Month: July 2015

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY?

On By Pastor TomIn Bible, Bible Teaching, Christianity, Podcast, Religion, SermonLeave a comment

 To listen to the sermon, click the play button:

To download, right click on the link (or do whatever you do on a Mac) and save it to your computer: Download Homosexuality & the Bible Part 2

Homosexuality and the Bible #2: What does the Bible say?

Even if you normally read these notes, you may want to listen to the podcast. Particularly with a sensitive issue, it may help if you can hear tone of voice and expression.

~

Last time we considered some ground rules for our topic. I want to reiterate: there is no room for hate, violence, slander or anything like that in this Christian discussion. It is also worth remembering that not everything that hurts was necessarily said with hateful intent; and the fact that someone disagrees with you does not mean they hate you. In addition, a person can love you without endorsing every activity you engage in. I have many friends and family who feel differently than me about homosexual behavior, and I truly do love them, and wish for the best for them. I have no desire to see them come to harm in any way, and though I wish they might choose differently, I have no desire to take away their right to choose the life they want.

If you are reading this, and you have not yet read the first message in this series, I plead with you to go back and read it. I do not think you can fully understand all that I am saying on this subject until you have read this entire series. We are not operating in “sound-bytes” or catchy phrases here.

I apologize to parents, but there will be some “plain talk” in this message. If you aren’t ready to talk with your children about sexuality, you might not want them to listen to this sermon. On the other hand, I think kids need to learn about this subject sometime. They will hear it from their friends, probably sooner than you might think. In many places, they’ll even hear about it in school. I think the ideal way for children to learn about sexuality, and God’s plan for it, is by talking with their parents and considering what the bible says. Obviously, however, you as the parent need to make the call as to where and when that might happen.

This week I want to look at what the Bible actually says about homosexual behavior. My goal is to treat the relevant verses same way I treat the rest of the bible, and to use the common sense approach to biblical interpretation that I have been using for years in my teaching. In other words, this subject is no different than other subject I have taught about – it just happens to be politically charged at the moment, but I will not let politics change the way I teach on the bible.

I want to make one more note before I start. I am the messenger, not the message. The verses I am going to quote are really in the bible. We will find that the bible has no ambiguity about the subject of homosexual sex. The message is easy to see, and it is clear. In addition, where I share interpretations or add comments, those interpretations and comments are consistent with what Christians have taught for two-thousand years. They are not unusual or different. They are not popular at the moment, but this isn’t my message – it is the testimony of the bible and the church has affirmed it for millennia. It was not even controversial until the past few years.

Again, I share all this because it is my responsibility before God to teach sound biblical doctrine, and because for me, the true teaching of the bible is an act of love. It brings people closer to the truth, love and forgiveness that are found in Jesus Christ.

The bible always distinguishes between sins, and the people who commit them. God hates sin. But he loves sinners. Also, having homosexual feelings is different than having homosexual sex. No one is condemned for how they feel, or the temptations they struggle with. What the bible condemns is not homosexual people, but homosexual behavior. We can, and we should, accept and love people who identify themselves as homosexuals. In the church, this should be exactly like loving and accepting alcoholics, or convicts or single mothers, or me, a “normal sinner,” for that matter.

But acceptance and love are not the same as endorsement. Jesus and accepted and loved at least one prostitute. He accepted and loved a woman caught in adultery. Does that mean he endorsed prostitution and adultery? Of course not. He accepted and loved the people. But he told the woman who was caught in adultery, “Go, and sin no more.” He gave the prostitute a new life that did not involve prostitution any more. He said very clearly, in several places that “sexual immorality” is sinful – and that includes adultery and prostitution.

There is a distinction between the behavior, and the person. This is true, even though homosexuals themselves often refuse to make this distinction. “Being gay,” is not a behavior. Most gay people feel it is integral to who they are as people. We need to be clear that this – being gay, identifying yourself as homosexual – is not a sin. We do not reject people for who they are.

Now, let’s get to what the bible says.

Genesis chapter 19 tells about a city named Sodom. The male residents of Sodom wanted to have sex with some male travelers who had come into town. Shortly after this, the city was destroyed in judgment. Other bible passages tell us that the people of the town were guilty of many sins, but among them was sexual perversion – meaning, in this case, homosexual behavior. (Jude 7).

In the same way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them committed sexual immorality and practiced perversions, just as angels did, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1:7, HCSB)

The only type of sexual immorality that we know for sure was in Sodom, was homosexual sex.

Leviticus chapter 18:22 says:

“You are not to sleep with a man as with a woman; it is detestable.”

Leviticus 20:13 says,

“If a man sleeps with a man as with a woman, they have both committed a detestable thing. They must be put to death; their blood is on their own hands.”

These verses are pretty clear, but pause here for a moment. Why do Christians think today that homosexual behavior is wrong, but we don’t think people should be put to death for it?

The punishments listed in the first part of the Old Testament were specifically given for life in ancient Israel. They were, in effect, the civil and criminal laws of the land. We don’t live in ancient Israel anymore. The moral law (the act that is called sinful) remains in effect, but we don’t live under the same civil or criminal laws.

The same section of scripture (the latter part of Leviticus) also says that adultery is wrong, and those who do it should be put to death. In Jesus’ day, under the Roman law, Jews were not allowed to execute someone for committing adultery, and in fact, the practice had fallen into disuse even before that. However, in spite of a change in the punishment, there continued to be a clear understanding that adultery was wrong. In fact, in John chapter eight, Jesus condemned adulterous behavior, but refused to let people kill the adulterer. Likewise today, any serious Biblical ethicist must condemn the act of adultery as morally wrong – even Jesus did! (Matthew 5:27-30). Most people, in fact, still believe adultery is wrong. But virtually no one thinks we should have a law by which adulterers are punished by death. In the same way, we may certainly maintain a Biblical morality, while adapting the legal consequences to the society we live in today.

The New Testament also talks about homosexual behavior. Romans 1:29:

24 Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen. 26 This is why God delivered them over to degrading passions. For even their females exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The males in the same way also left natural relations with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error. (Rom 1:24-27, HCSB)

This is pretty clear. Homosexual behavior is called sexual impurity and a perversion. In other words, it is regarded as a sin.

I have already mentioned the Jude passage in the explanation of Genesis 19:

In the same way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them committed sexual immorality and practiced perversions, just as angels did, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1:7, HCSB)

I mention it again here because the verse is in the New Testament, and also because it tells us something very important about a particular Greek word. The root word is “porneia” and is used in various forms dozens of times throughout the New Testament. Most often it is translated as “sexual immorality.” Jude (who, incidentally, was the half-brother of Jesus) is using this word to refer specifically to homosexual sex (the only sexual sin recorded in Sodom was homosexual in nature). In Matthew 5:32 and 19:9, Jesus uses a form of the word when he is clearly talking about adultery. So, although there are specific terms for adultery, homosexual sex and other sexual sins, “sexual immorality” includes them all. In other words, “sexual immorality” means: “any sexual activity except that between a married man and woman.” Therefore, whenever the New Testament says “sexual immorality,” homosexual sex is included in that phrase, along with any other sexual activity outside of heterosexual marriage. The New Testament is relentlessly consistent in calling sexual immorality of any sort a sin. Verses which do that include (but are not limited to): Ephesians 5:1-5; Galatians 5:19-21; Colossians 3:5-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8.

But just so we are absolutely sure, let’s consider a few more verses:

We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching (1Tim 1:9-10, HCSB)

I want us to note two things: first that homosexual behavior is specifically mentioned, and second, that it is not singled out as any worse or better than thirteen other sins. All these things are “contrary to sound teaching.”

In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul breaks mentions several types of sins, specifically naming homosexual sex among them.

Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. And some of you used to be like this. 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. (1Cor 6:9-11, HCSB)

Many English translations don’t show it, but Paul actually lists homosexual behavior twice in this list. He uses a Greek slang word which should be literally translated as “soft” (malakoi). This is probably equivalent to our English use of “gay.” Paul also uses a more specific technical word that means “homosexual.” I think most translators simply use one word to avoid redundancy, but a properly nuanced translation of this might read: “…neither gay, nor any kind practicing homosexual…”

We’ve already seen several clear passages. It’s hard to be more clear than right here in 1 Corinthians 6:9.

Again, in 1 Corinthians 6:9 homosexual behavior is called sinful along with eight other behaviors: sex between unmarried people, adultery, idolatry, theft, greed, drunkenness, slander and swindling. Let’s get this straight. Greed is as sinful as homosexual behavior. So is petty theft (the Greek word for “thieves” is the same root where we get “kleptomaniac”). Habitual drunkenness is as sinful as homosexual behavior, and so is adultery, and promiscuity and telling lies about others. So it would be wrong to suggest that homosexual behavior is particularly singled out as something more evil than other sins. But it would also be wrong to suggest that the Bible approves of “committed homosexual relationships.” It is a sin. There is no ambiguity. But it is not a special sin.

I have talked with gay people who told me that they’ve heard Christians say that homosexuals automatically go to hell. I’ve never actually heard a real Christian say that, though I’m sure that some people, somewhere, do. However, that would be a misunderstanding of this passage. If that were true, then it would also be true of alcoholics, petty thieves, any greedy person, and all those who have had a sexual relationship at any time in their lives with anyone other than their spouse. The real and main point of this passage is what Paul says in verse 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.

In other words, whatever our particular sinful struggle, Jesus can put an end to it, and he has done so for billions of people around the world throughout history. So obviously, people who struggle with homosexual feelings can be saved and go to heaven – some of the Corinthians had those very struggles before they came to Jesus. People who struggle with drunkenness can be saved. So can thieves and those who are greedy. It all comes back to putting our faith in Jesus. Usually people who struggle with sins like homosexual behavior and addictions need help, support and understanding from fellow Christians as they open their lives to the Holy Spirit, but the Lord can change them. I have personally known several people who used to call themselves homosexuals, who even lived the gay lifestyle, who are now happily married (to the opposite gender) and call themselves heterosexual. Their testimony was that the Power of the Holy Spirit changed them. One them is the wife of a seminary classmate of mine. It can happen. It does happen.

In the interest of honesty, I will say that another one of my gay friends is completely committed to Jesus, and to healing and wholeness, but he has not lost his attraction to men, and at this point, he believes he never will. Even so, he is committed to a life of celibacy, and is trusting Jesus for all of emotional needs.

We need to remember: Jesus is a game-changer.

Speaking of that, what about Jesus? What did he say about gay sex? If you have spent any time on social media sites, you have probably seen claims that Jesus said nothing at all about it. In a narrow, technical sense, that is true. But we should also note that in a narrow technical sense, Jesus said nothing about incest, child-abuse, the oppression of women, slavery, or drugs. In a narrow, technical sense, Jesus never condemned war or racism or human trafficking.

Let us remember that all that we know about Jesus was handed down to us by the apostles, who are also the writers of the New Testament. In other words, we only know what Jesus taught because the apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote it down. These apostles, and others, also expounded upon the teachings of Jesus in the other books of the New Testament. If you believe that the apostles correctly preserved the words of Jesus, you must also believe that their other teachings reflected the true teachings of Jesus. There is simply no reason to believe one and not the other.

In other words, if you think that apostles were correct to recall Jesus saying that we should love our neighbor, you should also think that they were correct to say that following Jesus means we should forsake our sins, including the sins of homosexual sex. If they were wrong about the latter they were also wrong about the former.

In addition, Jesus did frequently talk about marriage and sex in general. He clearly taught that sex is good when shared in heterosexual marriage, and sinful in any form outside of that. He very specifically said that sexual immorality (which we know includes homosexual sex, among other things) is evil (Mark 7:21 Matthew 15:19).

Homosexuals are not the worst sinners imaginable. In fact, I don’t see any evidence that simply being homosexual (that is, having homosexual feelings or attractions) is a sin at all. However, the bible does call it a sin to act on those feelings, in the same way that it is a sin to act on heterosexual feelings outside of marriage.

Sin does not disqualify you from the kingdom of heaven, because Jesus died to forgive us and free us from all sins. ALL sins. A gay person has never done any worse sin than I myself have done. In terms of biblical morality and righteousness, there is no room for any person to think of himself or herself as better than any other person. I think the failure of the church to make this crystal-clear is part of the reason that today there is so much confusion about homosexuality.

The message of Christianity has always been that the only answer to sin is Jesus. People who engage in sex outside of marriage are forgiven the same way as people who engage in homosexual sex: by admitting their sin, admitting their need for Jesus, and putting their trust in Him to forgive them and change them.

There is much more to discuss. Next time we will look at some common objections to the verses and interpretations I have shared here.

Thanks again for making use of Clear Bible.

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Lebanon, TN 37087

Just put “Clear Bible” in the memo. Your check will be tax-deductible.

Thank for your prayers, and your support!

Homosexuality and the Bible I: Introduction & Ground Rules

On By Pastor TomIn Bible, Bible Teaching, Christianity, Podcast, Religion, Sermon4 Comments

The real issue (for me, and I think most conservative Christians) is not homosexuality, but rather, the bible. It wouldn’t make any difference to me if the specific topic was something entirely different – in fact, I would greatly prefer that it was. What is at stake here is the way we view and interpret the Bible.

To listen to the sermon, click the play button:

To download, right click on the link (or do whatever you do on a Mac) and save it to your computer: Download Homosexuality & the Bible Part 1

Homosexuality and the Bible I: Introduction & Ground Rules

Greetings, dear friends. This week I will be embarking on a short series about homosexuality and the bible. This is a “hot topic” right now, and it has important implications for how we view and interpret the bible. I admit, I am fearful as I begin this. I have been marginalized by my family over this issue. I would not be surprised to find that in the future, it will be illegal to say some of things I will say in this sermon series.

For this reason, I invite you to pray with me for the ministry of Clear Bible.

Please pray that the Lord will give me the wisdom and courage to teach everything He wants me to, and nothing He does not. Ask Him to provide every need, and keeping making this ministry what He wants it to be. Pray it will continue to be a blessing to those who hear it. Ask God, if it is His will, to touch even more lives with these messages. Ask Him to use this ministry in making disciples of Jesus Christ.

Please also pray for our finances. As I write this, our family has encountered an astonishing array of unexpected expenses. Pray for us to receive what we need. God really is our true provider, so please do pray for us in this way before you give anything. And then, as you pray, if the Lord leads you to give us a gift, please go ahead and do that. But if he doesn’t want you to give to us, that is absolutely fine. We don’t want you to feel bad about it. We want you to follow Jesus in this matter.

If the Lord does lead you to give, just use the Paypal Donate button on the right hand side of the page. You don’t have to have a Paypal account – you can use a credit card, if you prefer. You can also set up a recurring donation through Paypal. We can make this tax-deductible if you just mention that it want it to be so in the “note” part of the transaction.

You could also send a check to:

New Joy Fellowship

917 Canyon Creek Road

Lebanon, TN 37087

(this is a new address by the way. It is merely an administrative change).

Just put “Clear Bible” in the memo. Your check will be tax-deductible.

Thank for your prayers, and your support!

~

I am going to take a short pause in our series on the book of Matthew in order to do a short (3-4 messages) series about homosexuality and the bible. Believe me when I say, I am not eager to do this. This topic generates a lot of emotion, most of it apparently anger. Also, I want to say up front that homosexuality, as a single issue by itself, is not a major doctrine of the bible – there are only a handful of verses specifically about it.

So why am I taking the time for three or four messages about it? First and foremost, because I believe that is what the Holy Spirit wants me to do. I think he is prompting me to do it because at this point in time, in Western culture, homosexuality is a hot topic. It is very relevant to the news and social media, to what people are thinking and talking about right now. In addition, though homosexuality is not a major point in the bible, it is being used by some people in such a way that the truth and integrity of the entire bible will be called into question. To put it bluntly, every verse in the bible that talks about homosexual behavior labels it as a sin. This is not my opinion – I’m simply stating a fact. Yet many Christians are now saying, “No, it is not a sin. The Bible was mistaken about that.” If we say the bible is wrong about this, what is to prevent another person from saying, “Well then, the bible is also mistaken about Jesus saving us from sin”?

In other words, the real issue (for me, and I think most conservative Christians) is not homosexuality, but rather, the bible. It wouldn’t make any difference to me if the specific issue was something entirely different – in fact, I would greatly prefer that it was. What is at stake here is the way we view and interpret the Bible. Trust me, I will explain further, but this an important and profound subject, which is why I will take three or four messages to do so.

Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I usually like to preach directly from scripture, and sequentially through a book of the bible. Here, I will be teaching directly from the bible, of course, but obviously these messages will be topical, rather than from one book. In this first message I want to lay some ground-rules, and set up a framework for our discussion, so it may be a little more “light” on scripture than usual. However, I think what I say can be supported by the bible. And honestly, I think Christians on all sides of the issue should be able to agree with what I write in this first installment.

Also, this, and the messages about this issue that follow it, are written specifically for Christians. I am writing to Jesus-followers and for Jesus-followers. If you are not a Jesus-follower, you are absolutely welcome to read what I have written here, but I do not expect you to agree with me, nor do I expect you to abide by the standards of Jesus-followers. If you are not sure you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, you are sitting in on someone else’s family discussion. Again, you are welcome to be here, but please do not accuse me of trying to impose Christian standards on non-Christian people.

For those of you who are Christians, I think it’s a good idea to take the same approach. Many non-Christians feel that the moral code of Christianity has no relationship to them. I am sad that they aren’t followers of Jesus, but their position on morality makes sense to me. They aren’t Christians, so why should they live like Christians? When Christians try to get such people to obey the Christian moral code, it comes off as silly at best, but possibly even offensive. The point: I think it is usually pointless and often offensive to argue about homosexuality with people who do not follow Jesus. We Christians would do well to remember this, and let it shape the way we engage socially and politically. Jesus said:

“My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. As it is, My kingdom does not have its origin here.” (John 18:36, HCSB)

We are not called to make the governments of our countries into one big church. We are not called to “make everyone behave.” Nowhere in the bible does it suggest that the main mission of disciples of Jesus is to “build a Christian society.” We are called to make disciples. If we make enough disciples, that will result in society becoming more Christian, but the goal is not to have a country with more Christian laws, but rather, to have more disciples. We should consider this before ranting about the actions of the Supreme Court. In fact, I suspect that if conservative Christians had taken all the energy we put into politics and social reform, and instead put them into disciple-making, our culture would be at a different point right now.

I want to add another caveat. I expect that by the time I am done I will have angered and offended a large number of people on all sides of this issue. I am truly sorry if I cause anyone hurt or pain through these messages. I do ask that you read my words and consider them carefully before making judgment on me. I also ask that you do not quickly go through these messages and cherry-pick either the things you like or dislike. This is a complex issue with profound implications for a lot of things; a tweet, or a meme or a comment on Facebook are entirely inadequate to express the things we will discuss here. I will absolutely delete comments that are not thoughtful or respectful, or which reveal that you have not read and understood what I’m saying.

Please do me a favor, and give me the benefit of the doubt wherever you think I am not speaking in love. I may express myself poorly, but my intentions are honestly loving and sincere. Everything I’m about to write proceeds from love. I write because I love God, because I love the church, and because I love my gay friends and family. By love, I mean “a commitment to honor and value.” Love is not a feeling, it is a commitment to the very best for another. True love has never meant total agreement with the beloved or endorsement of every action of the beloved. If you think that you cannot love without totally agreeing with another, you do not understand love. If you think that you cannot love without endorsing every action of another, you do not understand love. Popular author Rick Warren puts it very well:

“Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense”

That’s actually a great place to begin with this subject: the first and most appropriate Christian response to those with whom we disagree is love. It does not mean we agree, and it does not mean we endorse. But it does mean that no Christian should be guilty of hating gay people. In fact, no Christian should be guilty of hating at all. There is no room in Christianity for hateful, spiteful words or violence against people simply because we disagree with them or don’t like them, or are afraid of them. To the extent that we act in unloving ways, we are not acting as true Christians. John writes:

The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1John 2:9-11, HCSB)

He is speaking specifically about Christians loving other Christians, (which Jesus also did in John 13:34), and many people don’t realize that. It isn’t “general love for all mankind” but love among Jesus followers. We should keep this particularly in mind, since many Christians disagree about the subject of homosexuality. However, let’s remember that we are called to love our enemies also:

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? (Matt 5:44-47, HCSB)

Jesus came to redeem us from many things, including hate.

I know that there are many Christian people who endorse the gay lifestyle. I intend to address that in the second message, but for now, let me speak especially to you: if you call yourself a Christian, there is no room for hate on your part either. Just because conservatives feel that homosexual behavior is a sin does not give you the right to hate them, or speak spitefully to them or about them. The same verses about loving other Christians, and loving your enemies apply equally to you. In my observation so far, there is much more hateful speech coming from those who support gay marriage than from those who do not. My experience may be different from yours, and perhaps it is unusual, but that has truly been my experience.

If you consider yourself a Christian, no matter where you stand on this issue you must turn away from hate and obey the command of Jesus to love and forgive. He said to expect persecution and unfair treatment. He said that our response to it should be to forgive and turn the other cheek. This is true for all Christians, no matter where we stand on issues concerning homosexuality.

For those of you who feel pressure and even a kind of “persecution” about this issue, let me remind you once more of the words of Jesus:

“You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. (Matt 5:11-13, HCSB)

You are being mocked, or accused falsely precisely because you are “salty.” The world tastes the difference in you, and doesn’t like it. If you find yourself at odds with the world, it may be that you aren’t “on the wrong side of history” but rather, you are the salt of the earth. Jesus said we should expect to be at odds with the larger culture on many issues. We can take comfort in that. But we must also remember, forgiveness and love are the only appropriate responses to those who persecute you.

Sometimes an action that proceeds from love is not understood by others as truly loving. However, not everything that is called “hate” is truly hate. Our culture at large understands that hate is still a sin, so it often happens that people label whatever they don’t like as “hate,” even when it isn’t. I reiterate: disagreement does not have to be hate. Not even painful words are always hateful. When a surgeon cuts a patient open, it doesn’t always feel like love – in fact, it hurts. The surgeon may or may not be successful, but her goal is always to heal, and sometimes causing pain is part of the healing process.

In the same way, sometimes words spoken in love can cause pain. This does not necessarily mean they are hateful. Sometimes the path to healing leads first through pain. Like a surgeon, sometimes love causes short-term pain in the hope of long term health. Here’s another quote, this time from Adrian Rogers:

It is better to tell the truth that hurts and then heals, than to speak a lie that comforts and then kills.

Do not be too quick to attribute hate to another person – it may be that they are doing or saying what they believe is best for you. This could be true, even if they are mistaken. Even if their words or actions hurt, they may be given with the most loving of intentions, while others may make you feel good, not because they love you, but only because they don’t want the hassle of a conflict, or because affirming you affirms their own point of view as well.

Let me make something else clear. According to Christianity, God does not hate gay people. Any Christian who says “God hates gays” does not have the authority of the Bible to do so. There is no verse in scripture that says “God hates homosexuals.” I know some people calling themselves Christians have said such things. But they have no biblical basis for saying them.

I want to plead for some common sense here. I have seen a video clip or two on the internet where some “Christian” wacko says that God hates gays, or some other terrible, hateful untrue thing about gay people. However, I firmly believe that the media pays far more attention to these things than to the millions and millions of Christians who consistently live and speak in a loving manner toward those with whom they disagree.

Think of it like this. If you watch American police/crime dramas on Television very often, you might be led to the conclusion that American policemen are constantly shooting at criminals. In actual fact, the vast majority of police officers go through their entire careers without even drawing their weapons in the line of duty, let alone actually firing them. Now, obviously, some police officers do fire their weapons in the line of duty. I have even met one. It does happen, but it is extremely unusual. However, if you rely on either TV news or TV police dramas for your information, you will be grossly mistaken about how often policemen fire guns in the line of service.

In the same way, obviously there are some idiots who call themselves Christians who say hateful things about gay people. But the vast majority of Christians do not say such things, and are not hateful, even when they have an opinion that differs from that of others. If you rely on social media or even mass news media, you will probably not have an accurate sense of how conservative Christians really respond to homosexual people. I have been involved in conservative, evangelical Christian communities all of my life, and I have never, not once, heard anyone say, live and in person, “God hates gays,” or “I hate gays.” I know it happens, but I doubt it happens as often as many people believe.

These are the ground rules we need to have a rational, calm, loving discussion about the bible and homosexuality:

· The debate about homosexuality and bible should be between Christians – in other words, preaching morality without Jesus is pointless.

· We are not called to make “Christian laws,” but followers of Jesus.

· God does not hate gays, and neither should any kind of Christian

· everything must be said and done in love;

· we must we willing to forgive one another,

· we must willing to believe that even things that hurt might be said in love,

· and we must be patient and forgiving when we are mocked, falsely accused and persecuted.

This is true for all Christians, no matter where you stand on the issues surrounding homosexuality.

Next week: what does the Bible say about homosexual behavior?

COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN

On By Pastor TomIn Bible, Bible Teaching, Christianity, House Church, Jesus, Matthew, Podcast, Religion, SermonLeave a comment

down-the-mountain

There was still beheading ahead of James, a life of proclaiming Jesus ahead of Peter and John, a crucifixion for Peter and a long imprisonment for John. Quite literally, they had to leave the mountain and return to the valley. But don’t miss the good news: Jesus came down the mountain with them. He hid his full glory once more, but he did not abandon them. His presence was still with them, even if it was diminished from their previous experience.

 

 

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Matthew #58 . Matthew 17:1-13

Jesus ends his discussion about taking up the cross by promising this:

I assure you: There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (Matt 16:28, HCSB)

I personally believe that Matthew 17:1-13 records the fulfillment of this promise. In short, about six days after Jesus finished talking about taking up the cross, and receiving rewards, he allowed Peter, James and John to catch a glimpse of him in his glory.

The appearance of Jesus was changed. Matthew records that his face began to shine with an intense brightness, and his clothes became bright also with a white light. The description given here is similar to the visions of some of the prophets of the Old Testament.

There was a form with the appearance of a human on the throne high above. From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire enclosing it all around. From what seemed to be His waist down, I also saw what looked like fire. There was a brilliant light all around Him. The appearance of the brilliant light all around was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the form of the LORD’s glory. When I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking. (Ezek 1:26-28, HCSB)

“As I kept watching, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white like snow, and the hair of His head like whitest wool. His throne was flaming fire; its wheels were blazing fire. (Dan 7:9, HCSB)

His body was like topaz, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. (Dan 10:6, HCSB)

This business of light appears to be significant. Both the old and new Testaments describe a God who is “filled with light.”

Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. (1John 1:5, HCSB)

He wraps Himself in light as if it were a robe, spreading out the sky like a canopy, (Ps 104:2, HCSB)

So the revelation not only shows Jesus in glory, but also shows him as Divine in nature.

In a very special way, Peter, James and John were witnesses to the hidden glory of Jesus. The law of Moses require that all facts must be established by two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15). Paul quotes this in a number of places, as does Jesus and the apostle John. This was an important part of Jewish culture by the time of Jesus. And so Jesus here has three witnesses to the unveiling of his glory. John does not describe this event specifically but I think he is referring to it when he writes this:

The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14, HCSB)

The glory that John saw was never more fully revealed on earth than on that mountaintop. Peter refers to this event also, considering it extremely important:

For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, a voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory: This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him! And we heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with Him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic word strongly confirmed. You will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dismal place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2Pet 1:16-19, HCSB)

I am quite sure that Peter was thinking of this incredible transformation when he wrote that. And I think this is the first reason why Jesus did this. Some people complain that it would have been a lot simpler if Jesus simply let people truly see who he was as God-the-Son. Of course, if Jesus had done that, people would not be truly free to either choose or reject him – his glory was too overwhelming to deny. I’ve talked about this in past messages. The Lord wants our love for him to be real, and that means we have to be able to reject him if we choose. He says, “Blessed are those who do not see and yet believe,” (John 20:29). But at this point, Peter had already made his confession about Jesus, and James and John, along with Peter, appeared to be the disciples with the most complete faith in him. In other words, they had already freely made their choice of faith, and so it was “safe” to let them catch a glimpse of his glory – it would not force them to love Jesus, since they had already chosen Him.

We see this idea of special witnesses throughout Scripture. God does not usually show himself to the whole world at the same time, or even often a large number of people at once. Instead, he chooses people who will be witnesses to his glory and to his truth, and who will speak his word. So he chose one nation, Israel to be a witness to his reality and truth. He chose 12 apostles. And in this case he chose just three of the 12 to witness the incredible reality of his true nature, even before his resurrection. So, although he did not show himself this way to everyone, the fact was established “by two or three witnesses.”

So this is the revelation of who Jesus truly is. For a brief moment the curtain between this world and God’s eternal presence was pulled back, and Peter, James and John got to see a reality that is deeper and more true than our own.

Actually, there were two additional witnesses to the glory and divine nature of Jesus: Moses and Elijah. The appearance of these two is fascinating in many respects, and I have often use this incident to speculate about life after death in the period before the new heavens and new earth are created. However, you have to read one of my other sermons for that. Instead, here I want to talk about the significance of these two individuals appearing with Jesus as he is transformed.

Moses, of course, is responsible for the first five books of the Bible which are known collectively as the Law, or the Torah. The rest of the Old Testament is usually referred to by the Jews as “the Prophets.” So, “the Law and the Prophets” refers to the entire Old Testament. Moses, standing here with Jesus revealed in his full glory, shows us that the Law (the Torah) is a witness to the true and divine identity of Jesus. Elijah of course, was one of the prophets. He stands as a witness for the “Prophets” part of the Old Testament. In other words, Peter, James and John would get the message that not only are they witnesses to the glory of Jesus, but also the entire Old Testament (Moses and the Prophets) is a witness to Jesus. Now back up a little bit further. Peter, James and John are representatives of the apostles. Today, we have the New Testament which is made up of the writings of the apostles. So then, we have the Law, the Prophets and the Apostles as our “two or three” reliable witnesses of the identity of Jesus. Under Jewish law, this makes his identity as the glorious son of God an established fact.

If that was all a little complex for you, let me make it very simple: the entire Bible establishes that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God, Savior of the world, the only way to be reconciled to God, the only path to eternal life. He is worthy of our praise, honor and worship.

Quite naturally, Peter and the others were thrilled and awed to be in the presence of the full glory of Jesus. Peter’s suggestion that he make tents for Jesus, Moses and Elijah might have been motivated by a desire to prolong the experience, to stay there in glory. Unfortunately for them, the revelation and experience of glory was temporary. Regretfully, that is always true on this earth. This world is not our home and so eternal joy will not be ours until we are done with it. C.S. Lewis once made a brilliant observation about this:

“The settled happiness and security which we all desire, God withholds from us by the very nature of the world: but joy, pleasure, and merriment, He has scattered broadcast. We are never safe, but we have plenty of fun, and some ecstasy. It is not hard to see why. The security we crave would teach us to rest our hearts in this world and pose an obstacle to our return to God: a few moments of happy love, a landscape, a symphony, a merry meeting with our friends, a bathe or a football match, have no such tendency. Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home.”

— CS Lewis, the Problem of Pain

In the case of Peter, James and John, there was still the cross ahead of them. There was still beheading ahead of James, a life of proclaiming Jesus ahead of Peter and John, a crucifixion for Peter and a long imprisonment for John. In a very short time, it was time for them to come down from the mountain again. Quite literally, they had to leave the mountain and return to the valley. But don’t miss the good news: Jesus came down the mountain with them. He hid his full glory once more, but he did not abandon them. His presence was still with them, even if it was diminished from their previous experience.

And there is another sense of promise here, too. Moses spent forty years in the wilderness alone, and then another forty as shepherd to the recalcitrant sheep of Israel. He struggled and sometimes failed. Elijah had his victories, but also his great defeats, and one of the significant events of his life was a deep depression. But their struggles ended long before, and two-thousand years ago there they were, with all that behind them, sharing in the glory of Jesus. The struggles of Peter, James and John eventually ended also. Now they too are permanently living in the joy and glory of Jesus and the full power of his presence.

We may experience moments of great joy, and even moments of great closeness to the Lord. We may also have struggles ahead of us yet. However, if we are in Jesus, one day, we too will share in that never-ending experience of glory and joy with Him. In the meantime, it should help us to remember that Jesus goes with us. We don’t experience the full glory and power of his presence, yet he is here with us through the Holy Spirit, and he does not abandon us.

Let the Holy spirit speak to you today about the glory of Jesus, about the reliability of those who witnessed it, and about the continuing grace and presence of Jesus when we walk through the valleys of this world.

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