THE CHRISTIAN'S ATTITUDE TOWARD HOMOSEXUALITY

THE CHRISTIAN’S ATTITUDE TOWARD HOMOSEXUALITY

Listen to this sermon.

Text: Romans 1:27-29; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:9-10.

Delivered on: April 27, 2008. Streetsboro.

Introduction.

1. In the April 17, 2008 Record Courier one of the headlines on the front page said, “$2 million pledged to KSU gay group.”

2. The article details how Harry Jackson, a former B.F. Goodrich tax attorney, has pledged at least $2 million to support the first endowment for scholarships and programming for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students at Kent State University.

3. In the article, Jackson says, “I’m hoping they’ll get politically active and educated. By educating them they’ll become part of the process.” (emp. mine)

4. Leora Rzepka, president of PRIDE, a Kent campus LGBT group said, “This gift will give us the chance to do more meaningful programs that will bring in more of the university population.” (emp. mine)

5. There is a strong movement in our country to promote the LGBT agenda.

6. Namely, to convince our young people that homosexuality is a perfectly normal and even healthy state.

7. What should the Christian’s attitude be toward homosexuality?

8. What should the Christian’s attitude be toward the homosexual?

9. Why is this such a big deal?

Body.

1. WHAT SHOULD THE CHRISTIAN’S ATTITUE BE TOWARD HOMOSEXUALITY?
   
   
   

   1. As Christians, our attitude should be the same as God’s.

      1. Old Testament. (Homosexuality is not a new problem!)

         1. Sodom & Gomorrah.

            1. Genesis 18:20-21. And the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, ²¹ I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

            2. Genesis 19:5. And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.”

            3. Genesis 19:24-25. Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens. ²⁵ So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.

         2. Leviticus 18:22. You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.

         3. Leviticus 20:13. If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.

      2. New Testament.

         1. Romans 1:27-29. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. ²⁸ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; ²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,

         2. 1 Timothy 1:9-10. Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, ¹⁰ for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,

         3. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. 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 homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
            
            
            

   2. How does God view homosexuality?

      1. As an abomination.

      2. He puts it in the same class as deceit, murder, covetousness and other sins.

      3. How can anyone who claims to love God not see the truth on this subject?
         
         
         

   3. Our attitude toward homosexuality should be to view it as sin.

      1. Thus, we separate ourselves from it. We don’t condone or approve of it. Ephesians 5:11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

      2. I would argue that this includes in the voting booth.
         
         
         

2. WHY IS HOMOSEXUALITY SUCH A BIG DEAL?
   
   
   

   1. Why is it that the preacher is so worried about homosexuality?

      1. In the seven years that I have been here, I have preached on homosexuality about 4 times.

      2. I’ve never preached a sermon dedicated solely to the sinfulness of murder.

      3. I’ve never preached a sermon dedicated solely to the sinfulness of stealing.

      4. Am I singling out homosexuality unjustly?

      5. Am I picking on the homosexuals because I am an hateful homophobe.

      6. Is it even because I think that my sermon is going to convince a homosexual to repent?
         
         
         

   2. I preach against homosexuality for two main reasons.

      1. Because it is a sin that we are being told is acceptable.

         1. Everyone knows that murder is wrong.

         2. Everyone knows that stealing is wrong.

         3. But it is different with homosexuality.

         4. Read this quote from Michael S. Piazza, Dean of the Cathedral, a congregation of the United church of Christ.

            1. “What does the Bible really say about homosexuality? Actually, very little. Most significantly, Jesus said nothing at all. Considering the relatively small amount of attention the Bible pays to the subject, we must ask ourselves why this is such a volatile issue. Other subjects about which the scriptures say a great deal (e.g. judgment, pride, hypocrisy) receive much less passionate attention. Before looking at specific passages, it is important to note that everyone understands the scriptures based on, and through, the light of what they have been taught. The Bible was not written in a cultural void, and many of its instructions and laws are simply classified as less relevant today (e.g. prohibition against eating pork).”

            2. “Nowhere does the Bible actually address the idea of persons being lesbian or gay. The statements are, without exception, directed to certain homosexual acts. Early writers had no understanding of homosexuality as a psychosexual orientation. That truth is a relatively recent discovery. The biblical authors were referring to homosexual acts performed by persons they assumed were heterosexuals.”

            3. Listen to how he attempts to explain away Romans 1. “A complete reading of these passages, in their original context, clearly shows that what Paul was actually referring to was homosexual temple prostitution, which was performed by various cults (though far more cults used heterosexual prostitution). Again, Paul is not referring to same-sex love, and he clearly has no concept of persons for whom this lifestyle is “natural. http://www.cathedralofhope.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?&pid=225&srcid=305

         5. The underlying principal in all of these statements is the belief that the writers of the Bible were writing from their own knowledge and not by inspiration.

         6. If I understand him correctly, he is saying that the writers were mistaken because they didn’t understand what homosexuality really was. Evidently, he is saying that as long as the individuals involved love each other then the sexual relationship is fine with God.

         7. This is the typical type of hogwash we frequently hear.

         8. The writers may have had no understanding of homosexuality as a psychosexual orientation but God did!

         9. Paul wasn’t writing from his own knowledge. He spoke with God’s words. 2 Peter 1:20-21. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, ²¹ for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God[c] spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

      2. Because I love my country.

         1. Did you notice that Harry Jackson said that he hoped that his endowment would encourage homosexual people to become more politically active?

         2. There is a strong movement in our country to have homosexuality and same sex marriage recognized as legitimate.

         3. As an American Christian, I must do all that I can to oppose this.

            1. Why?

            2. Are we trying to force people to become heterosexuals? No.

            3. Are we trying to legislate morality? No.

            4. As an American Christian, I am trying to preserve my country.

            5. When a person or a country values and esteems man’s wisdom above God’s wisdom, he is exalting himself over God. Luke 18:13-14. And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

         4. Proverbs 14:34. Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.

            1. If we want God to bless America, we had better stay faithful to Him.

            2. This country was founded on Christian principles.

            3. I believe that this country has prospered because of those Christian principles.

            4. If we cease to stand for what is right, God will not continue to bless us.

         5. Matthew 5:13. “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

            1. Salt keeps food from going bad.

            2. As Christians, we need to try to keep our country from going bad.

            3. This includes, but is not limited to, fighting against making a sinful lifestyle one that receives our government’s blessing.
               
               
               

3. WHAT SHOULD THE CHRISTIAN’S ATTITUDE BE TOWARD THE HOMOSEXUAL?
   
   
   

   1. Hate the sin but love the sinner.

      1. Homosexuals are the object of a great deal of hate.

      2. Their lifestyle is so repulsive to the majority of the population that they are seen as reprobates.

      3. A Christian had better not hate anybody.
         
         
         

   2. God loves all. 1 Timothy 2:4. Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

      1. Matthew 5:43-48. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

      2. If we love our neighbors and we love our enemies… who does that leave? No one.

      3. We preach and teach against homosexuality because we love the homosexual and do not want them to be lost.
         
         
         

   3. Perhaps part of the reason that so many homosexuals don’t want anything to do with religion is that so man “Christians” have treated them like dirt.

      1. Matthew 9:11-13. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 
¹² When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

      2. Homosexuals need the gospel just like the rest of us.

      3. We must have compassion and show the love of Christ to these people without compromising the truth.