Confusion in the Church

Thirty years ago, the pro-gay viewpoint was embraced only in a few isolated congregations. Since then, however, many denominations have changed their traditional viewpoint on the subject of homosexuality. In a table discussion recently at my church, we were challenged to pray for one another because each of us is facing a culture which is increasingly pro-gay. So, I thought I would begin blogging about this in an attempt to provide a Biblical response.

There have been several trends over the past 100 years which made today's debate over homosexuality inevitable. During the twentieth century, a growing number of churches began to drift away from the traditional view of the Word of God. The Bible's ideas were increasingly seen as dated and no longer applicable to our time and culture.

An individuals personal experiences rose to a higher place of authority than the Scriptures. What modern science said, or what my own experiences told me, became the most important criteria on which to evaluate moral issues.

Laying a foundation: In today's debate within the church, arguments about homosexuality usually center around a few isolated biblical verses. Often overlooked is the foundational teaching on human sexuality, as presented in the first chapter of Genesis: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Gen. 1:27). Immediately after their creation, God commanded Adam and Eve to "be fruitful and increase in number" by means of sexual procreation (v. 28).

The Word of God reveals that any alteration of this pattern is a distortion of God's original plan. When sex occurs between men and women without a lifelong comitment (fornacation or adultery), or between two men or two women (homosexual "marriage"), or one man and multiple "wives" (polygamy), these acts are outside of God's perfect plan (His will).

It takes Faith:Anyone who is willing to base their life on Faith in God, not on feelings, knows that our faith will be tested; temptations, trials, and tribulations will come.It all comes down to WHO you will trust. Hebrews 11 tells us; "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old received divine approval. By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear".

I look at it this way, if God made it, it's His. He owns it. Since He owns it, He gets to make the rules. If I am willing to accept His authority as my God, I am willing to let His word be the guide for my life. I know that my feelings, one way or another, could really get me confused. After all, sometimes I feel a certain way because I didn't get enough sleep, or have had too much caffine, or got cut off in traffic,...you get the drift. So, which do you choose to live by...If it feels good, do it...or...Do you think God has a right to make rules about our lives?

I'll be on this topic for a while I think...you might want to read about the "born that way" theory in this article