He Made Them Male and Female
Christian Standards • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 4 viewsIt is no secret that Satan has been strongly attacking God's foundation of human sexuality since the beginning. Yet the Bible promises that this issue will continue and worsen through the end of time. How can we relate to Satan's attacks today?
Notes
Transcript
In the sixteenth century, there was a protestant reformer in England by the name of Hugh Latimer. He was known as a great preacher of his day and as a result he had many opportunities to speak. Once he found that he was to preach before the King Henry VIII of England. As he thought about his great responsibility to bring a message before the king he realized that the message that God laid on his heart was not the message that the king would want to hear.
As he began his sermon he said, “Latimer! Latimer! Do you remember that you are speaking before the high and mighty King Henry VIII; who has power to command you to be sent to prison, and who can have your head cut off, if it please him? Will you not take care to say nothing that will offend royal ears?”
He then paused and continued, “Latimer! Latimer! Do you not remember that you are speaking before the King of kings and Lord of lords; before Him, at whose throne Henry VIII will stand; before Him, to whom one day you will have to give account yourself? Latimer! Latimer! Be faithful to your Master, and declare all of God’s Word.”
Latimer faced the choice: would he preach what man wanted to hear or would he preach what Christ would have him preach. Latimer did take his stand for truth and preached boldly. Eventually, he was martyred by Henry’s daughter Queen Mary.
This is the beginning
of a new sermon series
about Christian Standards.
This first sermon
is about human sexuality.
Marriage
Divorce
Sexual Immorality
To understand
God’s ideal for humanity
we must go
back to the beginning.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them,
—
“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
There are many
important concepts
we learn from
this passage.
Doctrine of Humanity
Doctrine of Humanity
We are made like God.
We were made male and female.
We were commanded to procreate.
God gave humanity dominion over the earth.
Image of God
Image of God
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him...
What does it mean
we are made in the
image of God?
Are we like Him
Looks?
Character?
Prerogatives?
Relationally?
In all of these
to one degree or another.
Some physical attributes.
Meant to have holy character
like character of God.
Prerogatives
dominion
spiritual
procreation
Relational
Trinity
Marriage
God made us
like Him.
Male and Female
Male and Female
… male and female he created them.
God was clear,
he designated their
gender identity.
In a world where
people get to choose
their gender base upon
how they feel.
God’s word stands
in strict opposition.
God created them
with a gender.
biological deciding factor.
they didn’t get to choose.
Nobody could say
please use “these” pronouns.
This is an issue
that must be rejected.
As Christians
we should try to be
polite and diplomatic.
But we should never
defend sin.
Review and Herald November 7, 1882: Christian Character
We are not to call sin righteousness, or righteousness sin. While we should ever manifest pity and compassion for the erring, we should be governed by sanctified judgment and the fear of God. In their undue sympathy for the sinner, many are learning to palliate sin. -
It is said that Napoleon once lost control of his horse and a private jumping into the path of the horse took control of it. Napoleon then said, “Thank you, Captain.” With that one word Napoleon promoted the soldier from the rank of private to captain, but it was because that soldier put his general first.
To take a stand,
we may be at times
in harms way
this is the cost of integrity.
But remember,
there is also a reward!
Dominion
Dominion
The next way we
were created like God
is in dominion:
And God blessed them. And God said to them... have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
God made us
similar to Him
in that we were given
dominion over the Earth.
God has ultimate dominion
but gave use
some level of dominion.
God let us rule
over this world.
To be a steward
of this new planet.
Amazing Grace Adam and Eve—Rulers in Eden, February 1
While they remained true to God, Adam and his companion were to bear rule over the earth. Unlimited control was given them over every living thing. -
Procreation
Procreation
God commanded
the male and female
Adam and Eve
to procreate.
God was to create.
We were to procreate.
Similar to God
They were expected
to fill the earth.
But this privilege and right
was given within
specific confines.
Only those who were married first
were expected to procreate.
The First Marriage
The First Marriage
God Himself ordained
the first human marriage.
Let’s look at
the original marriage
Adam and Eve.
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
God pronounced them
married to each other.
God called them to
become one flesh.
There are some
important principles
we can gather
about marriage from
this verse.
Principles of Marriage
Principles of Marriage
Separation From Parents
Man and Wife
One Flesh
Naked and Not Ashamed
Separation From Parents
Separation From Parents
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife...
I have found it interesting
that the passage says,
the man leaves parents
and holds to wife.
What about wife?
does she leave parents?
Speaking on this verse EGW says:
The Faith I Live By September—The Christ-Centered Home
Around each family there is a sacred circle that should be kept unbroken. Within this circle no other person has a right to come. Let not the husband or the wife permit another to share the confidences that belong solely to themselves. - FLB p. 252
It seems clear
not only man
leaves his parents.
Wife must also
leave her parents.
This does not require
physical separation.
This is more about
emotional separation.
What I mean is,
husband and wife
will hold only each other
in deepest bond.
All other bonds
will be secondary.
Next point:
Man and Wife
Man and Wife
Therefore a man shall leave ... and hold fast to his wife...
Here we see,
marriage is between
man and wife.
Adam and Eve
not Adam and Steve.
God did not
provide other options
about marriage connection.
We will talk in more
detail about prohibition
for marriage relationships later.
Let’s briefly return
to the topic of
Transgenderism.
“A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.
Ellen White adds:
Selected Messages, Book 2 Appendix 1—Disease and Its Causes
God designed there should be a plain distinction between male and female dress, and has considered the matter of sufficient importance to give explicit directions in regard to it; for the same dress worn by both sexes would cause confusion, and great increase of crime.
This is addressing
event more than cross-dressing.
This is making it clear,
there are greater evils
when gender identity issue
begin to arise.
She says clear,
the results will be:
confusion
crime.
Sounds a lot like
the day we life in.
Society is allowing
gross destruction of
the image of God.
This is a point
which we should
take a strong stand.
Review and Herald October 22, 1901: The Voice of Faithful Rebuke
The world is full of flatterers and dissemblers. Those who are men-pleasers, who cry Peace, peace, might well humble their hearts before God, asking for pardon for their insincerity and lack of moral courage.
—
Such men do not smooth down their message from love for their neighbor, but because they are self-indulgent and ease-loving. True love is a love which seeks first the honor of God and the salvation of souls.
—
Those who have this love will not evade the truth to save themselves from the unpleasant results of plain speaking. When souls are in peril, they will not consider self. They will not excuse or palliate evil.
Former President Ronald Reagan says he learned the need for decision-making early in life. An aunt had taken him to a cobbler to have a pair of shoes made for him. The shoemaker asked young Ronald Reagan, “Do you want a square toe or a round toe?”
Reagan hemmed and hawed. So the cobbler said, “Come back in a day or two and let me know what you want.”
A few days later the shoemaker saw Reagan on the street and asked what he had decided about the shoes. “I still haven’t made up my mind,” the boy answered. “Very well,” said the cobbler.
When Reagan received the shoes, he was shocked to see that one shoe had a square toe and the other a round toe.
“Looking at those shoes every day taught me a lesson,” said Reagan years later. “If you don’t make your own decisions, somebody else will make them for you!”
Sexual Immorality
Sexual Immorality
We have talked about
the ideal.
We have discussed
original plan.
Now let’s see
Satan’s distorted counterfeit.
We will discuss
many forms of
sexual immorality.
Lev 18
Lev 18
This chapter lists many:
No Intimacy Outside of Marriage (Lev 18:20)
You May Not Marry:
Close Relatives (Lev 18:6)
More Than One Person at Once (Lev 18:18)
Person of Same Gender (Lev 18:22)
Skip?
No Intimacy Outside of Marriage
And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbor’s wife and so make yourself unclean with her.
No Intimacy with Close Relatives
No Intimacy with Close Relatives
“None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nakedness. I am the Lord.
Polygamy is Not Acceptable
Polygamy is Not Acceptable
And you shall not take a woman as a rival wife to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is still alive.
Homosexual Practice
Homosexual Practice
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
Finish Skip
There has been a strong push
to reinterpret verses
on this topic to
allow homosexual practice.
The bible clearly records
homosexual practice
with list of vile sins.
understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine...
Paul is even more clear
here:
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Homosexual Practice
mentioned in list
of those who
are not in
saving relationship.
All Sexual Immorality
Two previous verses,
the phrase
“sexual immorality”
is listed there too.
What this teaches
homosexual practice
not more evil than
other types of sexual sin.
Is Orientation Sin
Is Orientation Sin
This is a good point to pause
discuss details that
are much confused.
What is orientation?
Is it sin?
When someone says,
they have a
homosexual orientation
transgender identity
(or any other orientation)
this is the temptation
that they struggle with.
They are attracted to
people of the same gender.
Or
They feel they identify
with opposite gender.
Temptation is not Sin!!!!
Temptation only becomes sin
if we choose to give in to it.
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Temptation is
nothing more than
desire to do something wrong.
We all have temptations.
We all have some
kind of broken orientation.
Temptation becomes sin,
when we choose to
give into that desire.
As Christians,
we must differentiate between
orientation
homosexual practice.
(or other form of immorality).
Gender Confusion
vs.
Trans Behavior
We need to welcome
with open arms
those who are broken
broken orientations.
(We all do!!!)
But we must
lovingly teach them
it is wrong to
act upon that
broken orientation.
Jesus said:
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
This is a form
Sexual Immorality.
This is a form
broken orientation
broken identity.
broken image of God.
The form of
broken orientation
has become commonly acceptable.
Among some Christians
LGBTQ individuals are evil
But they openly practice
other forms of “more accepted”
sexual immorality.
According to God,
they are equal.
According to Jesus
it is not less sin
than any other form
of sexual immorality.
Men Listen
Must address the P - word.
Downfall of great men
King David
King Solomon
Samson
Be strong and courageous
Address this cancer.
For advice,
come talk to me.
Let us remember:
The Signs of the Times August 21, 1893: The Word of Truth the Way to Heaven
The Lord Jesus came to earth that he might recreate the image of God in man. -
Our job is simple
allow God to slowly
in this life
and the next
recreate the image
of God within us.
To remove the
distorted orientation
remake it.
Like Garden of Eden.
Napoleon made a mistake when he said that God is on the side of the strongest battalion. This statement has been proven wrong many times in the Bible and throughout history.
Abraham took 318 men and defeated 4 kings and their armies. Gideon with his 300 dedicated men defeated an army of thousands. David, a shepherd lad, untrained for war and armed with only a sling, killed a giant nine feet tall.
I believe that God is on the side of those who do right. God will fight the battles of those who determine to be in His will. Righteousness is still the greatest weapon.
Source: The Gold Mine, Lee Roberson
Severity of Sins
Severity of Sins
Are there different levels sins?
Answer:
yes
no.
Romans says:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
We are all sinners.
In this way,
we are on
equal playing field.
James says:
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
Those who are guilty
are guilty
not matter
how much sin!
or which sin!
On the other hand...
Other verses seem
to suggest that
certain sins are
more damaging
than other sins.
Penalty for
sexual immorality
in the OT:
“If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Death Penalty
God is very serious
about sexual sin.
Not all sins
received same punishment
in the OT.
Here is list:
death penalty:
murder
kidnapping
all sexual sin
witchcraft/sorcery/false prophecy
belligerent disobedience to parents
sabbath breaking
human sacrifices.
Most other sins
held lesser punishments.
So the question is:
Which is a:
… sin that leads to death...
John talks about
“sins that lead to death.”
“sins that do not lead to death.”
How can we know
which ones do?
Asked in a more
contemporary way:
Is This Really A Salvation Issue?
Is This Really A Salvation Issue?
What sin
will we forfeit
eternity for?
3 Quotes
Notice principle:
The Signs of the Times March 19, 1902: In the Race for Eternal Life
And
Review and Herald June 28, 1887: Self-Exaltation
Sin will close the gate of heaven against all who cherish it
Review and Herald March 27, 1888: Nothing Is Hidden
The least
How are we lost?
when we cherish sin.
What sin?
Any sin!
Certain Sins Treated Differently
Certain Sins Treated Differently
Then why were
certain sins
in the OT
and NT
treated differently?
Certain sins,
for example were
grounds for
removal from church.
(See 1 Cor 5).
Some sins,
seem to
be more easily cherished
more readily damage spirituality.
Sexual sins
fit into this category.
This is why
we must take
strong stand
on issues like this.
Acts of the Apostles Chapter 49—Paul’s Last Letter
Ministers of the gospel sometimes do great harm by allowing their forbearance toward the erring to degenerate into toleration of sins and even participation in them. Thus they are led to excuse and palliate that which God condemns, and after a time they become so blinded as to commend the very ones whom God commands them to reprove. He who has blunted his spiritual perceptions by sinful leniency toward those whom God condemns, will erelong commit a greater sin by severity and harshness toward those whom God approves.
One of the most gifted speakers in church history was John Chrysostom—the name comes from a Greek word meaning “golden tongued.” John was sent from Antioch to what was then Constantinople where he preached fearlessly in the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. His denunciation of the lavish extravagance of the rich and ruling class and his condemnation of excess infuriated many, including Empress Eudoxia who arranged for him to be exiled.
When he was told of his fate, Chrysostom responded: “What can I fear? Will it be death? But you know that Christ is my life, and that I shall gain by death. Will it be exile? But the earth and all its fullness is the Lord’s. Will it be the loss of wealth? But we brought nothing into the world, and can carry nothing out. Thus all the terrors of the world are contemptible in my eyes, and I smile at all its good things. Poverty I do not fear. Riches I do not sigh for. Death I do not shrink from.”
Far too many today are more worried about what people think than about what God thinks. The desire not to offend others (which is not a bad thing in itself) is often elevated to be the most important thing. As a result, many shrink from speaking the truth.
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25
Source: New Testament Illustrations, William Jones
Phinehas
Phinehas
The Bible describes
one such person who
refused to gloss over sin.
One of the most
underrated heroes of the Bible
is Phinehas
grandson of Aaron.
He was victor,
where is grandfather
had failed.
He took a stand
against sin
during a dangerous
and violent time.
Israel at Baal Peor
Moabites and Midianites
invite Israel into
sexual sin.
Plague from God
curses His people
people start dying.
Judgment is given
against guilty
And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”
While this horrific scene
is still going on...
The sin continues.
And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
—
When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly.
—
Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.
This is a Priest.
Not a soldier.
Called to
enforce the
death penalty.
What happens as result
plague from God is stopped.
And the Lord said to Moses, “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy.
God was clearly
pleased with what
Phinehas did.
So the question is,
Who Will Be a Phinehas Today?
One last quote:
Prophets and Kings Section 6—After the Exile
In the work of reform to be carried forward today, there is need of men who, like Ezra and Nehemiah, will not palliate or excuse sin, nor shrink from vindicating the honor of God. Those upon whom rests the burden of this work will not hold their peace when wrong is done, neither will they cover evil with a cloak of false charity. They will remember that God is no respecter of persons, and that severity to a few may prove mercy to many. They will remember also that in the one who rebukes evil the spirit of Christ should ever be revealed.
Time to take a stand!!!
What happened to the signers of the Declaration of Independence?
This is the Price They Paid
What kind of men were they?
24 - lawyers and jurists.
11 - merchants,
9 - farmers
All -men of means, well educated.
They knew the penalty
would be death
if they were captured.
What happened
56 men who signed the
Declaration of Independence?
5 captured by the British as traitors
tortured before they died.
12 had their homes
ransacked and burned.
2 lost their sons
in the revolutionary army.
2 other sons
captured.
9 fought and died
from wounds or hardships
of the revolutionary war.
Carter Braxton of Virginia,
a wealthy planter and trader,
saw his ships swept from the seas
by the British Navy.
He sold his home
and properties to
pay his debts,
and died in rags.
Thomas McKeam
hounded by the British
forced to move family constantly.
served in the Congress without pay,
family - kept in hiding.
All possession taken.
Died in poverty.
Francis Lewis
properties destroyed.
wife put in jail
she died within a few months.
John Hart
forced to flee from
his wife’s dying bedside.
13 children fled
Property Destroyed
1 year - lived in forests and caves,
returning home
wife dead
children vanished.
Then he died too.
These are the stories
men who paid price
for taking a stand.
Some delegates
did not sign for
one reason or another.
God is calling us
to take a stand
on the truth!!!
Appeal
Appeal
Who will be a Phinehas today?
Who will stand for God
when it is unpopular?
Why will rebuke the
world of their sins.
And call them back
true spirituality?
If you are willing
to stand spiritually
stand physically.
