January 7, 2015
Jude 1:20-23
(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)
I just received a call from a friend who wants me to counsel him and his wife concerning their daughter. They just found out she is embracing the lesbian lifestyle, which decision, she says, she has struggled with since she was a young teen.
First of all, I want to state I am not a homophobe! I am not a gay-basher! I am a conservative Christian, and have been for the last 49 years – since I was 19! Being a Christian who draws my faith and guidance from the Bible, I conclude that before God the gay and lesbian lifestyles are sin. Embracing such a lifestyle may have greater social implications than other actions determined wrong by society in general, but it is no greater sin before God than pride, selfishness, lying, addiction to drugs, alcohol, pornography or food – and many other sins that are more socially acceptable! We are all sinners by nature and choice before the holy God, and we must all stand before Him to give an account of our lives!
But God loves all of us – even the worst of sinners – such as the murderer Saul of Tarsus who became Paul the Apostle. And He loves us so much “…that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). That giving of His Son cost Jesus Christ the horrible death on the cross, bearing our sins and paying the price to redeem us from hell and give us eternal life and heaven! Here is what Jude says on the subject of sin and how believers should react to those entrapped in sin – Jude 1:20 through 23:
…you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in
the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy
of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion,
making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire;
hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
If we are truly disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will love others also. And like Him – and as it says in our scripture – we are to hate sin, even while sincerely loving the sinner! And we are to lovingly do what we can to “…pull…them out of the fire…” of hell! (Jude 1:23).
Is homosexuality sin? It is not my judgment, but this is what God plainly says in His Word:
• Leviticus 18:22 – “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.”
• Leviticus 20:13 – “If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination….”
• Romans 1:21, 26, 27 – “…they…became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened….For even their women exchanged the natural use for that which is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful…”
• I Corinthians 6:9 (NIV) – “Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
So am I to then hate them if God calls them sinners? Never! But I am never to bless what God calls sin! It is plainly written in Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
Is it worse sin than homosexuality that I – because of a highly addictive nature – over-indulged in tobacco, alcohol, drugs, pornography, eating, and a few other things over the years? By the way, I was tested for an addictive nature, and it was found that I was the most addictive person who had ever been screened at this certain place of professional psychological evaluation! Whoopie do! So I have had my struggles over the years also – not homosexuality, but certainly other issues that enslaved my life! By God’s grace I have been freed from most of these entrapments, and I am gaining victory over ADHD behavior and food addiction.
Jesus plainly said in John 8:34 and 36, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin….Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. If we indulge ourselves in any sinful action, we will become slaves to that sin! But – and as it says in I John 3:8 – “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” He came to fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 61:1 that says, “The LORD has anointed Me…[and] sent Me…to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound….”
So if you are convicted of whatever sin may be holding you prisoner, then Jesus Christ can set you free! Just ask Him – by faith believing – to come into your heart and life, to cleanse you of your sin and save you, and to give you eternal life. Paul wrote in Romans 10:13, “For whoever calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Yes, I know we really haven’t covered our scripture from Jude. We will get back to that in the next couple of blogs.