EDITOR: I read with interest “Confession – Gay man confesses to Searchlight” in the July 16, 2004 edition of the said paper.
All kinds of emotions flowed through me as I carefully read the expressions of Joe’s mind. However, the most significant to me is the righteous indignation that I was made to feel as I read Joe’s religious justification for his position. {{more}}Being the ardent Bible student that I am, I cannot refrain from responding to his claims. I fear that he has gone wrong in the knowledge he claims to have about God’s feelings towards his behavior.
Please allow me space in your paper to briefly address these things. It is my sincere hope that Joe would be enlightened from the scriptures concerning God’s true reaction to his sinful lifestyle.
Firstly, I wish to quickly answer a question that seems to still linger in the mind of Joe – the question of why gays exist in the world. My evidence, argument, theory that I put forward here is based upon the inspired word of God. The apostle Paul outlines the reason for homosexuality in first chapter of his letter to the Romans. He identifies a rejection of the knowledge of the true God and the acceptance/worship of false gods (idols/idolatry) as the cause. He then points out the deteriorating effect of idolatry as corruption of the affections of the idolaters which lead to the abnormal and unnatural behaviour of lesbianism and homosexuality. Read it for yourself:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest to them; for God hath shown it unto them. For the invisible things of 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: 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.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves; Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 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; 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 recompense of their error which was meet. 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.”
You said you were raised a Christian and from the way you continued to speak, it suggests to me that you still hold to Christianity. How you can do this while practicing sodomy (homosexuality) is difficult to perceive and I dare declare impossible. You said: “First of all I realized that God will love me no matter what; I could be a murderer, rapist or both and God would still love me.”
The Bible does indeed say that it is while mankind was yet in sin that God commendeth his love toward us in giving his son Jesus as a sacrifice for sins. Yet, no where in scripture does it encourage staying in the sinful state from which Christ came to save us. “And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins.” If you save a drowning man from the state of drowning, can he at the same time be described as still drowning?
God’s love is manifested to “take away” our sins, to “wash us” from sin, to “redeem” us from iniquity (1 Jn 3:5, Rev 1:5, Titus 2:14), not to keep us in sin. In fact, the Bible highlights sins that God hates in Proverbs 6:16-19. “These six things doth Yahweh hate.” Interesting to note is the fact that the third thing God hates is “hands that shed innocent blood”. He hates murderers, in other words. So where did you get the idea that even if you were a murderer God would love you still? You certainly did not get it from the Bible.
In addition, the fourth thing He hates is “a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations”. Allow me to point you to an example of the wickedness that God hates. In Genesis 19, as the men of sodomy. And while I do agree that sin is sin, unlike you, I hold to the scripture that declares the need for repentance (a turning away from) every sin. So, since by your words you are acknowledging that your behaviour is sinful, you must also know that you CANNOT be accepted by God while continuing in that state. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Cor.6:9-10. Furthermore, you should be warned of the fact that God does not view the sin of homosexuality in as casual a light as you do. “And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sin is very grievous.” Gen 18:20. “And the LORD rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from LORD out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.” Gen 19:24-25 Wow that sure is great destruction for such a simple sin like homosexuality eh?
“I went on to realize that EVERYONE is a sinner – we were born sinners and we will die sinners – therefore speaking out against any one sin is unproductive.” You are so unbiblical in your words that it confirms the reason the apostle Paul gives for homosexuality – ignorance of God in the heart. True, we are born sinners but the Bible says that Christ is returning for a church without spot or wrinkle, that the dead in Christ will rise and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up to meet him in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. So, what are you saying? That we will be sinners in heaven too and that nobody at all will be saved? That is unbiblical. In the book of Revelation (chapter 7 and 14), John sees two groups of people with Christ in the end, the 144,000 and another group he calls a great multitude which no man can number. He describes both groups as “without fault”, “in their mouth was found no guile” (or deceit/sin), “these … have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb”, etc.
They are no more sinners but saints – Christians. It is only when one wants to justify their sins that one will try to make it seem impossible to overcome or be without sin. But the ever living truth remains, that there is no moral, holy, godly influence to be gained from the homosexual way. What holiness can buggery teach our children? It is a demoralizing influence and destroys the affections of those involved, making the mind unstable in many sins.
It is the way of the false god Lucifer and every false religion that he has invented to fight against the true God of heaven. You need to repent of this false way and accept Jesus Christ the righteous or else you will be lost. May God truly help you Joe.
Anesia Richards