Wednesday, June 18, 2008

If you're going to do it, do it.

News from England is that two clergymen had a marriage-style ceremony in a church, conducted by a third clergyman. There is a major uproar about it, because it shows approval of homosexual, or they call it 'same-sex' marriages.
I'm not going to attack homosexuals. That is not my place. What I will do is recall what the Bible says. It precludes homosexual unions. And if someone wants to say that 'times are changing', the answer to that is: God's word is eternal and unchanging. That is one of the things that makes it so reliable and trustworthy. You know where God stands on any issue by what His Word says. There is no risk of being caught out because it changed when you weren't looking, and you didn't get told in time. So the Scripture does not change to suit social fashion. Society needs to change to honour God's word. Or, if someone does not want to follow God's word, then don't call yourself a Christian. No-one is forced to practice Christianity in western countries today. There is no legal penalty for saying straight out that you do not accept Christian teaching.
So why is it that people want to call themselves Christians, belong to a church, or start what they call a Christian church, and then set aside parts of what the Christian Gospel says? It's senseless. People who do that must want to wear the label 'Christian', and go through some of the observances that go with Christianity, but not stay true to parts of the overall Christian teaching. It's cheating, in other words. Trying to have it all their own way.
Here is an analogy.If I was going to call myself a vegetarian but still eat hamburgers because I wanted to, then I'd be playing silly games with the truth. Vegetarians do NOT eat meat at all.
I'm thankful that whatever makes people feel homosexual did not happen to me. I can't say whether it's a choice or an involuntary thing. I'm just as glad that whatever causes someone to have paedophile impulses did not happen to me. It must be horrific to want to do something your conscience tells you that you should never do. I'm deeply glad that I do NOT have the impulse to force myself on a girl or woman. The idea is vile. I can't tell whether humans are sometimes overcome by their urges or whether they let their impulses go that way. I'm just glad there are SOME evil deeds I never wanted to commit.God will heal people and give them strength to overcome, I trust in that. In any case I don't want to be caught getting self righteous in condemning others, because their is plenty of impurity and imperfection in me. BUT - that is not the same as wanting the church to approve of something I do in order to save me from having to admit I'm wrong. And that's the point here. If you call yourself a Christian, accept what the Christian Gospel teaches. No-one is forced to take up the Word of God, but trying to alter it to suit themselves is utterly dishonest.

5 comments:

Deep thoughts... said...

Well said Andrew! The idea of "selective obedience" to the Word of God seems to be a classic struggle in "Christian-dom" today. I would invite you to check out our church website http://www.thefirstfamily.net/ and listen to the sermon preached on May 18th, 2008 by one of our supported missionaries, Hal Large. It speaks to this notion somewhat.
By the way, I'm well into Outcasts of Skagary and finding it hard to put the book down.

Claire said...

Hi Andrew,
I popped over here after reading the comment you left on my blog. Thank you for stopping by.
I have 2 words for you, "Amen Brother".
Now I'll go check out your book. Anyone with Christian views and morals who isn't afraid to state them is someone I want to know better. God Bless!!

Ms.Green said...

Good points, Andrew. There are too many "cafeteria Christians" (i.e.: I'll take that and a little of that - but I don't want that! One cannnot be saved unless one totally repents of ALL of one's sins and is willing to make Jesus Lord of their life.

God's Word never says we have to like what He says -just that we are to obey and live by it. "Every word" as a matter of fact.(Luke 4:4)

Marshal Art said...

Hello, Andrew. Stopped by after reading your comments at Ms. Green's place. I agree with your sentiments regarding selective obedience wholeheartedly. I always think of Ian Anderson's "Oh God" on the Aqualung album:

"People, what have you done
Locked Him in His golden cage
Made Him bend to your religion
Him resurrected from the grave."

I'll be putting you in my favs and checking out more of your stuff. So far, so good.

Hey, whatever happened to Men At Work?

Melissa said...

Well done! Well Done! Love what you had to say. I am in the process of ministerig to a young gentleman that is homosexual and we have talked about this very subject. You either believe the whole Bible is theword of God and if so then it is not just for yesterday but to day. God and His word (Bible) do not change just because society changes!