told the Corinthians that when they accepted the Lord they became a new creation. He said that in God’s eyes the person they had been before was gone and they were now a new person altogether. He said that because Jesus, who knew no sin, had been made sin for them, they were now as righteous as God Himself. (2 Cor 5:17,21)
Here’s What Paul Meant.

When Jesus went to the cross He took all the sins of our lives with Him. (Col. 2:13-14) That means past, present, and future, from the very first to the very last. This is one of the things that makes the New Covenant so much better than the Old. Every year on Yom Kippur, Israel’s past sins were atoned for and the slate was wiped clean. But they immediately began sinning again and so the next year they had to do it all over, and the year after that and the year after that, and so on. That’s because it’s impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin (Hebr. 10:3-4)

But Jesus offered one sacrifice for all time, past, present, and future. If you’re born again, every sin of your life has been identified and atonement has been made. That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) All that’s left is for you to accept and believe. If you stop and think for just a moment, you’ll see that it’s the only way it could be, because none of us can completely stop sinning, and there’s no sacrifice left. Either the Lord’s blood has paid for all the sins of our life, or else it was an exercise in futility, and we’re all irretrievably lost.

This is why with all of Paul’s exhortations to go beyond salvation and strive for victory over our sin nature, he never threatened us with the loss of our salvation for failing. In fact, one of his strongest pleas was that we strive to live up to that which we have already attained. (Phil 3:16) In other words, become in fact what we already are in faith. But even he couldn’t do it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Romans 7:21-25)

Here Paul tells us that the harder he tried to “be good” the more his sin nature resisted. He loved the Law of God but his sin nature made him a prisoner of sin. What a hopeless place to be, condemned to a life of disappointing the One he wanted most to please. But thanks be to the Lord Jesus who rescues us from our body of death. The new Paul, the Paul that God saw, had the motives and intentions of someone who tries to please God, even though his sin nature prevented him from carrying them out. And God, who alone can judge the intent of our hearts, chose to see only the new Paul, all of whose sins had been atoned for at the cross. He had been separated as far from his sins as the East is separated from the West. (Psalm 103:12) As far as God was concerned the new Paul never sinned at all. It was the sin dwelling in him that did it.

And then the summary statement, Romans 8:1. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
One More Time

As I said earlier, living a homosexual lifestyle is living in sin. Many believers have agonized over this problem. As one who hasn’t experienced it, I can’t even begin to grasp its magnitude. They know that a just God can not condemn His children for behavior they have no control over. And yet they’ve spent years in shame and humiliation trying unsuccessfully to stop committing their besetting sin. Some finally succumb to the false conclusion that God must have made them that way. Others rebel as a way to vent their frustration. And can you imagine how much harder their challenge becomes as society in general and even many who claim to be part of the Church affirm and encourage their behavior as being nothing more than an alternative lifestyle, no better or worse than any other? Contrast that attitude with others in the Church who treat them like lepers, sinners beyond redemption. Neither opinion is correct, so what is their true circumstance? Why can’t anyone tell them? What happened to Romans 8:1? Is it only Jesus who can forgive a sin without fear of leaving the impression that he condones it?

He commanded us to love one another as He loved us, and to forgive each other as He forgave us. He was talking about how we should treat each other as believers. He never spoke a single word that encourages the condemnation of a brother or sister. On the contrary, He spoke against it. (Matt. 7:1-2 & Luke 6:37) As far as salvation is concerned, He said all who ask will receive, (Matt. 7:7) that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13), and that who so ever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

This is where the Lord’s faithfulness comes in. Having agonized on the cross for every sinful act of their lives, He could no more abandon them now than He did then. He gave them the faith to believe that He would save them (Ephes. 2:8-9) and has accepted responsibility for keeping them saved. (2 Cor. 1:21-22) When they fall into the pit of despair, He comes to pull them out. (Matt. 12:11-12) When they wander away from the flock, he goes in search of them. (Luke 15:4) Having begun a good work in them, He is faithful and will carry it on to completion, (Phil. 1:6) not losing a single one of them along the way. (John 6:38-40).

On the day of the Rapture every one who has trusted Him for salvation will disappear in the twinkling of an eye. The only thing the Church will leave behind is our accursed sin nature that’s prevented us from living the life we desire. The new bodies we’ll receive have neither flaw nor blemish, so millions of raptured believers will finally be free of their besetting sins.

None of this is meant to condone sin or diminish the destructive effect it has on our lives. Nor is it meant to say that we should learn to be comfortable around it. And if you’re thinking that they’re getting a free ride for their sin, consider that nearly every health, accident, or mortality statistic demonstrates that calling the homosexual lifestyle “gay” is a cruel joke indeed. This is especially true among males, where life expectancy is decades shorter, and accident rates are much higher. They’re also far more likely to be murdered or to commit suicide.

As Stephen was being stoned to death, he fell to his knees and cried out, “Lord don’t hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60). When Jesus was hanging on the cross He looked at those who had put Him there and prayed, “Father forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing.” (Luke 23:34) This is the testimony of two witnesses, showing us the proper reaction to the sinners in our midst. We need to understand that none of us could ever deserve to go in the Rapture. We’re all sinners worthy of the worst kind of judgment. There is no such thing as a believer who’s less deserving than we are because the Church is not a merit based organization. It’s faith based. When we see a brother or sister struggling with sin we should be praying for them instead of condemning them. It could just as easily have been us.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Selah 12-06-08

[baydoll]

I think the biggest problem is society and the media. It has drummed into the heads of our young people 24/7 that being gay is normal and those who say otherwise are a bunch of homophobic bigots. So of course gays won't listen to us. To reach these people we need to pray HARD for them and love them unconditionally, not preach at them and get into arguments with them.

POH you pretty much described my son. He's a sweetie and he has the BIGGEST heart. Even though he's chosen this path, he says he still loves the Lord very much. It will take a miracle (to which I am praying for) for him to see the Truth and get off this dead end road he is traveling on before it's too late. I pray daily that he will NOT be left behind.

[wateredseeds]

baydoll,

If he really trusts in Jesus as his SAVIOR, and believes in the IMPUTED righteousness of Christ in us....then he will not be left behind. Being left behind is not a condition of how we live our lives...it is a condition of who we put our trust in. Jesus either paid it all...or he paid none of it. I believe he paid it all.

[baydoll]

Thank you wateredseeds. What a blessing you are! You just made my day.

[Summergirl]

Acts 22:16 "Be baptized and wash away thy sins"

Ephesians 4: 5 "One Lord, one faith, one baptism"

2 Corinthians 5: 17 "Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new."

Ephesians 5: 11 "Have no fellowship with works of darkness"

2 Corinthians 7:14 "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers;
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness
and what communion hath light with darkness?"

I Peter 1: 23 "Being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth
and abideth forever."

2 Timothy 3: 16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION,
for instruction in righteousness:
17: that the man of God may be perfect, {complete}
throughly furnished unto all GOOD WORKS."

Matthew 7:20 "Therefore, by their fruits, you shall know them."

[emortimer]

For we are not perfect and we are already COVERED in SIN Jesus did not die for our past sins only He died for them ALL even the ones we have not made yet....

Babydoll
think of it this way...you accepted Jesus...have you sinned since accepting Him? Will you sin again? The only thing is you need to ask forgivness for your sins wether you know what they are or not for Jesus knows them all

So in short I have to agree as long as your son has accepted Jesus as his saviopr then he is saved....it does not say in the bible that you are saved untill you sin again...that was old school


now looking at my typing...that is a sin also

[baydoll]

Thank you emortimer!

You are so right. Now that you've mentioned it, I got majorly side-tracked myself after I got saved. It took me a couple of years of 'doing my own thing' before I finally saw the light and turned back to the Lord and re-dedicated my life to Him.

I think what happens is that I get so wrapped up in the things my son is doing NOW (which drives me crazy) that I clean forget that if he is Born Again (and he is!) then Jesus has already forgiven him of ALL his sins- past, PRESENT as well as future. And I have to remind myself frequently that the sin of homosexuality is NOT the unforgivable sin.

[emortimer]

unforgivable sin

Forgetting the doughnuts Sunday morning ;D ;D ;D ;D

[baydoll]

lol! Oops I forgot about that one. ;D

[emortimer]

www.hallindsey.com/videos/

Go watch Hal and check out last half it is just as we talk

[baydoll]

I saw that.

[popcorn]

Calif. Church Erects Billboard in NC Apologizing for Gay Marriage Ban

A California church led by a gay pastor has sponsored a billboard erected in North Carolina, apologizing to the gay community about that state's recent constitutional ban on gay marriage and civil unions.

www.christianpost.com/news/calif-church-erects-billboard-in-nc-apologizing-for-gay-marriage-ban-75947/