Thots On Homosexuality

Romans 1:26-32  This is why God delivered them over to degrading passions. For even their females exchanged natural sexual intercourse for what is unnatural.  27  The males in the same way also left natural sexual intercourse 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 for their perversion.  28  And because they did not think it worthwhile to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong.  29  They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, disputes, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,  30  slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,  31  undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful.  32  Although they know full well God's just sentence--that those who practice such things deserve to die--they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.

The Problem.
In the verses above, which come from the New Testament, the modern argument that God is not opposed to homosexuality is completely destroyed.  when females lust for one another or males lust for one another, verse 27 declares that they will receive the appropriate penalty for their perversion.  This indicates 2 things:
     1.  There is a penalty.
     2.  It is a perversion and not a "normal" thing to practice homosexuality.

This passage also indicates some other things of value in light of the modern-day arguments:  
     1.  Homosexuality is morally wrong.  The homosexuals do not "think it worthwhile to have God in their knowledge" and so God has let them do what is "morally wrong.
     2.  The homosexuals know full well God's just sentence - that those who practice such things deserve to die - and yet they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.  This is not a favorable, nor a cultural viewpoint on homosexuality.  It condemns the practice.
     3.  It is a choice, not a genetic thing.  They practice these things.  Practice is behavior, and behavior is learned.  Doctors practice medicine, but they may be stopped from it.  Lawyers practice law, but they may be stopped.  Homosexuals practice perversion, and they may be stopped.  

These are the words of God.  This is God's viewpoint.  The only way the church can embrace the behavior is to reject the God they claim to serve.  These churches know full well God's just sentence (v. 32), and yet they are applauding others who practice these things.  They have put God out of their knowledge (v. 28).  They have, as churches who embrace these practices, been filled with all unrighteousness (v. 29).

The Solution.
I've said all that to indicate the seriousness of the problem.  But I've always believed that it is useless to present a problem without also presenting a solution.  The solution is Jesus Christ.  This passage opens the book of Romans.  We've seen the problem in the book, but later, there is also offered a solution, and it is the same solution which applies to all sin and wickedness and perversion.  While the wages of sin is death (Rom 1:32 & 6:23), there is hope in the gift of God (eternal life) in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We must put our faith in Jesus Christ, trusting Him for forgiveness, and accepting that His death on the cross paid our wages, His resurrection has given us life in Him.  We must forsake sin in our mind and bodies and live under His control.  Homosexuals as much as anyone may find peace with God through this formula.  And this is the ONLY formula:

John 14:6  Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Acts 4:12  There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved."

Truly, Christianity is exclusive - one may be saved, but ONLY by Jesus Christ, exclusively.  There is no other way.  Why try another way?  Truly doing so is to put God out of our minds and make our own way - which is fruitless.

The Invitation.
Therefore, I invite all who practice homosexuality, or any other sin to accept Jesus Christ as Savior.  I invite all who have never received Jesus to do so now.  Simply come to Him in prayer, asking Him to forgive you of your sins, trusting Him to do so.  Ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit, and to lead you the rest of your life.  He will save all who come to Him with a sincere heart, repentant of sin, and truly seeking to live a life that pleases Him.  

Will you?