Why Homosexuality Should Be Deprecated!
I'm sure this will be a hot button topic but I feel an urgency to speak out on the subject. I recently read a blog post from a "pastor" entitled "What If I Have Gay Children." In this article the author was quoted as saying that he wouldn't pray for them to be healed or changed! Needless to say I was shocked. I feel that there is an urgency to purge the onslaught of the thought that God is ok with Homosexuality, or any sin for that matter.
First, let me be clear, if I had homosexual children, I would love them, try to be an example to them, but at the foundation, I would pray for God to move in their spirit, cleanse them from their spiritual blindness, and save them from their sin! I am a daddy and there is NOTHING that my children could do to cause me to stop loving them but not accepting their behavior and choices doesn't equate to hate or having a lesser love than if I agreed with them! I think we tend to merge acceptance and love but these are two completely different actions, I mean I love the murderer on death row but in no way do I accept their sin as much as I accept the sin of a liar! I can love you and not accept your choices. I have had homosexual friends, classmates, and family members and at no time have I treated them differently in the aspect of love. I would be there for them, help them, nurture them, but at the same time I would be trying to lead them to the truth that could set them free from the bondage of their sins. At each instance of encounters that Jesus had with sinners he disagreed with the sin, loved them unconditionally, but led them to truth! At Jacob's well he told the Samaritan woman to go and sin no more.
Second, I would like to say that though there are no "little" sins or "big" sins I want us to see, through the Word of God, the magnitude of what homosexuality says to God. In Romans 1 Paul speaks of sin, the wrath of God, and the faith of God that is revealed from faith to faith. There is a downward spiral of events in a mans life that leads to the unspeakable deserted spiritual place known in scripture as a "reprobate mind." Though all sins are equal, all are in violation to God, we find that blasphemy of the Holy Ghost is unforgivable so in turn there are certain sins that speak louder of the hardened heart than others. In Paul's letter to the Roman's he speaks of how the invisible things of God are revealed in the things that are seen, so in turn no one is born an atheist, they develop this belief after a dismissal of the sovereign God. It speaks that when they knew who God was, they glorified Him not as God but became vain(looked to their own selves for direction) in their imaginations. Then their FOOLISH heart was darkened. They profess to be wise, like those today who claim to speak for God when his Word speaks for itself, but became fools. Then in verse 24 something frightening happened, God gave them up to do what they wanted! Homosexuality is presented by Paul through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as the pinnacle of Self Idolatry! The end result of a constant refusal to hear the call of the God of creation! Then, because they didn't want to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind, a soul beyond hope, complete depravity! See the magnitude of a nation that accepts the train of thought that homosexuality is ok, and how much more serious it is for a "church" to accept this! Like I said in the beginning of this paragraph, sin is sin! I preach as much against lying, adultery, lust, pride, gossip, etc. as I do homosexuality! And by the way, I'm guilty of sin, constantly, but I purpose, through the direction of the Word and Holy Spirit, to abstain from sin! I was saved FROM my SIN not IN my SIN!
Lastly, as Christians, we need to understand the concept of humble yet unchangeable doctrine. What I mean by this is that hatred for the sinner, nor slander toward, nor mocking of is any less of a sin than the sin in which you're fighting against! If we fight through love and humility then those opposed to our beliefs will see the hands and feet of God and will have no stones to throw our way! Screaming at the top of your lungs that they're going to Hell is going to get them to change their ideology concerning the church as fast as punching them in the face would lol. Why not try Jesus' approach, become their friend, love them, help them when they're hurting and watch the Love of God consume their thought pattern and begin to transform their mind through the power of the Holy Spirit! I mean really, read the Bible and notice your Pharisaical tendencies! No ones perfect, we are all broken, if we were all left to our own vices we would end up in the same place! The blood of Christ is the only difference!
Anyone who knows me will attest to my undying love for the sinner, I mean I was one! I'm not a bigot, hater, self righteous, hypocritical, nose on the air, typical "church folk." I'm a born again Christian, saved from the sins of addiction, drugs, alcohol, fornication, pornography, and so much more! Am I perfect? No! But I'm sure trying to be. We were ALL born with sin nature, so in essence, those who claim to be born homosexual are partly right. I was born with the natural inclination to lust after beautiful women but when I was saved by grace, the Word and the Spirit began to transform me and the way I lived and thought! Do I still have natural urges? Yes, but the fact that the Word shows us what sin is and how to overcome it, I'm able to escape the temptation and flee from that sin and the same can be done for those with homosexual tendencies!
I leave you with this, both sides need to educate themselves! There is a way of escape, Homosexuality is a sin, it is the pinnacle of self idolatry! And, without love, no one will ever escape it's grasp! It must be deprecated, refused, preached against, but most importantly it must all be brought forth with the intent of LOVE! True love teaches, reproves, rebukes, and exhorts with long suffering! Not helping people realize their sin and how to flee from their sins would be equivalent to seeing someone trapped in a burning house and walking on by and letting them burn! I'll finish with this, lying should be deprecated, adultery should be deprecated, lust should be deprecated, greed should be deprecated, pride should be deprecated, arrogance should be deprecated, indifference should be deprecated, murder should be deprecated, idolatry should be deprecated, ALL SIN should be deprecated! With Love, Pastor Bradley.
Romans 1 King James Version (KJV)
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Romans 6:5-6King James Version (KJV)
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
this life but we don't want to communicate or open up about our troubles. It's as if we're ashamed that we're struggling when each and every person around us is struggling with something just the same. The reality is, this is pride in its most pure form! It's time to take off our masks, confess our faults, failures, and sins, and live in the freedom that Christ has given us. I remember as a kid I would typically wear a costume for Halloween but after a few years of wearing costumes that had masks I would always ask my mom to get me a costume that didn't have a mask. You see, I'm claustrophobic, and have you noticed that when you put on a mask and it has that one tiny slit to breathe through you tend to get sweaty, its hard to breathe, and you tend to lose your breathe and desire to be set free from the mask! This is what your soul feels every time you grab that spiritual mask and put on a show. The group "Casting Crowns" calls it the "Stained Glass Masquerade!" You were just in a 
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