HOMOSEXUALITY, SLAVERY, AND SMOKESCREENS

We recently ran across an interesting video on You Tube.  The caption reads, “Kevin Rudd shuts down homophobe in the headlights on Q&A.”  The video can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saTqdnPRePc

In the video, Kevin Rudd (Prime Minister in Australia), in a Question & Answer session, responds to a local pastor’s question on “marriage equality.”  Apparently, Rudd’s views had recently changed on the topic of homosexuality.  He is now sympathetic toward gays and their lifestyle.  The pastor asked Rudd, “If you call yourself a Christian, why don’t you believe the words of Jesus in the Bible?”  A very good question.  But Rudd’s response to the pastor was, “The Bible also says that slavery is a natural condition,” to which the crowd erupted in applause.  And again, implying that if we are going to believe the Bible, that “we should have all fought for the Confederacy in the U.S. Civil War!” 

The Attack

He could have said to the pastor, “No, you simply misunderstand the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality, and it is this…”  But he decided to directly attack the Bible, instead.  Although Rudd claims to be a Christian, he, along with the crowd, was apparently implying that you can’t trust everything the Bible says.  Therefore, this “weakness” somehow means that the Bible’s clear condemnation of homosexuality is actually wrong.  It is now seen as a fully acceptable lifestyle.  Rudd stated that he had come to this conclusion after “many, many months and years of reflection,” and he claimed to have decided this with an “informed” and “good, Christian” conscience.

The Slavery Issue

But concerning the slavery comment, he apparently didn’t “reflect” very long on any study of what the Bible actually has to say about slavery - otherwise, he would have known that Old Testament slavery of innocent people was a voluntary system, and nothing like the bigoted, hateful and brutal slavery of the pre-Civil War type in America, which was motivated by racism. 

 

Biblical slavery was not like this.  It was voluntary unless you were a criminal of some sort.  First, for example, if you were a foreigner conquered by Israel (because of your nation’s sins), then you could be forced into slavery.  Or, secondly, if you committed a crime, like theft, and could not repay what you stole, then you were sold (and forced) into slavery until the debt was paid. 

 

But again, these were either hardened sinners, or criminals who broke the law.  They were not “innocent victims” of slavery.  No one should deny them their penalty.  Even today, anyone going to prison will, in a sense, be a slave of the state.  This may seem harsh, but in many cultures in those days, the penalty for certain crimes was often slavery or even death.  But even these criminals who were forced into slavery by Israel were relatively well-treated compared to the surrounding pagan nations. 

 

A Choice

And then there was voluntary slavery, used by those who had trouble paying off their debts because of money mismanagement, hard times, bankruptcy, famine, etc.  So, rather than die of starvation, they would voluntarily attach themselves to a wealthy slave owner, who would often pay off the person’s debt, and then provide food and shelter in exchange for work.  This was merciful and it was beneficial to both slave owner and slave. 

 

Biblical slavery was important because back then, there was no governmental welfare system like we have today here in America.  There were no bankruptcy laws like ours to help people get out of debt.  There were no government give-aways to fall back on.  Unlike our welfare system today, that system encouraged responsibility and a strong work ethic.

 

Yes, it was an imperfect system, but the concept of slavery was already in place in that whole ancient culture, so God created laws for regulating this imperfect system, so that it wouldn’t get out of hand.  In our easily offended society, it is hard to understand the cold reality of some of the ancient laws.  We are so overly “domesticated” and pampered that we think that any punishment is cruel.  But that’s the way the ancient people worked.  It was so ingrained in them that God had to gradually fade out this culture of slavery.

See these links on biblical slavery:

https://www.compellingtruth.org/slavery-Old-Testament.html

http://apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=6&article=1587

http://christianthinktank.com/qnoslave.html

God’s “Mistakes”?

But Rudd’s answer to the pastor concerning slavery is typical of LGBT sympathizers.  It seems that Rudd was implying that God made a mistake by allowing any kind of slavery, and then made another mistake in calling homosexuality a sin and an abomination (Leviticus 18:22).  The LGBT crowd wants to continue in their sin.  But they (and their sympathizers) don’t want it to be called sin.  They are anxious to prove the Bible wrong.  They want their sin to be accepted at all costs and they are willing to twist the Scriptures (2 Peter 3:16) and call that which is evil, good – and call that which is good, evil (Isaiah 5:20).

All or Nothing

But if you’re going to change God’s Word, why stop there?  Why stop with the sin of homosexuality?  Maybe God made other “mistakes,” as well - maybe the sins of lying, theft, hating your neighbor, murder, kidnapping, beastiality, and others are ALSO not really sins!  Maybe the Ten Commandments are really all wrong!  Why believe some of His Word, but not all of it (2 Timothy 3:16-17)?  Where do you draw the line?  You see, once you open that door and start questioning or changing God’s laws, then things start spinning out of control.

True Love for Gays

In his defense of gays, Rudd also said that focusing on what the Bible says about homosexuality is “missing the centrality of the gospel.”  He said, “The human condition and social conditions change,” (as though time changes God’s Word – Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18).  And he also emphasized that the fundamental principal of the New Testament is “universal love,” i.e., (“loving your fellow man”).  Yes it is, but allowing someone to openly continue in sin is NOT “loving your neighbor” at all! (James 5:19-20)  True Christians are concerned about their fellow man’s eternal destiny.  But Rudd is denying the clear warnings of the Bible.

Born That Way?

Rudd also asked that if gays are born that way, how could we condemn them?  Another good question.  And he’s right.  But the flip side of that question is that God would NOT call homosexuality an abomination IF a person is born that way.  Yet, it is clearly revealed as sinful in the Bible.  So, two choices remain:  Either, people are born gay, and yet God condemns their sin when they really had no choice – or, no one is born gay, and homosexuality is a learned behavior, and is indeed an abomination exactly as He said in both the Old Testament and in the New. 

The Smokescreen

People often use the same tactic that Kevin Rudd used:  They want to excuse their (or someone else’s) sin, so they use a diversion, a smokescreen, to try to catch Christians off guard.  They will point to some little-known (and little understood) Old Testament dietary or ceremonial law that might forbid the eating of shellfish - or the wearing of two different kinds of fabrics at one time - or the planting of two different crops together - or they’ll point to laws calling for the death of someone who works on the Sabbath, etc., etc.  And they will say, “See, we don’t follow these any more.”  But these were part of the ceremonial laws that were strictly for Israel, and they were only intended for a certain period in time.  These ceremonial laws were simply types and shadows (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 8:5-6; 10:1) and the reason we don’t follow them today is because they were all fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  But there were also moral laws in the Old Testament that carried over into the New Testament, like the Ten Commandments and many others, including the prohibitions against homosexuality (Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; Jude 7).

Conclusion

So, pointing to these types of Old Testament laws to justify your sin is simply making excuses for your unbelief.  Many people will purposely use these obsolete laws or these inflammatory “hot-button” topics (like slavery) to stir up anger and confusion, and to divert attention away from the truth of the Bible.  But this generates more “heat” than “light,” i.e., more controversy than understanding, and it is only an attempt to downplay the Bible’s reliability.

Perhaps the “Honorable” Kevin Rudd would say that he does believe in the whole Bible, but that the prohibition of homosexuality is simply some kind of symbol or allegory.  Well, if you want to go that route, then maybe the resurrection of the dead, or the Christian life, or Jesus, Himself, is also just an allegory!  We could carry this concept to absurd conclusions.  The question is this:  Does man decide what is sin, or does God Almighty? 

 

But there IS no allegorizing of the ban on homosexuality.  There IS no explaining it away, no sensible alternate interpretation.  And there IS no mistake on God’s part.  The Bible is God’s Word to mankind and it plainly says that homosexuality is sin.

Jesus, Himself, made it absolutely clear that, from the beginning, God’s plan and intent for marriage is one man for one woman:

 

And He answered and said, “Have you not read, that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh’?  Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” (Matthew 19:4-6)

What God has joined together in holy matrimony is a man and a woman.  Will anyone dare to purposely violate the intent and purpose of God’s plan?

People may ask, “Why do you Christians focus so much on homosexuality?  Aren’t there other types of sin in the world about which you should be concerned?”  Absolutely.  But the adulterer and the thief and the kidnapper, etc., all seem to know that their deeds are sinful.  That’s why they HIDE them!  At least they’ll admit what they do is wrong.  But many, if not most, LGBT people today will tell you up front that they don’t care who knows of their lifestyle… they just insist that it is not sinful.  They either reject God’s Word altogether, or they twist it to accommodate their sins.  This is the proverbial “shaking your fist in God’s face.”  Surely, judgment is coming.

CHRISTIANS AND ACCUSATIONS OF BIGOTRY

Nowadays, the term “bigot” is a buzzword very often thrown around without much thought as to what it actually means.  It is considered to be one of the harshest insults.  Nobody wants to be called a bigot.  But this put-down is often used against Christians because of our “intolerance” and “insensitivity” toward certain people and ideas. 

The “B” Word

Apparently, when having debates in this politically correct society, all one has to do is scream “Bigot!” and the target of his attack is automatically wrong and is forced to apologize and rethink his opinion, no matter how fair and reasonable he’s been.  It seems to be one of the ultimate badges of shame, ranking right up there with “racist” and “homophobe.”  Today, it is one of the most feared titles that anyone could bear, causing many to back off from their opinions in order to salvage their reputation, especially when in public.  

But what IS the definition of the word “bigot”?  Sadly, some sources are actually not very helpful.  Are you a bigot simply because you strongly disagree with someone’s views (as some believe)?  But if we are bigots because we don’t agree with their views, then so are they, since they are are disagreeing with us!

Some Definitions

According to Dictionary.com, a bigot is:

“A person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion.” 

And according to the Collins English Dictionary, it is:

“A person who is intolerant of any ideas other than his or her own, esp on religion, politics, or race.”

But these definitions seem to be too general.  If these are true, then we are ALL bigots, since all of us are intolerant of something.  For example, the great majority of people wouldn’t tolerate murder, child molestation, or kidnapping.  We pretty much all have strong “intolerant” views toward these!  But rightly so.  Intolerance of certain things is not necessarily wrong - in fact, sometimes it is absolutely necessary!

Better Definitions

But notice these next two sources for the definition of “bigot”:

The Cambridge Dictionary:

“A person who has strong, unreasonable ideas, esp. about race or religion, and who thinks anyone who does not have the same beliefs is wrong.”

The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: 

“A person who has very strong, unreasonable beliefs or opinions about race, religion or politics and who will not listen to or accept the opinions of anyone who disagrees.”

Notice the term “unreasonable” in these last two.  This would make more sense as a definition.  This makes it more specific and more meaningful.  If one’s intolerance is unreasonable or not rational, then he could be a bigot. 

Merriam-Webster also leans in this direction by referring to prejudice in its definition of bigot:

“A person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially :  one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.”

Also according to Merriam-Webster, prejudice is “an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge.”

So, if a person is intolerant of a quality that cannot be changed (e.g., color, race, ethnicity), then that would be unfair and he would be a bigot.  But simply disagreeing with someone is not grounds to call you a bigot.  He would have to demonstrate why your view is unreasonable, as well as intolerant. 

“Unreasonable.”  “Unfair.”  “With prejudice.”  “Without just grounds.”  These terms would point to true bigotry. 

The Battleground 

When we Christians share the truth of Scripture with socialists, feminists, atheists, liberals, leftists, the LGBT crowd, etc., they will often be quick to brand us as close-minded, judgmental, intolerant bigots who try to “force” our “outdated” beliefs on everyone.  We are branded as those who “reject diversity,” and spew “hate speech”  (more inflammatory buzzwords).  When emotions run high, they often resort to these tactics to try to end peaceful dialogue to silence Christians.  Well… if they hated Jesus, they’ll hate us, too (John 15:18-19).

The Real Reason

But much of the source of contention they have with us is not so much with actual bigotry, but with our use of the Bible.  For some reason, they automatically seem to connect Scripture with bigotry.  It grieves them to no end that we could possibly believe the Bible, which they consider an “absurd” and “antiquated” book.  It seems that as soon as the Bible is mentioned, many will mock and complain that the Bible is either out of date, too narrow, or irrelevant, or they may only believe certain portions of it.  Regardless, our arguments are immediately dismissed.

From Whence Come Your Morals?

But everyone has values, i.e., a sense of right and wrong.  And we have to get our values from somewhere, don’t we?  So, what is your standard?  What is it that defines your morals?  This is a most important point in our disagreements with anyone. 

       

Good moral values don’t just grow on trees.  They are not created by science (science only deals with physical laws) – they are not created by the individual (that would lead to moral relativism) – and they are not created by society (remember Germany’s example under Hitler?).  Good moral values must come from a transcendent source.  They must come from God.  And we would assert that the Bible is God’s Word.  So that’s why Christians point to the Bible.  We hold it as the ultimate standard of morality (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Obviously, our opponents on the left have an issue with that idea.  Sometimes they will even try to quote the Bible against us, cherry-picking certain passages and taking them out of context (Matthew 4:6-7).  But be confident, fellow Christians, that all of the opposition’s questions and concerns about the Bible can be answered.

The Bible’s Impact

But the truth of the Bible is evident, and its impact on the world is undeniable.  The Bible has changed the lives of many millions of individuals over the centuries in a positive way.  Missionaries, carrying the gospel message, have brought civilized living to the most barbaric and heathen nations.  Christians have been “salt” and “light” in the world for centuries (Matthew 5:13-14).  They are “salt” in the sense of preserving society, and they are “light” in the sense of illumination, in understanding and sharing spiritual truths.  We cannot escape the vast positive influence that the Bible has had on the world and on our own country.  The Bible’s principles were the foundational basis for our colleges, our government, and our Constitution since the beginning of our nation.  Christianity has built schools, hospitals and orphanages throughout the world and established many charitable organizations, as well.  Again, because of biblical principles.

Further evidence of its reliability would include the fact that excavations in archaeology are verifying many truths in Scripture.  Also, consider the abundant manuscript evidence for the Bible, especially the New Testament.  And lastly, fulfilled prophecies from within the Bible provide us with powerful evidence of its truth and trustworthiness.  We can say this of no other book.

God’s Gift to Us

So, the Bible is a supernatural book from a loving and merciful God, who has redeemed mankind.  It is God’s revelation to us.  Fellow Christians, no one is perfect, but if you are truly serving God and living by His Word, then you have nothing to be ashamed of.  The Bible is tried and true.  God has proven Himself over and over through His Word.  Why should we let these people try to intimidate us into believing that their views are right, while there is something wrong with God’s views?  Anyone disagreeing with Scripture is saying that his morals are better than God’s!  By the way, when they call us bigots for using the Bible, they are actually calling God a bigot, since it is HIS Word and HIS thoughts. 

 

Justice, Equality, and Human Rights

Ironically, those very same things that our opponents are screaming for (justice, equality, and human rights) were already brought about by the influence of Christianity!  But our opponents’ version of “rights” and “equality” (which they are trying to shove down America’s throat today) are counterfeits and a perversion of true rights and true equality.

 

Conclusion

Getting back to bigotry.  No doubt, there are some who claim to be Christians who may actually be bigots.  So don’t go crying if someone calls you a bigot IF YOU ARE INDEED ACTING LIKE ONE.  Then it’s your fault.  True bigotry has no place in the Christian’s life.  We should know better.  

But having said that, if any Christian is unjustly called a bigot, he should challenge his accuser to determine on what basis he is being called that.  If they want to have a civil discussion, then fine, but don’t be bullied out of your faith by these “politically correct” scoffers.  Stand up and “earnestly contend for the faith” (Jude 3)!  God does not want us to just be silent and conform to their morals.  The apostle Paul confronted the Thessalonian Jews and reasoned with them out of the Scriptures (Acts 17:2).  We have an obligation to do the same! 

See this very helpful link on debating a liberal:

http://www.angelfire.com/emo2/republican/Manual.htm

See these links on the Bible’s and Christianity’s influence on the world:

http://christunlimited.com/answers/aamerica.html

http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/how-does-the-bible-influence-society/

http://crossandquill.com/journey/the-influence-of-christianity-on-western-civilization/

http://www.byfaith.co.uk/paul200920.htm

https://www.summit.org/archives/journal/2013-03_Summit_Journal-WEB.pdf

https://www.ptl.org/alive/whyscripture.php

A NATION CATERING TO PERVERTS

Definition of “Pervert”

(Noun)

“A person whose sexual behavior is regarded as abnormal and unacceptable.” 

(Verb)

“Alter (something) from its original course, meaning, or state to a distortion or corruption of what was first intended.” (The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English)

What has happened to America?  It seems that we are quick to accept any kind of weird group, lifestyle, or behavior today in the name of “freedom.”  We were once a nation of fairly moral people.  But generally speaking, America’s citizens of the past, even the unchurched, seemed to have more morals than most people do today (even including those who call themselves Christians).  We once had the fear of God, at least to some extent, when people would never commit certain sins publicly (and even hesitantly in private); but unfortunately, this modern society is not afraid to raise its fist in the face of God Almighty. 

Our morals are all twisted.  What was once considered good is now called bad.  And what used to be evil is now acceptable.  The prophet Isaiah warned us long ago about this:

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20 – NASV and so throughout)

The unthinkable is now commonplace.  For example, recently, former Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner has come out of the closet and is now publicly declaring himself to be a woman.  Not ever considering how the God of the Bible feels about this, many commenting on Facebook were quick to praise Jenner for his perversion.  Many of the comments on the topic hailed Jenner as “brave,” and that, through this decision, he was “opening minds” and “saving lives.”  Of course, many Hollywood characters supported Jenner’s efforts.  He was deemed a “hero” by many, including his ex-wife!  Jenner’s son declared his dad to be “more than ever” his role model.  Bruce Jenner also said, “Maybe this is my cause in life,” (meaning his transition into “womanhood”), thus helping others to also be brave and “come out.”  Rather than condemn Jenner’s actions, some Facebook commenters objected to our “judgmental society” and an “unforgiving public.”  Come on, all you big, mean, oppressive and judgmental people… what could possibly be wrong with just letting everyone “do their own thing”?!!!  Jenner’s not hurting anyone, right?

It seems that the men of Sodom also felt the same way about Lot (Genesis 19:4-9)… that he was “unforgiving” and “judgmental.”  But what if these Old Testament Sodomites were simply “expressing themselves”?  One might say, “They couldn’t help it.  That’s just the way they were.  They were probably ‘born that way,’ right?”  Obviously, God didn’t see it that way, and He destroyed their city.  Remember, HE always has the last word.

Furthermore, Jenner claimed that he is not gay.  But this is certainly debatable, since he is supposedly still attracted to women.  So, wouldn’t his being with a woman while he professes to be a woman still make him gay?  The man is certainly confused.  As though this were not enough, Jenner also claims to be a Christian, and said that he often wondered while sitting in church how God saw him (i.e., as a man or as a woman).  But a true Christian would recognize that God always intended Jenner to be a man from the beginning and, try as Jenner may, no amount of desire, no operation, no drugs, and no changing of lifestyle or clothing can change that fact.

 

Jenner’s lifestyle is a perversion, plain and simple, just as the definition above states… it is a “corruption of what was first intended” (by God).  God INTENDED him to be a man, and He therefore CREATED him as a man, so Jenner will always BE a man.  And when he stands before God, he will be JUDGED as a man.  Sorry, but no one can change that.

But concerning Jenner’s new lifestyle, the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) crowd loves this kind of stuff.  And they would love nothing better than the public’s full acceptance of their lifestyle and, not stopping there, to receive special treatment for their minority status.  Many of the LGBT gang would love to shove their perverted lifestyle down the throats of the public, especially on Christians.

And you know what?  The public (especially in the media) seems to be quite willing to let that happen.  They seem to WANT to cater to the whims of these groups.  They apparently WANT our leaders in high places to sympathize with such perversion.  It apparently doesn’t matter to them what GOD wants.

 

Through the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24-29), God has already clearly shown us what He thinks about homosexuality and what happens to a society that moves in that direction.  God help us.  And may God forgive us (America) for allowing this to happen.

And now, a word to those in the LGBT camp.  Having said all this, we are still to love the sinner, while hating the sin, itself.  Jesus died for every type of sinner.  Every one of us is guilty of sin of one type or another.  But God forgives the humble and repentant person.  If you are reading this and you are one who feels trapped in the LGBT lifestyle, know that God loves you, and there is yet hope.  God is merciful, but there is a point when He will no longer tolerate deliberate sin any farther. 

 

The Apostle Paul dealt with some hardcore sinners in the Corinthian church:

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.  AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) [Emphasis added]

Notice Paul’s words, “And such WERE (past tense) some of you.”  They had been trapped in their sins (including homosexuality), but were delivered out of them by surrendering their lives to Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  They didn’t  STAY in their sins.  And YOU don’t have to stay in your sins.  But you have to repent and humbly admit the perversion of your lifestyle. Then you can be set free.

"If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36)