¨ Psalms 119:89 says God’s Word is established in heaven
¨ Isaiah 40:8 says the word of our God shall stand forever.
¨ Matthew 5:18 says God’s word shall in no wise pass away
¨ 1 Peter 1:23-5 the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever.
¨ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 God’s scriptures furnish us all we need for salvation
¨ John 12:48 the word shall judge him in the last day.
¨ 2 Peter 1:2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; 4whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in that world by lust. Two things are seen in this passage. First, God gave us all we need through His word. Second, it is through His word and the promises in it, that we can escape the world and its eventual punishment.
There are many other passages that could be referred to, but these show that God claims He can preserve His word and that we have the truth. Also that this same set of truths will be the standard for our judgment day.
If one has a belief in God, it can start by observing the evidence around us, in His creation, that he exists (Romans 1:20). However, we can only grow spiritually based on His scriptures. If one believes in God but doubts His scriptures, he doubts the God who claimed to be able to keep them and provide them for us so that we could be what He wants us to be. Either He is REALLY God, and we should become slaves to the righteousness defined in His Word, or He is a liar and only worthy of our mockery. It is one or the other. If He is God, but can’t do what He says, then we can have no confidence that He can save us – we should give up on Him. When we choose to believe in God, we also choose to accept His words and they say we have the truth.
There can be no middle position which claims it is possible to believe in God without obeying the words He has given. God actually speaks toward the notion that men could serve Him by doing what they thought, or felt, were the right things: Proverbs 16:25 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death. There are many warnings similar to this one – God knew we would want to do things our way and He will not accept us if we have not humbled our wills to His.
2. God made me want to do these sinful things. He made me this way.
God defines homosexuality as sinful in Romans 1:26, Galatians 5:19-21,1 Corinthians 6:9.
God made man sinless. In Genesis 1:31, after creating man and woman on the sixth day, He said it was “very good.” He did not create something with untamable evil desire.
Matthew 18:2 And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them, 3and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. Again, God made us pure. Where we go from there is up to each of us.
God defined homosexuality as sin – and He expects us to deal with this sin as with any other. Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof: 13neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God . . .. 16Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
God expects us to control ourselves and not to be brought under the control of anything or anyone around us. 1 Corinthians 6:12 . . . I will not be brought under the power of any.
God says we are able to handle our challenges against sin. He has made sure that we indeed can. We all have these struggles and the responsible to overcome them. The only thing that varies is the specific sins to which each of us has a greater temptation. That varies for each of us, but God’s promise of a way out does not. 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.
God’s original intent has always been clear. One can just consider the design of the male and female and know this is the case. He also states it for us. Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. The desire of a man for another man, or a woman for another woman did not come from Him.
3. How does one repent? Do I have to leave this way of life to be acceptable in God’s sight?
¨ Being sorry and wishing for different circumstances is not God’s definition of repentance. 2 Corinthians 7:9 I now rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing. 10For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. Sorrow leads to repentance, but is not repentance by itself. The repentance that God wants is being sorrow and then changing our lives to no longer live in that sin.
¨ Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? Here He just states the obvious: if we have decided to follow Him, we can no longer live in those things that He says are wrong. Leaving that life where we followed after sin is the evidence of repentance that others will be able to see.
Matthew 18:2 And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them, 3and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. It was not good enough to be sorry for the past, or wish to be doing better, Jesus said except ye turn again, and become…. Clearly, change is expected. Others can clearly and easily see if we have repented of a continuing sin that we are living in.
Yes, others will know if the sin of homosexuality has been repented of.
More on homosexuality at:
Bibleweb.com Executable Outlines.com Just Christians.com Padfield.com
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