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Let me begin by asking the question, “What is a Christian?” A Christian is someone who believes that Jesus is the Christ, God’s anointed Son and lets that anointing influence “all” aspects of life and living. A Christian is someone who so identifies with Jesus that Jesus also identifies with them. I would submit the problem today is not so much individuals claiming identification with Him but whether Jesus claims and verifies His acceptance of us.

For some time now, the Church has been under pressure to offer a response to the above-mentioned question. There was a time when nearly everybody we knew could immediately and rightly answer this question. But it is not so now. Actually, many questions are being raised in our time about things we used to know quite well. Frankly, we have and continue to witness such change, such revolution in thought and morals, such disarray in ethics, such breakdown of tradition, and such religious insecurity that everything today is being questioned.

Those who wish to redefine sexual ethics so that ‘gay is OK’ are all around us. We know them, we may be friends with them, we may see them at the family reunion or work with them every day. Today, more than ever, the Church must take a courageous and intelligent stand on the issue of homosexual practice. Much of the debate occurring today regarding homosexual practice has resulted due to the approaches of homosexual advocates in their usage of interpreting the Scriptures. In fact, the current raging debate is really about the interpretation and use of Scripture.

If I define myself as a Christian, meaning I am a follower of Jesus Christ and all of His teachings, then whatever I personally feel or think must always take a back seat to whom God is and what He has clearly said. In other words, “Am I still serious about the spiritual, ethical, and social demands of Jesus Christ upon my life?”

There are those who argue that the Scriptures which clearly define homosexual practice as a sin have been taken entirely out of context and have been mistranslated. Are you and I really to believe that the Bible translators got it wrong each and every time (five different times), and in two different Testaments, and only on the Scriptures regarding homosexual practice? Those who promote homosexual practice as an OK, alternate lifestyle with God don’t seem to have any problem with other Scriptures that condemn such sins as adultery or fornication. The fact remains and the truth will continue to prevail that the Scriptures in Leviticus 18:22; 20:13, Romans 1:24-27 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (to mention just a few) are each mentioned in the context of sexual and immoral behavior. The context is abundantly clear – a variety of behaviors are prohibited; homosexual practice, along with adultery and fornication, is one of them.

A Christian’s life is a life lived in loyalty to Jesus Christ. The Christian life is also a life to be lived in His service and to His honor. And, a Christian is a man or woman that so identifies with Jesus that even that which may sorely tempt them still causes the individual to be fully and unconditionally committed to the Authority of Scripture, committed to Jesus, and forever fervent in following Him.

In terms of Scripture and the Church, the authority of Scripture and the Church’s integrity is compromised when those professing to be Christian misrepresent Christianity. When people claiming to follow Christ Jesus misrepresent Him through immorality, a Christian needs to speak up and present truth. If certain individuals are comfortable or accepting of homosexual practice, that is one matter; however, when statements or beliefs are presented as though homosexual practice now has the blessings of Christianity, now we have a problem.

Within the entire Word of God, there is not a single positive statement offered that homosexual practice is acceptable to God. Each and every time it is mentioned it is always (no exceptions) as a behavior in which a person is to refrain from practicing.

Let the world change its beliefs with regard to homosexual practice but a Christian must not. Let others close their eyes to moral concerns, but Christians must not. True, faithful followers of all the teachings of Christ Jesus must continue to live with conviction, commitment, and constancy.

Today, while the world continues to wax worse and worse, there is still something in a name and it is our privilege and responsibility to show it. Today’s Christian must be totally and completely committed to Christ, constant in obedience, and of contagious faith. That is what being a Christian is all about.

Clearly, the world is drowning in a sea of lust. Personally, I believe the growing acceptance of homosexual practice is one of the indications that civilization is on the verge of complete and total ruin. However, in all fairness, so is sexual promiscuity between heterosexuals. Unholy behavior between a man and a woman is not a more righteous form of sin than the same behavior between two people of the same sex. It may be more natural, but it is not more holy.

Can a Christian support homosexual practice? No. Homosexual practice runs completely and thoroughly against all Christian teaching and conduct and can in no way be supported by the Holy Scriptures.

A Christian is an individual that has been marked as a person intent to copy Jesus and imitate His example. Therefore, how could homosexual practice ever disclose the character of God?

Christians are those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, and are fully identified with Him in the business of life. And what was the business of His life? The business of Jesus was disclosing the character of God, identifying with human need, sharing the love of God, and gathering people into the fellowship of care.

Ultimately, becoming a Christian and continuing as a Christian calls for a settled will to live as Jesus requires in all matters of faith and practice.

Pastor Phillip Lee
Executive Director
His Way Out Ministries

His Way Out has been faithfully ministering to men and women seeking a way out of sexually broken lifestyles since 1994. We could not do it without the support of Christians like you. Every dollar that you give to His Way Out Ministries helps to further this vital ministry. Won’t you take a minute to prayerfully consider a monthly donation to His Way Out? Please consider making a one-time donation or set up a secure monthly PayPal contribution on our donation page at https://www.hiswayout.com/donate/. Thank you, Pastor Phillip Lee

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