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| | <div class="panel-heading"> | | <div class="panel-heading"> |
| − | <h3 class="panel-title">[[File:Page.png]] '''January's''' featured article</h3> | + | <h3 class="panel-title">[[File:Page.png]] '''August's''' featured article</h3> |
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| − | ====Christianity and Homosexuality==== | + | ===='''The Return of the Lord'''==== |
| − | <p>The homosexuals and lesbians have gained considerable political and social momentum overall. They have "come out" as the term goes, left their closets, and are knocking on the doors of your homes. Through the TV, Radio, Newspapers, and Magazines, they are preaching their doctrine of tolerance, equality, justice, and love. They do not want to be perceived as abnormal or dangerous. They want acceptance and they want you to welcome them with open, loving arms, approving of what they do.</p>
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| − | <p>In the CaliforniaState senate, several bills have been recently introduced by the pro homosexual politicians to ensure that the practice of homosexuality is a right protected by California law. Included in these bills are statements affecting employers, renters, and schools. Even churches would be required to hire a quota of homosexuals with "sensitivity" training courses to be "strongly urged" in various work places. There is even legislation that would make the state pick up the tab for the defense of homosexuality in lawsuits, while requiring the non homosexual side to pay out of his/her pocket.</p>
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| − | <p>The Christian church has not stood idle. When it has spoken out against this political immorality, the cry of "separation of church and state" is shouted at the "religious bigots." But when the homosexual community uses political power to control the church, no such cry of bigotry is heard. After all, it isn't politically correct to side with Christians.</p>
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| − | <strong>What does the Bible say? </strong>
| + | For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (I Thessalonians 4:16,17-NIV) |
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| − | The Bible, as God's word, reveals God's moral character and it shapes the moral character of the Christian. There have been those who have used the Bible to support homosexuality, taken verses out of context and reading into them scenarios that are not there. Quite simply, the Bible condemns homosexuality as a sin. Let's look at what it says.<br> | + | The above passage is the foundation for the unscriptural teaching of the pre-tribulation rapture to deliver the believers from Antichrist and the great tribulation. |
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| − | Lev. 18:22,<br>
| + | If you will read the passage carefully you will see there is no mention whatever in the verses or their context that the purpose of resurrecting the dead in Christ, or catching up the saints to meet the Lord in the air, has anything to do with escaping Antichrist or the great tribulation. |
| − | "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination"
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| − | Lev. 20:13,<br>
| + | Paul wrote these words, not to give the believers hope they would be removed from trouble but to comfort them concerning their dead relatives. I use the passage at funerals, telling the grieving relatives and friends that they will see their loved ones again. |
| − | "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltness is upon them"
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| − | 1 Cor. 6:9-10,<br>
| + | Notice there is no mention of leaving the earth and going to Heaven. The saints meet the Lord in the air. They go up to meet Him as He descends to the level of the spiritual thrones that govern the earth. These thrones had been occupied by wicked spirits. The thrones in the air are now vacant, ready to be taken by those saints for whom they have been prepared. |
| − | "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, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
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| − | Rom. 1:26-28,<br>
| + | Notice that the dead in Christ, many of whom have been in Heaven for thousands of years, have returned with the Lord to claim their bodies from their place of burial. Now they are standing on the earth in glorified bodies. |
| − | "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,<br>
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| − | 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.<br>
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| − | 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper."<br>
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| − | <p>With such clear statements against homosexuality, it is difficult to see how different groups can say the Bible supports homosexuality. It doesn't. But when a group wants acceptance and the Bible is the Christians' handbook on morality, the homosexual agenda must try to make the Bible agree with its agenda. But it doesn't work.</p>
| + | The living saints, who are spiritually mature enough to sustain the change from mortality to immortality while standing on their feet, are also glorified. |
| − | <p>Unlike other sins, this sexual sin has a severe judgment administered by God Himself. This judgment is simple: They are given over to their passions. That means that their hearts are allowed to be hardened by their sins. As a result, they can no longer see the error of what they are doing. Without an awareness of their sinfulness, there will be no repentance. Without repentance, there will be no forgiveness. Without forgiveness, there is no salvation.</p>
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| − | <strong>Should homosexuals be allowed to marry one another?</strong>
| + | This is the army of the Lord. Do you think these warriors in glorified bodies, living by the life of the Spirit of God, could be harmed by Antichrist or the great tribulation? Let us not be foolish! |
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| − | <p>In this politically correct climate that relinquishes morality to the relativistic whims of society, stating that homosexuals should not marry is becoming unpopular.</p>
| + | Slowly, majestically, in the sight of Antichrist and the wicked of the earth, the army of the Lord will rise to meet the Commander-in-Chief in the air. There they will mount the white war stallions in preparation for the onslaught of Armageddon. |
| − | <strong>Should a woman be allowed to marry another woman? </strong>
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| − | <strong>Should a man be allowed to marry another man? </strong>
| + | Don't you think the heroes of faith who have returned with Christ and received back their bodies from the ground would be somewhat dismayed at the thought of returning to Heaven to wait another seven years before they can assume their places of rulership (as is often taught)? They are kings and they are anxious to inherit their kingdoms! |
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| − | <strong>Should they be given legal protection and special rights to practice their homosexuality?</strong>
| + | You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:10-NIV) |
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| − | <strong>No. No. No. No.</strong>
| + | The moment they rise from the earth the fury of God's anger will fall on those who have been left behind. This is not the great tribulation but the Day of Wrath. |
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| − | <p>The Bible, of course, condemns homosexuality. It takes no leap of logic to discern that homosexual marriage is also condemned. But our society does not rely on the Bible for its moral truth. Instead, it relies more on a humanistic and relativistic moral base upon which it builds its ethics.</p>
| + | Notice the following verses, which are in context with the above passage. |
| − | <strong>Homosexuality is not natural.</strong>
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| − | <p>The male and female bodies are obviously designed to couple. The natural design is apparent. It is not natural to couple male with male and female with female. In fact, if such couplings occurred in the animal world as a predominant practice, species would quickly become extinct. Nevertheless, some argue that homosexuality is natural since it occurs in the animal world. But this is problematic. In nature we see animals eating their prey alive. We see savagery, cruelty, and extreme brutality. Yet, we do not condone such behavior in our own society. Proponents of the natural order as a basis for homosexuality should not pick-and-choose the situations that best fit their agendas. They should be consistent and not compare us to animals. We are not animals. We are made in God's image.</p>
| + | For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so this day should surprise you like a thief. (I Thessalonians 5:2-4-NIV) |
| − | <p>Political protection of a sexual practice is ludicrous. I do not believe it is proper to pass laws stating that homosexuals have 'rights.' What about pedophilia or bestiality? These are sexual practices. Should they also be protected by law? If homosexuality is protected by law, why not those as well? Of course, these brief paragraphs can in no way exhaust the issue of homosexuality's moral equity. But, the family is the basis of our culture. It is the most basic unit. Destroy it and you destroy society.</p>
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| − | <strong>What should be the Christian's Response to the Homosexual?</strong>
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| − | <p>Just because someone is a homosexual does not mean that we cannot love him (or her) or pray for him (her). Homosexuality is a sin and like any other sin, it needs to be dealt with in the only way possible. It needs to be laid at the cross, repented of, and never done again.</p>
| + | To say that Paul has changed the subject, that I Thessalonians, Chapter Four is not speaking of the historic Day of the Lord, and that Chapter Four is not speaking of the same event as the first and second chapters of Second Thessalonians, is to defy every principle of biblical interpretation. The "pre-tribulation rapture" is a "private interpretation." It is one of the deceptions that Jesus warned us would be prevalent in the closing days of the Church Age. |
| − | <p>As a Christian, you should pray for the salvation of the homosexual the same you would any other person in sin. You should treat them with the same dignity as a person made in the image of God, that you would any other person. However, this does not mean that you are to approve of their sin. Don't compromise your witness for a politically correct opinion that is shaped by guilt and fear.</p>
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| | + | We see, then, that a close look at the "rapture" passage causes the doctrine of the "pre-tribulation rapture' to evaporate like dew when the sun rises. It is not verified by the Scripture. It is a myth, a delusion, a device to keep God's people from preparing themselves to stand in the evil day. |
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| | + | I think it is time for God's leaders and statesmen to turn this thing around and bring a true description of the future to the Lord's people. |
