A Biblical View of Homosexuality, Romans 1:18-31
Notes
Transcript
Homosexuality/LGBQ
A Biblical View of Homosexual, Romans 1:18-31
Read Romans 1:18-31
Today we deal with a very sensitive issue. Homosexuality
-For me it is sensitive, not because of it’s prevalence in our culture, but because I have friends in our community and the community that I came from who have personally struggled with homosexual temptations or who have children who have chosen a homosexual lifestyle.
-There are a handful of students, that I taught many years ago in Christian School, or who came through 19 years of Youth Ministry that are now full on in the active homosexual community.
-It leaves you broken hearted, confused, and wondering if you failed as a minister when one of your own rejects the Lord and embraces a homosexual lifestyle.
Homosexuality is also a sensitive issue because-
-When a preacher speaks out against something that your child or a friend struggles with it can feel like an attack on you and them.
Let me be clear
-This message is in no-way meant to attack any person, any parent, any leader & it is not meant to attack anyone who is homosexual.
-Jesus is the homosexuals best friend. Why?
-Because God desires to extend His forgiving & transforming love into the life of the homosexual.
For those who are broken hearted because friend or family have given themself too the homosexual lifestyle - God certainly extends his strength and comfort to you.
-The purpose of this message is to inform our congregation, and especially the younger portion of our congregation, of what God’s Word is clear on regarding homosexual behavior.
Please understand this.
Today, When I speak about homosexuality I am not speaking about those who have homosexual temptations, but rather those who act on those temptations.
Those who act on homosexual desires.
Even though I will speak against THE PRACTICE OF homosexuality...
Do not take this as a sign that homosexuals should be treated poorly.
-In fact, just the opposite, homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender … should be deeply loved and cared for.
-These are people who are image bearers of God.
-All people matter to God.
-All image bearers, should be given the respect of being valuable because they are a created person make in God’s image.
-God loves sinners.
-If you are a Christ follower, you were once an enemy of God, but through faith God has transformed your life.
Transition
-One of the greatest challenges for the Christ Follower is that - We live in a country where homosexuality is accepted and celebrated.
-Popular culture is vilifying those who do not also accept and celebrate homosexuality.
-This persecution will only get worse.
God’s Word gives the Christ Follower clear guidance in morally understanding homosexuality.
Problem - Authority of what is right and wrong does not rest in the popular culture. It rests in what God has clearly communicated to His people through His world.
2 Peter 1:2-3
And where do we get this knowledge of Him? God’s Word.
God’s Word addresses homosexuality.
The practicality is that many of us have people in our life who are gay. This is a trend that will continue to increase.
We can know the spiritual condition of those who have embraced homosexuality for themselves.
Transition - So we begin by asking the question ...
Is homosexuality morally right or wrong?
This answer is going to come down to how you answer the following question,
Is the Bible 100% accurate, 100% True, 100% authoritative, and 100% from God?
If you answer, “Yes” to that question, for most people in this room the conclusion will be clear.
Participating in Homosexuality acts is morally wrong.
-You would be correct. Homosexual acts are morally wrong.
However, If you do not think God’s Word is perfect and the final authority over life, then you will more than likely see no problem with homosexuality.
Transition - The scripture tells us this.
Leviticus 18:22 “22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.”
Leviticus 20:13 “13 If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.”
Romans 1:18-22
9 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, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
9 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, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
Jude 7 “7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” , Sodom - Genesis 19:1-11
These passages clearly teach that homosexual acts are a sin.
Homosexual acts are wrong.
Homosexual acts offend the holiness of God and if un-repented of - will be met with the judgement of hell.
Transition - Someone defending homosexuality may defend a homosexual way of life by saying.
Jesus didn’t say anything about homosexuality.
(Mark 7:21-23)
That Jesus silence tells us that Jesus did not have a problem with homosexuality.
Here are a few reasons why we know that Jesus was not accepting of homosexual acts.
A. Jesus never changed any moral teachings in the Old Testament Law.
-Jesus would speak up if the religious leaders were abusing or misrepresenting an Old Testament Law.
-He never added or subtracted to the O.T. laws on the issue homosexual acts.
B. 2nd, Jesus speaks against sexual immorality including homosexual acts, Mark 7:21-23,
Jesus says, “21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.””
The Greek word for “Sexual Immorality” is the word “Porneia”. It is the root word for where we get our english word for pornography.
The word Porneia - was broadly understood in Judaism to include same sex intercourse as well as other sexual perversions.
-So, Yes Jesus did speak against homosexual acts.
Another way that Jesus spoke against homosexuality was by ...
C. 3rd. Jesus’ model for marriage. This model leaves no room for gay marriage.
In Mark 7:6-8 Jesus quotes Genesis
Genesis 2:24 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
Jesus model for marriage is - One man and one woman.
Transition - Fourthly, Some may argue that Jesus was...
D. 4th, Jesus was not Sexually Tolerant - That Jesus didn’t seem to have an opinion for how Christ Followers expressed themselves sexually. But, this is not true.
Read Matthew 5:27-28 Adultery of the heart
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Read Matthew 5:29-30 “29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”
Cut off so you don’t get thrown into hell
-Jesus gives extreme figurative instructions about removing sexual impurity. Cut it off.
Transition - And Jesus was not tolerant of the Samaritan woman’s immorality. He calls it out.
Samaritan woman, John 4:18
John 4:18 (ESV)
18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband...”
Jesus confront her about living with a man who is not her husband.
Even though it was taboo in Jesus day talk publically about sexual things. Jesus did not ignore the topic of sexuality.
Jesus gave us no reason to think that He was ok with homosexuality.
Pause
Transition - In defending homosexuality one may ask … But what about homosexual love? Shouldn’t someone who is gay be able to find happiness in gay romance? It could be said this way ...
Homosexual love is what I desire. I must have it to be happy.
But there is a great fallacy that you have accept with the statement ...
-If Gay romance will make me happy, I should be allowed to have it.
Most people in this room have had a covetous desire to romantically be with another person other than your spouse.
-If you have ever watched a movie or read a book where a couple was in an embrace and your heart had the fleeting response of “I wish I were her.” or “I wish I was him.” “I want her.” or “I want him.” You have coveted.
-Your heart’s expression was, “I desire someone other than my spouse.”
We see this covetousness magnified - when we consider men’s vulnerability toward lust.
Can I tell you, this coveting that men and women find themself in is usually not desire to leave their spouse, but to sinfully have an “Open Marriage” or a sinful desire for polygamy.
So God loving has the Christ follower put to death the destructive desire that says, If I had many lovers I would be happy.
Although this is a natural desire, it is sinful and destructive.
What keeps Christ followers faithful to their spouse?
-You don’t follow your sinful natural desires.
-You hold to your covenant with God.
-You hold to your covenant with your spouse.
-You deny yourself short term gratification.
-You choose long term happiness.
-You believe that your emotions don’t inform you of what is morally right.
-If feelings and emotions defined morality, your morality would change every time your feelings change.
-You would change your morality as often as you change your socks.
-Experiencing a desire doesn’t make it a right desire.
-So we work at putting our unholy desires to death.
-The homosexual desire is not a holy desire. Following homosexual desire into homosexual acts - does not please God.
That’s a logical argument against homosexuality morality.
Transition - There’s a biblical argument against following our desires.
Biblical argument against homosexuality.
Romans 1:29-31 gives us list of desires and behaviors.
These are natural sinful desires and behaviors.
Read Romans 1:29-31
While these are natural, the bible tells us that these specific desires are NOT morally right.
-It may be natural to envy, gossip, and be boastful. But only a foolish person would say these things are good.
The same thing is true for homosexuality.
It may be a natural desire, but it is not morally right.
Transition - One who argues for the acceptance of a homosexual lifestyle will say...
How dare you claim to have a final moral standard.
How dare you claim to know what is right and wrong for everyone.
It’s arrogant. No one can know what is universally right and wrong.
This certainly comes from those who have rejected the Bible.
This argument breaks down very quickly.
The one who claims that having final moral standard for everyone is wrong breaks their own rule, by having their own final moral standard.
Their moral standard says that
1) Morality cannot be known or cannot be standardized for every person.
SLOW - This statement that it is wrong to apply a standard moral principal to everyone - is in fact moral principle they are applying to everyone.
It is a contradiction.
-When you say that it is morally wrong to have a morality for everyone you break your 1 moral principle by having claiming to have a moral truth that applies to everyone.
-But, when you deeply desire something to be true, you are willing to even break your own rules.
Transition
I have 2 friends (one male and one female) who are strong Christ Followers, but who have homosexual desires.
-One of the questions that we have discussed at length is this ...
Is having gay feelings or temptations sinful?
Lets be clear. Temptation is not sin.
You would be surprised who is walking around in Jefferson county, even at our church, with bent to find the same gender attractive.
The person who is doing their best to follow Jesus is having to fight this temptation. And that pleases God.
Here is where the person who has gay feelings falls into sin.
This is also the place that all of us who struggle with other temptations fall into sin.
-When we feed it.
Concerning Sexual Temptation
-I Corinthians 6:18
18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
2 Timothy 2:22 “22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
How do you respond to the youthful passions of romance and sexual temptation.
FLEE IT!!!
This also has a very wide application for heterosexual temptation as well.
We all must avoid all circumstances that would encourage romantic and sexual immorality.
If you allow it, The current homosexual cultural will bring you in and present before you many strong temptations and rationalizations.
Here is the hope.
-James 1:12
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
To all true Christ Followers, for those who’s faith is alive and working, you will be saved and you will be rewarded. Why? Because true faith has results in faithful joyful obedience.
But to all Christ followers our passages today give us all a warning.
A warning to the Christ Follower, who does not struggle with gay temptation.
In your heart you may have the attitude of “You get’em. Speak out against those liberal gays.
Look back on scriptures talking about eternal life.
I Corinthians 6:9-10 “9 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, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Note that this list includes many more than just those who practice homosexuality.
This list includes those who’s lives are defined by the practice of these sins. Not just a one time slip, but who’s lives habitually practice these things.
-Sexually immoral (sleeping with your boyfriend)
-Idolaters, placing work, family, or sports before God
-Adulterers, Married looking at pornography
Why is it that these will not inherit the Kingdom of God?
The life of a Christ Follower is to be defined by: Faith, Love, and Repentance (turning from sin”.
This is a list of those who have allowed specific sins to be such a part of their life that it defines their identity.
As a Christ Follower you and I are to be repenting from sin, turning away from sin, to the joy and pleasure of Christ, every day.
Repentance - Pushes sins that want to take over and become our identity away. - So we can keep Jesus Christ as the one who defines who we are.
We are all called push away sin from our life.
Pause -
Transition - The last question we will ask is this...
How is a Christ Follower to respond to a homosexual individual?
With love and grace.
With kindness and compassion.
With an invitation to have a friendship with you.
-Like all people, gay people have a need for relationships.
-Gay people need a godly influence in their life.
-Don’t worry, you cannot catch gay.
-God calls you to be kind and reach out to the homosexual.
Why?
Gospel
When your sin was were repulsive to the holiness of God, He reached out to you.
-He sacrificed His Son on the Cross for you.
-He invited you to have faith in Him.
-He invited you close to himself.
-He loved you.
-God not only has loved you.
-He cares about the homosexual and God desires you to care for the homosexual as well.